Converse has been an iconic brand since its founding in 1908, with frequent appearances in pop culture, from cinematic classics to the social media accounts of modern "influencers". The brand prides itself on appealing to all generations as an athletic and lifestyle shoe. In the past, Converse has appealed primarily to older generations in their marketing, using storytelling tactics to further their message. One example of this is the "Forever Chuck" campaign, which used a story-telling style to celebrate 100 years of Converse in the collaborative video.
More recently, Converse has started appealing heavily to younger shoppers, specifically members of Generation Z. They have been doing this through through limited edition collaborations, "drops" with other popular brands, such as Japanese brand Comme de Garcons, Virgil Abloh's Off White, with pairs now reselling for upwards of $500.
 |
| Emma Chamberlain's Instagram Story Post |
January saw the release of limited-edition, extra durable Chuck 70s in collaboration with Carhartt, an outerwear brand that has surged in popularity amongst teens in recent years due to the placement of their beanies on social media. Converse released two pairs of the Carhartt 70s, in camo and light brown, retailing for nearly double the original price They plugged the pairs heavily on social media through influencers, primarily by gifting them to Emma Chamberlain in a PR package. This is a prime example of using marketing to further market development.
Emma Chamberlain is a social media icon that has gone from youtuber to model, brand rep, and brand owner. Chamberlain, who boasts a combined following of twenty million between YouTube and Instagram, is largely viewed as the fashion icon of our generation, with countless trends moving mainstream due to her influence. She plugged the Carhartt Chucks on her Instagram story as they dropped on the Converse website, with the product selling out shortly.
 |
| Emma Chamberlain |
The tactic of using a popular brand and arguably the most influential fashion personality of recent years has given Converse an edge in market development. They consistently re-envision the classic Chucks, mostly unchanged since the 1970s, in order to reach new markets.
This example shows how advantageous it can be to use different brands to reimagine a tried-and-true product, with the ultimate goal of expanding the market for it.
I look forward to keeping tabs on Converse throughout their new drops and updating this thread! In researching this topic I came across the Converse Valentine's Day collection, and I just received my pair in the mail - I've been narrowly avoiding slush and puddles on campus all day trying to rep them in the snow.
Comments
Post a Comment