Nike likely to cut 2009 marketing budget

CHICAGO, Feb 11 - Nike Inc will likely "just do it," cutting its marketing budget this year as part of its push to reduce expenses.

The world's largest athletic shoe and clothing maker said late on Tuesday it would cut up to 1,400 jobs, or 4 percent of its workforce, as part of a review aimed at bringing products to market faster.

Nike's reining in ad spending, sports sponsorships and endorsement deals was not only likely, but could be done without hurting its dominant position, analysts said.

"They have such penetration in their marketing budget that they can use attrition to cut off contracts," Robert Boland, professor of sports management at New York University, said of Nike's various sports contracts.

"You'll definitely see a different allocation and you'll definitely see some reduction," he added. "When you're the biggest, you have the power to do that."

Companies such as General Motors Corp and FedEx Corp have cut marketing budgets, including sports-related spending, in response to the recession.

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