Brief:

• Nike's Jordan Brand this week released a fashion collection that lets Snapchat users dress up their Bitmoji avatars with virtual sportswear and buy it online to wear in real life. The Jordan x Bitmoji collection includes shirts, pants, jackets and a first look at the Air Jordan XXXV sneakers that go on sale in mid-October, per an announcement emailed to sister publication Mobile Marketer.
• To see the collection, Snapchat users need to tap on their profile in the top-left corner of the photo-messaging app and swipe up to see the "Bitmoji" section in the menu. Tapping on "change outfit" opens the avatar designer that shows Jordan styles among a selection of digital apparel. Alternatively, the standalone Bitmoji app also provides access to the avatar designer.
• The Bitmoji collection is the latest Snapchat-powered effort from a brand that has pioneered social commerce on the app. Overall, digital sales were a bright spot for Nike in Q1 2020, adding $900 million in incremental revenue from last year.

Insight:

Nike's Jordan Brand aims to reach Snapchat's youthful audience with the release of its digital clothing line for Bitmoji avatars. By letting Snapchat and Bitmoji users dress up their avatars with its clothing, Jordan is giving people another way to express their personal style while also extending the reach of its campaign for its latest clothing line — which they can also buy in real life. The collection is available in select retail stores and for immediate purchase from Nike.com.

Bitmoji avatars have become a key feature of Snapchat after parent company Snap acquired Bitstrips, the maker of the Bitmoji app, for more than $100 million in 2016. Bitmojis let Snapchat users represent themselves with quirky graphics in messages, augmented reality (AR) animations or on its Snap Maps feature that shows the locations of friends who share their whereabouts.

The rollout of Jordan x Bitmoji collection comes as Nike increasingly relies on digital sales channels for growth. Nike this week reported a 150% jump in demand on its app in Q1 2020, an almost 200% increase in demand for its commerce app and "triple-digit" growth in monthly active users. The company's net income grew 11% to $1.5 billion, as digital channels added $900 million in incremental revenue from last year. By urging Snapchat users to make direct purchases of its latest Jordan clothing from the Nike.com website, the company can help to maintain that momentum going into the holiday shopping season.

Jordan is the latest brand to offer a clothing line for Bitmoji avatars. Last month, Ralph Lauren unveiled its first collection in a collaboration with Snapchat. The rollout includes a "shop the look" feature on its website to drive direct sales from its suggested ensembles of digital clothing.