words & opinion by Creighton Phillips
When Kanye West declared himself to be a performance athlete during the midst of being at odds with Nike about what seemed to be skus, many fans and naysayers alike questioned his leverage. To champion the musician as the most integral piece of a marketing movement seemed farfetched to more than just a few, causing Nike to let him walk to the seemingly more supportive Adidas. This was almost a half decade ago and the effects seem to be long lasting.
Here we are in 2017, with rappers and influencers leading the charge in a space traditionally occupied by the athlete. Although it has been a very brief period to stay attentive to, it’s hard to deny that someone must’ve triggered it all. With an increase of popular celebrities wanting to be spotted in sneaker campaigns and also clamoring for opportunities to provide input on product development, one should keep a watchful eye on the growing interest brands have in the “influencer” category. The influencer holds the power once possessed by the musician in terms of marketing, as the lines become increasingly blurred. Visibility to a broader demographic is always an initiative in the schematics of marketing, but it also doesn’t guarantee garnering appeal from the core audience. Here’s why companies have began to compare risk to reward in regards to brand endorsement.
Sneaker culture has always been one of validation, which prompted new participants to study up on their favorite collabs, colorways, and most coveted pairs aspired to purchase. Admiration wasn’t spent when you saw the famous guy on TV sporting the freshest pair, at least not in comparison to the kudos given to the Joe in your neighborhood. Famous folks have expendable income. So their acquisition of pairs was viewed as less of a feat. Sneakers made us all Joes because there was always something that someone couldn’t get. Your connection wasn’t someone else’s and vice versa. But now, with influencer marketing becoming the ideal ploy to sell sneakers, the integrity has been sacrificed. The accessibility that fame has created within a subculture indicative of socioeconomic climate and classism is what’s most alarming about brands’ marketing tactics. It’s all about your following. Unfortunately, not who follows but how many. How do you instill trust based off of an algorithm or fame by association? You can’t. That point has been proven.
How does a VLONE AF1 happen? Was ASAP Bari’s VLONE imprint widely acclaimed already? Is that idea generated in the same fashion that a Travis Scott Jordan Trunner is? Drake OVO Jordans? Or what about the OFF WHITE x NIKE TEN ICONS release? Is that collaboration measurable against Just Don and the continued success his brand has had co-creating with Jordan Brand? Or was it more along the lines of enlisting the help of Errolson Hugh for ACG’s latest iterations? Or the continuation of product developed for JB in conjunction with PSNY? It seems that some collaborative efforts are made because of clout, and the risk is low when the platform to advertise/market is in the convenience of millions of users’ palms. No longer are billboard spaces taken out for messages delivered by our favorite brand representatives. Just seed them free product and make sure the caption on the post is catchy/captivating. That’s pretty much the tagline or slogan moving forward. One could only imagine how Drake developed the idea to do a song titled “Jumpman.”
So when you see Originals campaigns for Adidas fronted by Young Thug, Playboi Carti, 21 Savage, and Kendall Jenner, do you thoroughly understand brand direction? Rihanna’s work for Fenty x Puma has been astounding, but isn’t it also worth noting that she’s accompanied by Jay-Z and The Weeknd now?
Or most notably, Nike’s lack of interest in Kendrick Lamar before he seemed to stylistically appease a fashionable demographic. You definitely can’t forget to mention ASAP Rocky cashing out on a UA deal that still doesn’t represent cohesion for the brand, especially after everything he and Jeremy Scott were able to establish for the Three Stripes roughly four years ago.
The sneaker culture has become a musical chairs game of sorts, with influencers/musicians vying for a seat amongst brands/consumers alike. With a shift in focus from innovation and groundbreaking product functionality, we’ve lobbied to participate in the popularity contest that is brand marketing. Maybe it’s the consumer, maybe it’s the corporations, maybe it’s everyone involved. One thing is for certain though, a smart shopper will always be above the influence.
