Nike already has the reputation and resources to make something like this feel both natural and overdue. They are known for performance, innovation, and adapting quickly to how people actually use their products. They do not just sell apparel; they sell gear that fits into people’s lives. When Nike releases something new, people expect it to be functional, sleek, and socially aware.

That kind of brand trust also sets the bar higher. Consumers expect Nike to take real-world concerns seriously. With Nike Halo, that includes safety, inclusivity, and usability. This project focuses on a group often overlooked in design: people who want to be active without compromising safety or comfort, especially women who run alone and people with textured or natural hair who are tired of gear that doesn’t work for them. The unmet need here is not niche. It is broad. When you design for more people, more people benefit.

The Product Concept: Nike Halo

Nike Halo is a washable audio headband with satin-lined cap attachments (Similar in concept to the Dyson hairdryer) that protect hair and provide comfort across hair types. It uses bone conduction, which means sound travels through your cheekbones and keeps your ears open. You can listen to music, take calls, or hear coaching prompts while still picking up traffic or conversations. It includes modes that allow users to switch between passive listening and active noise cancellation depending on where they are.

Halo is designed for runners, gym-goers, and commuters who want wearable tech that moves with them, not against them. Women may use Halo for neighborhood runs where being able to hear surroundings is non-negotiable. And no, the focus on hair health with the satin cap does not make this niche. Inclusive design doesn’t make products more limited. It usually makes them better for everyone. Research shows that inclusive methods lead to broader reach and better customer satisfaction (Zaytseva, 2024).

Research Objectives: What We’re Trying to Figure Out

The research will focus on the target audience, competition, and external factors. I want to understand who will use this, what they need, and how they currently meet those needs. The expected audience includes active people ages 18 to 45, especially those underserved by current wearable tech. I’m especially interested in women and BIPOC consumers, both of whom often modify or workaround products that were not built with them in mind.

This group is growing. Fitness participation is rising steadily, and tech-savvy younger consumers are driving demand for wearable innovation (Fortune Business Insights, 2025). Research will examine what features they prioritize, what products they use now, how they make buying decisions, and what gaps remain. It will also identify what users like or dislike about their current solutions, what they would change, and who they see as competitors.

Halo’s main competition comes from Shokz and Bose. Shokz has sports-targeted bone conduction audio but lacks hair-inclusive design or headwear integration. Bose offers excellent sound but falls short on secure fit for movement-heavy use. I’ll analyze how these products are positioned, priced, and distributed, and how consumers respond to them.

Externally, Halo launches into a market already leaning toward wearables. The category is projected to exceed $150 billion globally within a few years (Fortune Business Insights, 2026). At the same time, there’s rising awareness of inclusive design, tech fatigue, and pricing sensitivity. Halo doesn’t collect biometric data, so legal concerns are minimal. But consumer trust and value perception still matter.

How I’ll Gather the Right Information

To assess whether Nike Halo should launch in the United States, I’ll use both secondary and primary research. Secondary research will cover the broader market, competitors, product reviews, and industry trends. That includes data on sales, product specs, and forecasts.

For deeper insights, I’ll conduct primary research. This includes qualitative methods like interviews or small focus groups to understand frustrations and habits, and quantitative tools like surveys to measure preferences across a broader sample. According to Hair et al. (2023), research should be rooted in identifying and defining the right problem, which guides everything else. The aim is not to prove that Halo is a good idea but to determine if people want it, how they’d use it, and whether they trust Nike to deliver something worth buying.

References

Fortune Business Insights. (2025). Wearable Technology Market Size, Share & Industry Analysis
https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/wearable-technology-market-106000

Hair, J. F., Ortinau, D. J., & Harrison, D. E. (2023). Essentials of marketing research (6th ed.). McGraw-Hill Higher Education.

Zaytseva, D. (2024, September 26). Designing for accessibility: Why inclusive design is the future. Medium. https://medium.com/design-bootcamp/designing-for-accessibility-why-inclusive-design-is-the-future-1c410274337f