Latest news with #SHAI001
Business of Fashion
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Business of Fashion
How to Master the Art of 'Trash Talk' Marketing
The trash talk being thrown around during the NBA Finals isn't just coming from the players but directly from the marketing departments of the sportswear brands that sponsor them. Minutes after the Oklahoma City Thunder eliminated the Minnesota Timberwolves from the playoffs last week, Converse came out with a video on Instagram depicting an ant seemingly being crushed by the Converse SHAI 001. Even casual basketball fans would recognise the diss: Timberwolves' star shooting guard – and Adidas athlete – Anthony Edwards' nickname is Ant-Man, while the SHAI 001 is the first signature sneaker by Thunder point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The post's caption read 'Not hard 2 believe. @shai is headed to the Finals.' This too was a play on Edwards' 'Believe that' Adidas campaigns, itself a trash talk masterpiece, including one ad where he tosses out pairs of rival signature basketball shoes to spotlight his own signature Adidas style. The author has shared an Instagram Post. You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. 'It was really sharp, not heavy-handed, but a subtle nod [for Converse] to say 'Hey, we see you, we beat you, and we're moving on,'' said Derick Beresford, a sports marketing consultant who previously worked for the Brooklyn Nets and the consumer agency Team Epiphany, who added that the ad has helped Converse Basketball break out in a way it hasn't since the Dwyane Wade era in the 2000s. Trash talk is routine in the cutthroat worlds of soda and wireless carriers, but with a few notable exceptions is pretty rare in fashion. While notable fashion rivalries have surfaced between designers such as Guram and Demna Gvasalia, it's usually been reserved as a war of words since it's typically not chic to bring beef to the runway or glossy ad campaigns. Yet Converse isn't the only brand embracing the energy that comes with talking smack about your competitors. In May, Kiehl's teased that it would become the skincare amenity partner for the luxury New York City gym Life Time with shady posts that nodded to its viral breakup with Equinox last year. In October, the Australian drug store chain Chemist Warehouse recreated a Charlotte Tilbury ad that itself dissed beauty dupes to promote its lower-priced beauty products. Also last year, the cashmere label Naadam unfurled an Instagram campaign that took shots at its rival Quince. Within streetwear, Tremaine Emory's label Denim Tears released a collaborative capsule collection with artist Arthur Jafa in 2024 that addressed Emory's departure as the creative director of Supreme by flipping one of Supreme's iconic brand motifs into a slogan that commented on systemic racism. All these moments arrive with trash talk becoming a larger part of our cultural climate, so much that Kendrick Lamar's 'Not Like Us' diss record towards Drake topped Billboard charts and picked up five Grammy awards in February. Consumers are paying attention and are invested in the narratives created by talking smack. 'We're likely experiencing a rise in trash talk within product marketing because it's become more of an accepted form of public discourse,' said Rafi Kohan, a sports journalist who authored the book Trash Talk that explores the psychology and history behind bad-mouthing. Kohan traces trash talk back to biblical times—yes, the Prophet Isaiah penned what was essentially a diss record to the King of Babylon. But it plays especially well in the modern attention economy. Trash talk grabs eyeballs and creates an 'us versus them' narrative that calls upon a brand's audience to pick a side and defend it. So for brands, digging into a competitor can create a marketing moment that fosters a strong sense of customer loyalty and community while also establishing a narrative that positions them as the ones up top. Seizing the Narrative The author has shared an Instagram Post. You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. That's what the emerging Baltimore-based skate label Carpet Company aimed for when it trash-talked a streetwear competitor named Mertra this year for allegedly copying the brand's viral Instagram video campaign for a heat-reactive jacket Carpet released in 2024. Carpet co-founder Ayman Abdeldayem says that when his customers first tagged the brand in the comments of Mertra's strikingly similar Instagram post in November (which was posted nearly 10 months after Carpet's) he laughed it off. The author has shared an Instagram Post. You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. But upon seeing Mertra's post go more viral than Carpet's, leading Mertra to gain thousands of followers, and then noticing the brand delete comments on the post that credited Carpet for the concept, Abdeldayem decided to fire back when his label released another iteration of a heat-reactive jacket in January by copying Mertra's campaign. The author has shared an Instagram Post. You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. 'We have very loyal customers but it didn't boost sales in any way. We more so used it as an opportunity to tell our side of the story without really having to explain it,' said Abdeldayem. 