Converse - All Nike
The Converse brand is all about originality. That is where its heritage lies. The Converse brand has always been owned by those who wear them; they have been the ones to define who Converse is as a brand. Converse now allows influencers and consumer to create their advertising.
Budding film makers and talented artists wanting to get your name out into the world. Here is your calling! Converse Gallery invites you to create a 24 second short film for the chance to win money, or even have your production aired on MTV. Very clever! Converse, I praise you on this very ingenious and innovative marketing strategy ... or rather should I be praising Nike?
In 2001 Converse declared itself bankrupt. Nike bought Converse out, closed all U.S. factories and shifted production to Asia. Nike, regarded as the "evil corporation" widely criticized for its sweat shops that sparked a worldwide movement. Is this just a ploy from Nike to distract us from the fact that the money paid for the Converse shoes that used to go to support working families now goes directly to corporate CEOs who now earn hundred times what their lowest employees earn.
I apologise Vedant. Converse does indeed represent an emblem of counterculture, a rejection of the mainstream, a lonely stance against the onslaught of consumerism. Why in fact I just found out that they were the popular choice for the bad boys of past popular culture: John Travolta in "Grease" wore Converse All Stars, and Kurt Cobain died wearing a pair of black suede Converse One-Stars. Converse could almost be regarded as a nostalgic appreciation of simplicity.
However Nike's takeover does seem to somehow suck the cult out of the classic shoe.
1 Comments:
At 9:25 PM, Yat Wan said…
I miss the Converse days.. actually wasn't that long ago. :)
But All-Stars are slippery. They are. Maybe that helped John Travolta dance.
One-Stars are great though.
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