Image Credit: Converse
It started in 2021: Converse's social media team, sifting through their usual stream of TikTok comments, started to notice a peculiar trend. Comment after comment, video after video, as thousands chimed in with a: 'Bring back knee-high Converse!'
This wasn't just a fleeting whim. As Converse's Chief Marketing Officer Rodney Rambo told Ad Age, 'In any post and in any conversation we were having with consumers … there became quite a consistent line of 'Hey, bring back the XXHi,' whether [the videos] were about them or not.'
The knee-high Converse, a staple of MySpace-era emo fashion in the mid-2000s, had been discontinued in the early 2010s. But clearly, its memory lived on in the hearts (and feet) of nostalgic millennials and trend-hungry Gen Z'ers, wanting to join the black parade as it marched down the Boulevard of Broken Dreams.
Responding to a clear demand, the brand embarked on a two-year journey, carefully orchestrating a social media campaign that would build anticipation for the return of their iconic sneaker. They dropped hints, collaborated with influencers, and even gifted pairs to some of their most persistent commenters.
'People tell the best stories, not brands,' Rambo noted. 'And our consumers were asking for something that they felt was pretty special. So, it was best for us to listen, connect, engage and collaborate with them.'
This strategy of making the fans the stars of the show paid off big time. When Converse finally announced the return of the knee-highs (on, where else, TikTok) in June 2024, the internet exploded with excitement. 'My inner teenager is screaming,' read one top comment on their announcement post, “I am BEGGING my mom to buy me these” read another, showing the brand was penetrating across age groups.
This success story isn't just about Converse, knee-high sneakers or bringing back the age of emo. It's also about being able to pivot based on customer needs and turn online comments into tangible business results. It’s something we’ve been working hard on for over a decade now — our Trend Discovery services and plug-in social listening tools are designed to help companies spot emerging trends and customer needs before they become mainstream. Imagine if Converse had been able to identify this trend even earlier? And know, with data-backed precision, that the comments represented real consumer demand, rather than just a noisy, vocal minority?
The Converse comeback story is part of a larger trend we're seeing across industries. Brands are increasingly turning to their social media comments as a valuable resource for product development and marketing strategies. E.l.f. Beauty, for instance, recently launched new bronzing drops in direct response to endless social media queries.
Where this gets fascinating is when we start to consider the wider implications in modern marketing. Not every viral comment thread represents a viable business opportunity. The challenge lies in distinguishing between fleeting internet trends and genuine consumer demand that can drive product innovation and sales. It’s why we’ve been working obsessively to develop human-in-the-loop AI and machine learning tools that can contextualise social media chatter within broader cultural trends, market dynamics, and consumer behaviour patterns. It’s a holistic approach that allows brands to make data-informed decisions that balance consumer desires with business realities.
Where this gets fascinating is when we start to consider the wider implications in modern marketing. Not every viral comment thread represents a viable business opportunity. The challenge lies in distinguishing between fleeting internet trends and genuine consumer demand that can drive product innovation and sales. It’s why we’ve been working obsessively to develop human-in-the-loop AI and machine learning tools that can contextualise social media chatter within broader cultural trends, market dynamics, and consumer behaviour patterns. It’s a holistic approach that allows brands to make data-informed decisions that balance consumer desires with business realities.
Converse, after all, could have gotten this very wrong. Reintroducing a discontinued product line involves significant investment in design, manufacturing, and marketing. A miscalculation could have resulted in unsold inventory and damage to the brand's image. Not every brand has two years to deliberate on a product launch, either. The market place moves fast and the ability to quickly identify and act on emerging trends can be a game-changer. Predictive analytics can analyse historical data alongside real-time social signals, meaning we can help brands anticipate consumer needs before they become widespread demands.
Social media has transformed customers from passive recipients of marketing messages into active participants in brand narratives. This shift requires a new marketing paradigm – one that values authentic engagement and co-creation over traditional top-down messaging. The brands that will thrive are those that can effectively harness the collective voice of their consumers while maintaining a clear vision of their own identity and values. It's a delicate balance, requiring both data-driven insights and human creativity.
We're committed to pushing the boundaries of what's possible with social intelligence. We're not just tracking mentions and hashtags; we're decoding the complex language of online culture to uncover meaningful insights that drive business growth. Our goal is to empower marketers with the tools and knowledge they need to navigate this new landscape with confidence and agility.
The Converse knee-high comeback might be rooted in nostalgia, but it also tells us a lot about the future of marketing – a future where success is built on deep consumer understanding, data-driven decision making, and the ability to turn social engagement into tangible results. As marketing professionals, the challenge – and the opportunity – lies in mastering this new paradigm. With the right tools, insights, and strategies, you can turn your brand's next big trend into a business triumph. If that future involves guyliner, lip rings, sweeping fringes and screaming along to My Chemical Romance, then you can, at the very least, be ready for it.
Published on 2024-08-02 17:18:22