Vans’ sales are up, but only if you count the jargon
Corporate optimism meets slow progress in the world of sneaker sales.
The story
VF Corp. expresses optimism about Vans' future, citing positive DTC sales and brand recognition, though the brand still faces challenges in the footwear market.
Source: wwd.com
Our reading
Vans’ CEO says the brand is finally seeing positive global DTC sales after nearly five years of stagnation, which is impressive—until you realize the only thing that’s been growing faster than their sales is the amount of corporate jargon used to describe them.
The company is now rolling out new ideas in small batches, then scaling them up, which is a bit like trying to build a house by first constructing a shed, then a bungalow, and finally a mansion—only to realize the mortgage company only approved the shed.
It’s all very exciting, until you remember that Vans is still trying to catch up to the point where it was five years ago, and the only thing that’s really changed is the language used to explain why it’s not there yet.
