Sneakerheads have a love and hate relationship with Nike's social media accounts. With almost five million Twitter followers and nearly three times as many on the 'Gram, the brand has quite the grip on the footwear market.
However, according to a new report issued by the Harvard Business Review, the Swoosh could actually be doing better than they already are.
According to the HBR, Nike's tweets are amongst the worst in the business world, joining companies like Starbucks, Burberry, and American Express. Meanwhile, brands such as Bank of America, Facebook, and Verizon ranked high on the list of best corporate tweeting.
So, how can Nike be killing the numbers yet score so poorly? The HBR says it comes down to empathy and making the consumer feel valued. "In our view, empathy consists of three components: reassurance, authenticity and emotional connection. Empathy goes beyond simply solving a problem," said the study.
Although there's no hard examples provided for the Swoosh's ranking, the HBR points to cookie-cutter, bot-like replies as the main reason that companies like Starbucks struggle on social media.
Or maybe this has to do with how angry sneakerheads get at Nike Store's Twitter account nearly every Saturday morning.
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