Nike tech tracksuit sales soar following images of detained Maduro in outfit

Nike's tech tracksuit saw a spike in online searches after photos emerged of detained Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro wearing the gray hoodie and pants during his capture by US forces.

This comes as US president Donald Trump posted an image on Truth Social on Thursday (1 January), showing Maduro in handcuffs, wearing an eye mask and ear covers aboard a US ship.

In the photo, Maduro is seen wearing a Nike Tech Fleece hoodie and pants in a sleek gray tone, complemented by functional accessories such as goggles and noise-cancelling earmuffs. This caught the attention of netizens, who identified his outfit as Nike Tech, with the full-zip jacket priced at US$140 and the matching pants at US$120. Meanwhile, the ear covers were Flintronic brand and the eye mask Wanme, costing about US$11.99 and US$6.99 respectively.

According to media intelligence firm CARMA, there were a total of 32,200 global mentions of Nike and Maduro, with over 70% of sentiments being neutral. The arrest of Maduro and his outfit—specifically the gray Nike tracksuit—triggered a significant surge in online demand for the item, resulting in rapid sell-outs on Nike’s website and various retailers. The Nike Tech Fleece hoodie has become a best-seller on Nike’s website, with many extra-large sizes selling out, MARKETING-INTERACTIVE confirmed.

Additionally, several social media platforms are seeing searches and engagement related to the "Maduro outfit”, according to CARMA. The surge was amplified by posts from various social media accounts, including news outlets, sports accounts, and meme pages. On the social media platform X, many netizens are discussing this, with some humorously suggesting they will ask the AI platform Grok to generate images of themselves wearing Maduro's outfit.

The event also highlights how seemingly minor details from high-profile news stories can unexpectedly drive consumer interest and create viral trends on social media platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and Google Trends, according to CARMA. 

Foreign social media accounts noted a spike in Google searches for Nike Tech after the photo, with some calling Nike the "biggest winner" and suggesting renaming the colour "Maduro Gray."

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Nike for a statement. 

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On 3 January, the US launched "Operation Absolute Resolve," utilising over 150 aircraft and Delta Force to arrest Maduro and his wife in Caracas, Venezuela, and transport them to New York for trial.

The US government justified the military action to combat drug terrorism, protect national security, and reclaim "stolen" oil assets, labelling Maduro an "illegitimate dictator." Trump announced that the U.S. would temporarily "run the country" until a safe and fair power transfer could occur.

Meanwhile, Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of drug trafficking, weapons possession, and narco-terrorism on Monday.

Photo courtesy: X account @mooncatcherxbt

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