I loved the intensity. I loved the feel. I loved the looks. It made me feel good. Like I could get out and do something that was worth it. It made me, me.

The price I had to pay for this scandalous relationship was too much for my wallet to dish out, but I didn’t care. I came back again and again. Each time it was better than the last.

Nothing could stop me from decking myself out in all the latest Nike running gear because it encouraged me to do better.

Yes, my first love (for a brand) was Nike because their marketing efforts exceeded anything I had ever experienced before. It was like they were talking to me and telling me, “Go out there and run like the wind, Madison!”

I am part of the women’s consumer market that Nike targets. Specifically, women in their 20s and 30s who are pursuing a fitness-oriented lifestyle.

In Mandy Porta’s article Inc. article, How to Define Your Target Market, she explains that having niche markets allow a business to spend their money on people who will actually buy their product. Targeting a broad market may seem doable, but it will only waste time and resources.

Nike does a thorough job at defining who wants their products and what personal characteristics and behaviors they have. Nike recognized the demand for people in my age group, I am now a 20-year-old who still enjoys stating active and appreciates the style of the clothing I wear. By defining who wants their product, they begin to build relationships with each of their markets and audiences and kindle a loyalty. This gives them the ability to charge high prices due to the demand for their product.

This concept of loyalty to a brand is also explored in the New York Times article A crazy Idea for Funding Local News: Charge People for It and in a Nieman Lab interview with the CEO of Piano. While the local news and a giant athletic brand are two separate entities, they both still aim to build relationships with their customers. If the local news can, “do the thinking” for its community, people will feel like its their responsibly as a member of their community to stay informed because the newspaper creates something of value to them.

In turn, community members will pay the price it takes to do so. Overall, a quality service will attract quality customers and together, they maintain a symbiotic balance that allows each side’s needs to be met.

My need for quality athletic clothing that allows me to move in a way that makes me a better, stronger runner for a steep price is met by Nike’s attentiveness to their target audience. They have successfully won my heart, and the hearts of many others. Loyalty comes at a price and defining who actually wants your product will pay off in the long run because they eagerly will be waiting to see what is next.