For many years, Nike Inc. embraced the slogan “Just Do It” for its consumers. Now, the company’s designers, engineers, and scientists have adopted a new mantra: “Create epic s–t.” This shift emphasizes innovation and creativity in product development.
This directive springs from Phil McCartney, Nike’s new chief innovation, design, and product officer, who took on this role in May after nearly thirty years at the company. McCartney’s primary challenge is to revitalize Nike’s innovation timeline, which has stagnated amid growing market competition.
“By nature, I’m pretty impatient,” McCartney remarked during a recent interview at Nike’s Beaverton headquarters. “It’s OK to push some edges and try some crazy things.”
Currently, Nike is prioritizing rapid development; they plan to release products up to a year earlier than before. Among the innovative offerings, new shoes are designed to stimulate the brain, while other prototypes are reminiscent of robotic enhancements.
With McCartney at the helm, the goal is to rekindle consumer interest in Nike, especially after a period where the brand over-rely on retro lifestyle sneakers, overlooking serious athletic gear. The fallout was significant: Nike saw a loss of $5 billion in revenue last year and faced declining sales for six consecutive quarters, amidst an 8.7% drop in shareholder value this year.
The plans include revitalizing past breakthroughs such as the Air cushioning system and ZoomX lightweight foam, which were once cornerstones of Nike’s innovation strategy.
“I see it as appropriate acceleration rather than rushing,” he adds, emphasizing the importance of strategic innovation.
During an October visit to the Nike Sports Research Lab at the LeBron James Innovation Center, he showcased some of the latest projects his team is pouring effort into—these new designs are at various stages of development, and details like pricing and launch dates are still under wraps.
Among these is Nike Mind, a shoe aimed at calming athletes by applying pressure to specific points on the foot to enhance brain activity. The Air Milano jacket is set for a debut at next year’s Winter Olympics in Italy, featuring a novel construction method that allows users to adjust temperature by inflating or deflating the garment. Additionally, the lightweight AeroFit fabric is designed to help maintain optimal body temperature through advanced mesh structures and is nearing its market introduction.
Perhaps the most ambitious project is dubbed Project Amplify, which seeks to develop powered footwear. This innovative system is designed to propel users forward with each step, enhancing walking or running distance. Early prototypes resemble robotic legs but are gradually becoming sleeker and more functional—commercial availability is not expected until 2028.
“Innovation and product development are everything—they need products to resonate to get shoppers interested,” states Poonam Goyal, a Bloomberg Intelligence analyst. “Should they fail, the turnaround fails.”
Within the organization, innovation teams are encouraged to allocate 20% of their efforts toward experimenting with “moonshot” concepts, which may never hit the shelves—a practice more commonly linked to tech startups than traditional apparel brands.
“I’d expect a much lower hit rate” for these ambitious projects, McCartney admits.
McCartney’s rise aligns with a broader restructuring led by CEO Elliott Hill, who returned from retirement to take on the role last year. In August, a series of executive changes and reorganizations were implemented, including a redirection of 8,000 employees into roles focusing on specific sports like basketball and running, with minor layoffs affecting less than 1% of the workforce.
“I want us to go faster,” Hill asserts. “Make stuff people want, need, and when we’re at our best, make stuff that people don’t even know is imaginable.”
A seasoned runner from Newcastle, England, McCartney joined Nike after earning a degree in sports science. He has collaborated closely with Hill throughout his career at Nike, most recently as general manager of the footwear division, alongside Mark Parker, the executive chairman, who remains actively involved in product initiatives.
As the 2026 World Cup approaches, which will span the US, Canada, and Mexico, McCartney is leading efforts to enhance Nike’s global football offerings, including improvements to the Tiempo cleats.
Recently, he visited Converse’s headquarters in Boston to leverage Nike’s research and development capabilities, aiming to bolster Converse’s performance amidst a concerning 28% revenue drop in the last quarter. Steps are being taken to rejuvenate the brand’s iconic Chuck Taylor sneakers.
In addition, McCartney is focusing on rejuvenating Nike’s running category, which faces increasing competition from brands like On and Hoka.
One highlight from recent tests included athlete Faith Kipyegon’s attempt to beat the four-minute mile in custom Nike spikes. Although she did not achieve the goal, she did break her own world record with an unofficial time of 4:06:42.
“Make athletes better,” McCartney summarizes Nike’s innovation philosophy. “If it’s not, we shouldn’t do it.”
