New Balance and the Year that Sneakers Got Political
Enviado por Honorthersh06
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New Balance and the Year that Sneakers Got Political 29-December-2017 08:35 |
Registrado: 6 años antes Mensajes: 2 |
Usually, when Bernie Gross meets somebody, he does what any good sneakerhead would do: judges them based on their footwear choices. But when a new balance outlet españa executive “dressed like Andy Bernard from The Office” walked into Gross’s high-end sneaker boutique Extra Butter a few months after another executive from the company came out in support of Donald Trump, he didn’t need to go that far. The company hoped the new commander-in-chief would make good on previous administration’s promise to hand over a juicy contract to make shoes for the United States military, so there wasn’t much doubt in Gross's mind about the guy's politics—or at least his company's. So imagine his surprise when this particular executive made it absolutely clear to Gross that there was no real love affair brewing between ultra boost adidas mujer and Trump.
“The first thing he said to me when he came into the store was, ‘Listen, man, I'm just letting you know I hope that what things were said from up top does not reflect who we are as a brand,” Gross says. Gross scrutinized the executive. Gross says that a visit like this counts as relationship maintenance on a “micro level,” but it’s proof of the lengths brands like new balance mujer running went to do damage control. In this situation, the executive was putting aside politics for the greater good of selling more sneakers. (New Balance did not respond to requests for comment.)
The moment crystalized how closely New Balance was monitoring the situation. It witnessed firsthand Trump’s ability to divide customers into boycotters and supporters. “He’s very aware of the situation and he's trying to put out a fire,” Gross remembers thinking of his visitor. At the time, shoes from the executive’s brand were being roasted across social media. Literally: ultra boost adidas baratas sneakers were tossed into pits, doused in lighter fluid, and engulfed in flames. Competitor shoe brand Reebok, meanwhile, was planting a stake in Boston—”New Balance owns Boston,” says Gross—and offering free shoes to betrayed New Balance customers. Gross pauses, trying to find the right way to compliment the executive who put politics aside to put out both literal and metaphorical fires. He lands on “diligent.”
“The first thing he said to me when he came into the store was, ‘Listen, man, I'm just letting you know I hope that what things were said from up top does not reflect who we are as a brand,” Gross says. Gross scrutinized the executive. Gross says that a visit like this counts as relationship maintenance on a “micro level,” but it’s proof of the lengths brands like new balance mujer running went to do damage control. In this situation, the executive was putting aside politics for the greater good of selling more sneakers. (New Balance did not respond to requests for comment.)
The moment crystalized how closely New Balance was monitoring the situation. It witnessed firsthand Trump’s ability to divide customers into boycotters and supporters. “He’s very aware of the situation and he's trying to put out a fire,” Gross remembers thinking of his visitor. At the time, shoes from the executive’s brand were being roasted across social media. Literally: ultra boost adidas baratas sneakers were tossed into pits, doused in lighter fluid, and engulfed in flames. Competitor shoe brand Reebok, meanwhile, was planting a stake in Boston—”New Balance owns Boston,” says Gross—and offering free shoes to betrayed New Balance customers. Gross pauses, trying to find the right way to compliment the executive who put politics aside to put out both literal and metaphorical fires. He lands on “diligent.”
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