Sneaker Nuts. Do You Remember These Iconic Converse Campaigns?

If you do not currently, or at one time or another have previously, owned a pair of Chuck Taylor’s then where have you been? Converse has been an institution in its own right for the best part of a century and its all down to their great quality and universal appeal. Spotted on the feet of major athletes and some of the 20^th century’s greatest icons, we delve into the best Converse campaigns that have appeared throughout the years and uncover why Converse still have such an enduring appeal. Call yourself a sneaker nut? Do you remember these iconic Converse campaigns?

Whether your Converse have graced the running track or the mosh pit, there is one thing that’s certain; they are the every-man sneaker. Converse are a brand built on uniqueness and individuality and this is continually reflected in its advertising campaigns. Apparently, a pair of Chuck Taylor’s are purchased every 43 seconds but what is the allure surrounding the iconic sneaker? A picture tells a thousand words and an advertising campaign can tell a heck of a lot more. And some just stick in your mind more than others.

Athletics Ads

In a clever move by Converse, they capitalised on the popularity of Athletics, particularly the Basketball industry, and began producing high performance sneakers

that were endorsed by NBA players. This cemented Converse as more than just a ‘fashion’ shoe but a serious contender for athletes with its not skid sole and supported arch.

Although these campaigns were perhaps not the most visually appealing, the move into athletics was huge for Converse and established it as a leading manufacturer of trusted sports sneakers.

In 1936, Basketball was introduced as a medal sport in the Olympics and the USA team all played in Chucks, going on to win the gold medal.

By the late 60s, Converse campaigns were promoting their affiliation with Basketball and the Olympics through their advertising, cementing their status as the go-to for Basketball pro’s. Their slogan ‘When you’re out to beat the world’ was a complete double entendre; Converse were beating the world on the court, and annihilating their competitors off of it.

College kids could look like their sporting heroes and for the meagre $3 price tag.

MTV Commercials

If you thought it was all billboards and pricey magazine space then think again. Converse forayed further into the digital landscape in 2007 when they streamed a series of silent commercials during MTV ad breaks. They had run these kinds of digitised commercials before but this time it was different.

A marketing campaign that completely slated the whole philosophy of marketing campaigns, critiqued the people that bought into them and the products they were buying into was launched. This was the exact thing Converse were doing to their own customers, but done in a way where it seemed like they were the good guys, and with a product that was cool, popular and what everyone wanted. A recipe for success! Yet again, Converse wins.

Connectivity Campaign

Converse kept the ball rolling with their creative and eye catching advertising campaigns and just a year after the controversial MTV ads they launched the Connectivity Campaign. A series of ads were launched that showed long reels of pop culture dignitaries all connected (get it?) by their feet, which of course were decorated with none other than the classic black and white Chuck Taylor high top. The campaign cemented the sneaker as being as iconic as the people that were wearing them. Hunter S Thompson, Sid Vicious, James Dean and Joan Jett confirming that age old theory; Converse were still ‘it’.

Made by You

Converse break the rules and defy conventions. Their advertising campaigns always try to reinforce this mentality and that’s exactly what they did with the ‘Made by You’ campaign launched in 2015. Showcasing over 200 portraits of customized Chuck Taylor’s the campaign (literally) illustrated the versatility of the sneaker. From regular Joe consumers to the likes of Andy Warhol and Ron English, the contributed works showed that Converse are a sneaker for anyone and everyone.

20th Century Icons

The best marketing campaign Converse could ever hope for are for its customers to see their idols actually wore the sneakers. Over the years, Chucks have been favoured by the likes of Elvis Presley, Hunter S Thompson, The Sex Pistols and Nirvana so if there were ever any qualms over whether Converse are or have ever been ‘cool’ or not, think again.

Rumour has it Kurt Cobain died in a pair of his beloved Chucks which is surely an albeit morbid affirmation that Chuck’s are as much a part of rock history and pop culture as they are that of the sporting world.