The Ultimate Branding Union

Two of the most prolific branding machines have joined forces in what may prove to be a beautiful partnership. Nike, the ubiquitous image of sport, and Apple Computer Company, whose iPod spread across college campuses and the rest of the music loving world, have joined to bring us the "Nike + iPod receiver."

With a sensor in your shoe and a receiver on your iPod nano, your run takes on a completely new dimension. See the minutes tick by. Watch the miles unfold. Hear real-time feedback. All to your favorite music — including the one song that always gets you through the home stretch. (via: Apple.com)

The branding power of these two giants is enough to scare any individual into running to the hills. You don't "get" sport if you don't get Nike. You don't "get" music if you don't get an iPod. Now, you don't get individualism unless you get Nike shoes, an iPod, and the Nike + iPod receiver. And as much as I hate the ethical implications of such intense branding both companies have used to get to where they are today, I must admit that this is a really cool idea.


(Disclosure: I own an iPod.)

(update: See Lance Armstrong endorse the Nike+ sytem.)