Growth through Micro-Cultures
You may have missed Sneaker Con in New York last weekend, but you shouldn’t dismiss the potential significance it represents for the future of product marketing. A thousand people lined up in the cold to buy/sell/trade a set of vintage, customized, or collector series of sneakers. Collectively, they all wanted the same thing–to find a pair of rare, exclusive sneakers. Many sneakers go for way above $1500 a pair.
Many of the 20 vendors, who all paid $100 for a table, were enterprising young men. It’s a world where the shoes aren’t made for walking, but instead symbolize status and individuality.
For generations young and old consumers alike have been customizing purchases such as cars, and more recently mobile phones to symbolize their individuality. Now technology allows personalization of almost everything even if it means repurposing the original product intent.
Brands that embrace and support these micro-cultures can develop even more loyal consumer fans. The key is not to over-commercialize it or the uniqueness factor will wear thin (many of these resellers don’t even have official websites, only social media sites). Nike has been successful targeting this sub-culture by only releasing (or re-releasing) limited edition shoes targeted toward this underground culture, and engaging them on a very organic level.
How could this Micro-Culture trend be applied to your product or brand?
