Converse: More than a Shoe

By Leigh Duncan

In the United States alone, sixty percent of Americans own, or have owned at least one pair of Converse sneakers. However, the fame of the All Star brand doesn't end in the U.S. Across the globe, Converse's broad cultural, ethnographic and demographic following reinforce the equity of this rich lifestyle brand.

Over its 98-year history, Converse has morphed to meet the needs of the "Every Day Joe," the professional athlete, and even the American Soldier. Converse shoes have adorned the feet of young and old; they have served as a fashion statement for the tragically chic and the uber-geek. The brand has survived a depression, world war, and an increasingly competitive market. It has become a trademark for punk rockers, skaters, surfers, artists, and actors - earning an association with the creative, the innovative, the original.

The Converse web site does a great job of capturing the power of the brand while taking it to the next level. Just type in the URL and here's what you'll see:

Take a tour of Converse.com, and you may just stay awhile. While you'll need a recent browser to surf the cleverly designed Flash site, it's relatively easy for just about anyone to find a shoe that fits their personal lifestyle. Site visitors can pick out a classic favorite, browse new and web-exclusive styles; even design a unique, personalized shoe using an interactive wizard.

From a brand identity perspective, the real gem of the Converse site is the Converse Gallery, a collection of 24-second independent film shorts inspired by the Converse brand. A truly viral site, the Converse gallery welcomes film submissions from any individual, and has received contributions from a range of professional and amateur filmmakers around the globe. Each film is accompanied by commentary and a director's bio, as well as the featured shoe. While the navigation in the Converse Gallery can be a bit confusing, site visitors can use the interactive film gallery (series of pictures at the bottom of the page) to scroll horizontally and select from more than sixty films.

Converse Gallery films are positive, entertaining, fun, and very accurately reflect the broad demographic and ethnographic reach of the brand. The content here makes an interesting study. If you're interested in a quick sampling, here are some shorts you may want to check out, separated into categories:

The Converse Gallery does an excellent job of demonstrating that this brand is more than a shoe. It's about history and nostalgia. It's about culture and individualism. Originality and creativity. Converse reminds us of the importance of brands with a fan base. The Converse brand represents individual choice and lifestyle. Even if you don't wear it, you may have in the past - and with the resurgence of interest in this brand, and the great new product choices, you may be wearing it (again) soon.