What Sneakers Tell Us About Branding and Consumer Behavior


The sneaker and shoe market has developed its own unique culture over the course of the last half-century. While there are more brands and options available today than ever before, exclusivity is still a major factor in the industry.

“No question, scarcity is a driver in this market,” Matt Powell, Senior Industry Advisor at NPD Group, a market research company, said.

Influencers and celebrities have for years created excitement about the sneakers they promote with the biggest shoe brands in the world, but today Powell says this scarcity is being lost.

“It seems like a new collaboration, a limited-edition collaboration, is announced about every 10 seconds. That’s just noise now in the marketplace,” he noted.

Buyers are still looking for authenticity in their products, according to Powell. He explained that celebrities used to partner with shoe brands to create a product that was closely tied to their life experiences, but customers have noticed that authenticity declining.

“Today it’s about ‘who is going to pay me the most?’,” he pointed out.

Shoppers will continue to weigh the importance of this in everything they buy, and shoes are certainly no exception.

Today, Powell says consumers are flocking to athleisure footwear, which represents more than half of all sneaker sales in the United States.

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Image

Latest

storytelling
The Secret to Brand Loyalty: Why Storytelling Is the Best Way to Be Heard in a Crowded Market
July 16, 2025

In today’s fast-evolving digital marketplace, attention is scarce, and trust even more so. In an era of remote work, AI-driven marketing, and constant digital noise, storytelling has emerged as one of the most powerful tools to cut through the clutter. In fact, research shows that people who used storytelling techniques to remember information recalled seven…

Read More
hospitality career development
Leaders Driving Hospitality Career Development Must Embrace Tech, Inclusion, and Risk
July 16, 2025

The hospitality industry is under mounting pressure to modernize to meet guest expectations for seamless, tech-driven experiences and also develop leaders who can drive that transformation. According to Rackspace Technology, only 28% of travel and hospitality companies qualify as “AI leaders”— those aligning strategy, compliance, and training with real-world deployment. Another 28% remain in…

Read More
HR compliance
Seeing What Others Miss: The Art of Problem Solving in HR Compliance
July 16, 2025

In this episode of Professional Quotient: Conversations that Build Equity, host Jason Winningham sits down with Andrea Kilburn, the HR EEO and Affirmative Action Compliance Manager at EssilorLuxottica. Andrea has built her career on problem-solving, advocacy, and the power of precise thinking. Andrea shares her unique path from mortgage underwriting to HR compliance, and…

Read More
Ham Radio
Icom’s Germany Trip Highlights the Power of Portability at Friedrichshafen’s Ham Radio Showcase
July 15, 2025

In an era where digital communication happens at the speed of light, it’s easy to overlook the enduring charm and ingenuity of amateur radio. Yet, events like the Ham Radio fair in Friedrichshafen, Germany, remind us that radio isn’t just a relic—it’s a thriving, inventive community built on experimentation and exploration. One striking example is…

Read More