How does mainstream media influence sneaker culture in secondary markets? Today through the help of mainstream media sneaker have made a huge impact not only in fashion but also in the market. Its influence gained a long way from the “training shoe in 1917” (O’Connor) to the multi-billion-dollar market of today. The influence created by the media, that spread through the help of the internet, celebrity endorsements, and television, played a significant role in the growth of the sneaker culture. The hype grows as a result from the intentionally low supply of each sneaker released by big sneaker companies. Due to the popularity of the sneakers in today’s market, sneaker culture opens an opportunity for the sneaker collectors and comes up with the idea of the resale market that led to the impressive growth of the secondary market for sneakers. The sneaker trend has been around ever since when sneaker companies started associating with recognizable sportsmen as a brands’ ambassadors, and use the concept of celebrity endorsement. “Branding really took off during the post-World War I era when shoe …show more content…
The brand's limited-edition styles, give the shoes “further hype and credibility on the sneakerhead community” (Powell.) As a result, sneakerheads come up with a genius idea of the resale market. Sneakerheads move “from collecting sneakers as a hobby to profiteering” rare sneakers (Powell). Furthermore, Keith Nelson Jr. a journalist from Digital Trends said in his article that this “kind of hype sent the price of Kanye West’s final Nike collaboration, the ‘Red October,” from a $245 retail price to an astounding $16 million on eBay.” Making quick and huge bucks what lead many frenzied sneaker fans into the secondary