BUS631: Brand Management

The current study sought to explore Sneakerhead culture from the perspective of male Sneakerheads, to gain a better understanding of their motivations and brand preferences. Findings from this study, therefore, aid marketers in developing marketing strategies that speak to the unique orientation, identities, and preferences of the Sneakerhead community. Moreover, findings from the study may also be applied in the academic classroom setting to give students a relevant and practical example of a niche market segment that is heavily targeted by industry. This investigation was conducted using a Social Identity Theory lens, to assess the impact of group identity and norms on the consumer behaviors of self-identified Sneakerheads. Three themes emerged from individual interviews with participants. These themes included: (1) Back in the Day, (2) All About the Jumpman, and (3) For Members Only. Overall, the findings confirm observations from prior research with members of this subculture, while also adding additional nuance to the academic literature.

Although the current findings are based on research with adult and emerging adult males, their reflections are similar to those that researchers have found among adolescent male consumers. As such, when considering the theme Back in the Day, we see that adult male Sneakerheads reflect back on social and psychological drivers of behavior including peer influence, self-esteem, and desired connection to larger fashion trends. As such, many of the participants in the current study noted their inability to fully engage sneaker culture in their adolescence and the importance of being able to fulfill those desires in adulthood.

This notion of wanting to fulfill a material desire from childhood is akin to the concept of social identity. That is, children use possessions to signal pertinent aspects of their identity both to themselves and peers. Findings from this study show that the material possession of sneakers and certain nostalgic sneaker brands allow Sneakerheads to express their identities in an outward way. This material possession then solidifies their place in the community, while allowing them to capture the essence of the sneaker culture of the past. Marketers may want to capitalize on this idea by including nostalgic images of sneakers in their advertisements to evoke a reference to this aspect of the Sneakerhead identity.

Many of the Sneakerheads in the current study came of age during the rise of Sneakerhead culture. As such, All About the Jumpman reflects the influence and symbolic value of sports, music and fashion on the construction, negotiation and performance of masculine social identities. For many, the Jordan brand identity became synonymous with their development of ideal selves during adolescences and emerging adulthood. However, among younger Millennials, diversity in brand options and ambassadors opened opportunities to expand their ideal self while also holding a space to acknowledge the historical value innate to the theme of All About the Jumpman.

This theme relates to the social identity theory in that participants identify with the sneaker based on the athlete, musician, or figure they seek to emulate. In that same token, by owning the shoe that is worn by that figure, their identities are then further shaped as they connect to the sneaker brand. This is especially true for the Jordan brand, as Michael Jordan is an athletic icon that generations have admired for years and is still relevant today given the recent success of the 2020 ESPN documentary series on Michael Jordan entitled The Last Dance. To further connect the Jordan brand with the shoe's icon, Jordan brand marketers may want to feature ads that include montages of older Sneakerheads discussing their experiences watching Michael Jordan perform in his namesake sneakers during his early years, and how the nostalgia of that image connects to the love of the sneaker brand. This may also help to appeal to the younger Sneakerheads by including the historical context of the shoe.

Although there may exist differences in perception of Sneakerhead culture based on age, across the spectrum, Sneakerheads agreed that membership is exclusive and built upon a shared enthusiasm, often developed early in life. The emergence of the theme For Members Only, highlights the importance of history, community and culture for Sneakerheads. As such, participants were able to document historical shifts in the cultural experience and note opportunities for continued contribution in the areas of legacy building, mentorship and entrepreneurship. In line with the tenets of Social Identity Theory, those who have established membership within the Sneakerhead community have a clear sense of group identification and are evolving in a manner that serves to reinforce the community's shared interests. Moreover, their place in the community is a sense a "natural fit" with their personal identities, further supported and exemplified by their fellow Sneakerheads within the subculture. Lastly, research findings illustrate how participants define themselves as a Sneakerhead given their passionate appeal and overall "lifestyle" for sneakers, thereby confirming the definition of Sneakerhead suggested in previous research.