Understanding Sneaker Culture: The Products, the Players and the Community – And How to Authentically Engage

Room 5 | 2:15-2:45 | Tuesday, March 5, 2019

Sneaker culture has changed dramatically over the past two decades, shifting from a niche community of collectors to the mainstream. For Millennials and Gen Z, sneakers are a visible, tangible means of differentiating oneself and expressing ones individuality. Sports, music and fashion are no longer isolated interests, with sneakers a key component of this convergence.

Within the sneaker community we’ve found distinct types of fans, each with different personalities, lifestyles, fashions, spending habits and content preferences. The brands at the center of the culture know what drives attention and engagement among sneakerheads and mere sneaker enthusiasts alike. Learn how Bleacher Report extends beyond sports to sports culture with B/R Kicks and its partners, leveraging first- and third-party data to fully understand and authentically engage with young audiences.

Presentation type:

• Research Report

Subjects covered:

• Data visualization.
• Data integration/big data.
• Storytelling/data interpretation.
• Social media research,
• Hybrid/mixed methods.

Takeaways: 

1. Understand how – at the intersection of products, players and the community – brands can authentically resonate with sneaker culture.
2. Identify what (and who) drives social engagement and positive emotional responses for online content and advertising.
3. Compare distinct types of Millennial and Gen Z sneaker fans by diving into their personalities, lifestyles, fashions and spending.