'People still go on that video, and comment, 'You copied Mertra' until they read the comments and then say 'My bad, I see that they copied you.'' Beresford adds that with social media being a dominant form of communication, it's important to understand that the audience trash talk marketing speaks to can be pieced together no matter how subliminal the message is. Both Carpet and Converse didn't tag or directly mention the brands they were targeting in their trash-talking adverts. Yet the message was still clear enough for those in the know. 'People are just more heightened to the awareness of it, and are seeing it play out,' said Beresford. When to Step Back While trash-talking can lead to virality and turn into clickbait headlines or content creator fodder, there is a line. Kohan said there aren't hard and fast rules for when trash talk goes too far, but when it works, it's usually promoting competition and pushing an opponent to perform better, rather than just tearing them down. Carpet's Abdeldayem said he's never one to start beef despite how his situation with Mertra unfolded. It wasn't the first time he felt his brand had been copied. However, in other instances, he took it more as a compliment and felt it wasn't worth engaging. Especially if it was done by brands he grew up on and admired. 'If I were to clap back towards something giant, someone I had a good relationship with, I would make a more solid judgment and not respond to it openly in public,' said Abdeldayem. Granted that a viral trash-talking campaign could potentially lead to a boost in revenue—Glossy reported that sales for Naadam increased by 47 percent during the week it took shots at Quince—brands need to know what their place is in the market and what's authentic to them before talking trash, Beresford said. He noted that Skechers could easily have gone the Converse route with Knicks forward OG Anunoby, who landed memorable moments this NBA season after signing with the brand in February. But that sort of marketing isn't in Skechers' DNA. The author has shared an Instagram Post. You will need to accept and consent to the use of cookies and similar technologies by our third-party partners (including: YouTube, Instagram or Twitter), in order to view embedded content in this article and others you may visit in future. Timing is everything. Last week, Puma released T-shirts that played off the internet peanut gallery labeling Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton as 'overrated.' Beresford said while the concept was good, the execution failed to land a strong punch since it was released before the Pacers won the game that advanced them to the NBA Finals and arrived nearly a day after their last winning playoffs game. 'This game is all about being timely and you got to hit it when that conversation happens, when the moment is hot, because then you carry the conversation,' said Beresford.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Makes Announcement Before NBA Finals
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Makes Announcement Before NBA Finals originally appeared on Athlon Sports. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander enjoyed a breakout 2024-25 season that saw him earn his first NBA Most Valuable Player award and finish as the league's scoring champion with 32.7 points per game. Advertisement Gilgeous-Alexander also collected Western Conference Finals MVP honors after averaging 31.4 points, 8.2 assists and 5.2 rebounds in the series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. On Wednesday, just one day before Game 1 of the NBA Finals, Gilgeous-Alexander revealed a new colorway of his signature Converse SHAI 001 sneaker on Instagram. The fifth installment in his SHAI 001 line is dubbed "Masi Blue," a tribute to his younger brother Thomasi, whose nickname "Masi" inspired both the color and dedication. In the reveal video, Gilgeous-Alexander wrote, "SHAI 001 : MASI BLUE. Dedicated to the one that remains stoic and as cool as ice under pressure, my brother Masi. This one is for you." The SHAI 001 'Masi Blue' features a full tonal blue upper with a sleek, zip-closure design and minimalistic branding. Advertisement The colorway draws parallels to the Thunder's home jerseys while retaining a distinct, familial narrative meant to honor Thomasi's "cooler than ice" demeanor. This is the latest in a series of SHAI 001 releases that celebrate members of Gilgeous-Alexander's family: the "Hail Clay" release for his wife Hailey, the "Ares Grey" for his son Ares and the "Charm Black" colorway dedicated to his mother, Charmaine. Converse plans to release "Masi Blue" in Fall 2025. Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Adams-Imagn Images The 2025 NBA Finals will tip off on Thursday with a Western Conference champion Thunder facing off against the Eastern Conference champion Indiana Pacers. Advertisement The Thunder secured home-court advantage by finishing the regular season with a league-best 68-14 record, a franchise high, and took out the Timberwolves 4-1 in the Western Conference Finals. Indiana reached the Finals by defeating the New York Knicks 4-2 in the Eastern Conference Finals, powered by All-NBA guard Tyrese Haliburton and All-Star Pascal Siakam. Related: Shaquille O'Neal Makes Strong Statement Amid Giannis Antetokounmpo Trade Rumors Related: Damian Lillard Sends Strong Message to Bucks Teammate Amid Offseason This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.
