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It was a little more than two years ago that I first saw the Nike Roshe Run. I have to admit, I was skeptical. At the time Nike Free and Nike Lunar were both killing it in the marketplace. As a retailer, having an accessible product is always important, but myself as well as a few other folks were on the fence.
While the Roshe Run carries “run” in the name, the shoe would be one of the worst possible choices for any runner to actually use to run. With a company rooted in sport, how could a shoe that has zero athletic history or purpose carry weight?
Let’s be honest with ourselves for a second. In the current time, consumers are buying many shoes that have little to no athletic benefit by the millions of units per year. Classics that include the Nike Air Force 1, adidas Superstar, and even the Puma Suede all serve no athletic purpose but all were at one time a game changer when they released. But the question for many, could a new product with no roots in sport become an overnight classic? Simply put, yes.
The Nike Roshe Run was the right shoe at the right time. The shoe was not only a comfortable wear, but also a simplistic minimal design. No bells, no whistles, but an easily accessible $70 price point. Ask any shop that got the first run of the shoes in the summer of 2012 – gone in a flash. Off the street, customers walked in and scooped the new shoe. No release date, no early info, no nothing. The people voted with their dollars that this shoe was it.
Nike Roshe Run FB
Fast forward to today and the Nike Roshe Run has extreme brand equity as more than a shoe – it is a franchise. Multiple iterations of cushioning, flexibility, materials, constant runs on NikeiD, and a go to canvas (no pun) for customizers. Couple the versatility of the product with one of the most engaged consumer groups, Team Roshe, the shoe is a classic.
Story telling is a big deal with Nike. Be it celebrating soccer innovations, technological advances, or corporate initiatives, the Nike Roshe Run has not only come along for the ride, but is the focal point of brand messaging.
Just this week we saw that Nike is celebrating the release of the third film by LAIKA, The Boxtrolls, with a limited sneaker. In the past we saw Coraline get the Dunk, Paranorman get the Foamposite, and now The Boxtrolls with the Roshe. Let that marinate for a minute and look at what great company the shoe sits beside.
The Boxtrolls x Nike Roshe RunLike with many things in this market, the consumer can move on and get over something great, but the Nike Roshe Run has stood the test of time to demonstrate that it is more than a shoe – it’s a classic.
