Nike’s NYC sneaker is a love letter to the city, or just a marketing stunt
A limited edition sneaker with city branding, released ahead of a major event, despite no official sponsorship.
The story
Nike releases a limited edition of its Vomero Premium shoe with NYC branding, despite not being the official marathon sponsor. The shoe features a high stack height and neon accents, and is available for $240.
Source: wwd.com
Our reading
The Nike Vomero Premium NYC is a sneaker that screams ‘I care about the city’ while also loudly proclaiming ‘I don’t need the official stamp of approval.’ The neon green ‘NYC’ on the side is like a neon sign that says ‘I’m not a sponsor, but I’m here anyway.’
It’s the kind of product that makes you wonder if the real marathon is just a side event for Nike’s real goal: making sure every city has its own version of a shoe that’s basically the same as every other city’s version, just with a different name and a slightly different color.
And yet, here we are, buying $240 shoes that are basically the same as the ones from Chicago, just with a different label and a slightly different color.