New York Times
04-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Payton Pritchard, the new face of Converse, reflects on Celtics journey, Sixth Man of the Year
BOSTON — As Payton Pritchard walks into the sun-drenched room wearing a multi-layered cutoff hoodie with the fringes rolled up, a camera team is tightly in tow. As he takes his seat across from a window overlooking TD Garden, where his heroics have made him a mainstay in the city he calls home, Pritchard looks, for once, satisfied. Advertisement A player who spent so much time on the fringes of a career he — and few others — believed was possible, is wearing them on his sleeve. A role player for so long whose game lived in the shadows of the league's best players, now the spotlight is on him. This season, Pritchard has unequivocally arrived. He is the favorite for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year Award and is breaking records with his unflinching jumper. He is a folk hero on the defending champs and is showing his game is evolving at a rate few foresaw. Yo @NBA 🤔 Payton Pritchard for Sixth Man of the Year — Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 3, 2025 Now he is in another rarified air, the newest signature athlete for Converse. Pritchard becomes one of the faces of a company that doesn't just sign stars for the sake of having stars. He joins a short list of NBA icons: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the MVP favorite, and Kelly Oubre Jr., the king of NBA fashion. Players who have become known as much for their style off the court as on it. In a season full of breakthroughs for Pritchard, signing a deal with Converse poses a new question: Who does he want to be now? 'I think (the deal) matches up perfectly,' Pritchard tells The Athletic. 'They're hungry and determined to have this resurgence and show people they're trying to be on top of the world. … Once the offer was presented, it was a no-brainer for me.' Pritchard says he has been a fan of what the brand has done with Oubre and Gilgeous-Alexander — whose signature shoe, the SHAI 001, will drop later this year — and that made him excited for the chance to join Converse. 'In my opinion, he's definitely the front-runner for MVP,' Pritchard says. 'I don't know him that personally, but the way he portrays himself is as someone who is very confident and believes in himself at a high level. We might not be the same person, but I think we portray the same swagger as far as like, when we walk on the court, we believe in our abilities. I think any great player has got to have it.' Advertisement He will wear the Converse All Star BB Trilliant CX shoe for the rest of the season, after wearing several Nikes and teammate Jaylen Brown's 741 Rover shoe earlier in the season. 'I had other offers from other companies, but when it came down to Converse, that was something I wanted right away,' Pritchard says. 'The off-court stuff already matched what I liked, and the basketball side of it, I'm trying to grow in that area.' Pritchard has come a long way in just a few years. It wasn't long ago that he was on the outside looking in on the career he wanted. His minutes dwindled in his third season, coming off a finals run, and he wanted out of Boston. It wasn't that he didn't enjoy the city or the team, but that he had an unwavering belief that he would be a great player if he could earn the opportunity to show it. It just wasn't happening. Few people could see the potential in him, but he didn't care. Pritchard has believed he can be the best player on the floor every day since he first picked up a basketball. This irrational self-belief was his driving force, the reason he was in the NBA in the first place. 'It wasn't like I asked for a trade request because I hated the city (or) I hated the organization,' he says. 'I believed in what I was able to do and perform at a high level. And obviously, they decided not to trade me. Through my work ethic, I earned opportunity.' He believed it enough to make it rational. Pritchard is averaging 14.0 points per game on 41 percent shooting from deep entering Friday. He broke the NBA record for 3s off the bench with a month left in the season. There's a good chance he'll win Sixth Man of the Year soon, an ironic recognition for someone who maximizes his role but always strives to break out of it. 'As far as the Sixth Man stuff goes, it's an award that I definitely — as any player — want to win, but it's not on the top of my mind,' Pritchard says. 