Nike ramps up plans for Web3 community platform with Air Force 1 NFTs

After a slow and controlled rollout, Dot Swoosh, the digital community and virtual creation platform Nike launched last November (still in beta) is starting to make moves.

In mid-April, the footwear giant released digital posters of its Air Force 1 shoes—reimagining heritage Nike ads—to randomly selected beta members. Priority was given to members of Nike’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion communities, and the posters give holders early access to purchase Dot Swoosh’s first digital-creation collection, “Our Force 1,” on May 8.

From the outset, Nike has shied away from using the terms “NFT” or “blockchain” when describing the Dot Swoosh project, and the Our Force 1 announcement was no exception.

Instead, Nike described “digital boxes,” each priced at $19.82 (1982 is the year the AF1 was first released) and containing a “digital version” of the iconic shoe.

• The virtual shoes will range from “favorite classic[s]” to those with a “more futuristic twist.”
• Available NFTs will include virtual creations by the winners of the “Your Force 1 Challenge,” Dot Swoosh’s first opportunity for fans to collaborate on a design with the brand.

Now what? Beta members who received posters will be able to purchase OF1 boxes first, followed by the general Dot Swoosh community on May 10. After the sale, purchasers can participate in a communal “reveal” to see their new digital shoe (NFT) and view the entire collection.

Nike plans to enhance the Dot Swoosh experience by offering exclusive physical products and members-only experiences, and will also launch a marketplace where members can “acquire more virtual creations and grow their collections.”