'I feel like if I win it or not, regardless, I've done my job as trying to be the best player off the bench in the NBA and I'll continue to try to strive for that. Advertisement 'Obviously, I believe I can accomplish anything. But right now my job is to come off the bench, and I'm trying to be the best person to come off the bench in the NBA. So that's the job at hand and (I'm) trying to accomplish that.' Pritchard explains how when he goes back to mentor younger players in his home state of Oregon, he always tells them not to resent being in a smaller role. His message is that you have to become so great in your role that it's inevitable that you'll need a bigger one. That's a balance he's had to find sitting behind a slew of star players in Boston. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the faces of the team, but Derrick White and Jrue Holiday have been two of the best players in their roles in the league. He insists he isn't mad at being stuck behind them for a moment, watching them every day to learn how to get better. He signed a below-market deal before the championship run last season, knowing it would push him to keep chasing his highest ideal of what his game could be. The recognition and rewards that come with it are a testament to how far he's come. Pritchard has formally carved out his place in Celtics lore, becoming a Boston darling signed with a Boston-based sneaker company with just as deep a lineage. Maybe he can take a moment on the day he announces his Converse deal to bask in that. But not for long. He feels he's just scratching the surface of his creativity and capability, on and off the court. 'This is just the start for me. I feel like I haven't accomplished anything yet,' Pritchard says. 'I have way bigger dreams than just Sixth Man and all that. I want to push it to the limit, and I will forever be that way.'
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Did you know? Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is not the first Canadian to have his own signature sneaker
In a historic moment for Canadian basketball, Oklahoma City Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has officially joined the exclusive ranks of athletes with their own signature sneaker. The unveiling of the Converse SHAI 001 marks a pivotal achievement for the Toronto-born guard, cementing his influence on and off the court. His personal sketches served as the inspiration for the shoe's striking design, which has generated a lot of discussion online. Although many individuals admire the shoe's sleek, stylish appearance, opinions on the striking 'Butter' colourway remain diverse. Despite the mixed opinion on its aesthetics, Gilgeous-Alexander's sneaker is already making waves among his NBA peers. Players such as Nickeil Alexander-Walker (Minnesota Timberwolves), Andrew Nembhard (Indiana Pacers), and Chris Paul (San Antonio Spurs) have been spotted sporting the SHAI 001, further solidifying its place in the basketball world. Family Ties 🤞Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Shai's cousin, got a pair of the Converse SHAI 001s early 🔥 — Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) March 5, 2025 71. Andrew 🆚 Timberwolves : ✅ 119-1036 PTS | 3 REB | 5 AST 33'3/7 FG (43%) , 0/1 3 PTS (0%)3/6 2 PTS (50%)2 TO , 2 STL 19 D'EVAL — Andrew Nembhard Fra 🇨🇦🇨🇵🏀 (@NembhardFra) March 25, 2025 View this post on Instagram A post shared by Nice Kicks (@nicekicks) With Shai as Converse's lone signature athlete, the brand is looking to re-establish itself in basketball culture—a movement that echoes a legacy set by another Canadian almost a century ago. Before Shai, there was Jack Purcell, a name now more synonymous with sneakers than the sport in which he made history. Born in Guelph, Ont., Purcell was an unstoppable force in badminton, securing his place as Canada's greatest player. From 1929 to 1930, he won back-to-back Canadian National Championships before turning professional in 1932. For twelve consecutive years (1933-1945), he dominated as the World Professional Badminton Champion—a feat unmatched in the sport's history. But Purcell's influence wasn't confined to the court. In 1935, he designed a canvas and rubber sneaker for the B.F. Goodrich Company of Canada, aiming to create a shoe tailored for badminton players. The design, with its signature 'smile' toe cap, became an instant classic. By the 1970s, Converse acquired the rights to the sneaker, launching it into mainstream fashion. Today, the Jack Purcell silhouette is a timeless icon, available for $70 on Converse's official website. It has been reimagined in collaborations with Comme des Garçons, Feng Chen Wang, Richardson, Mastermind JAPAN, and many more brands. Despite competing in different sports and coming from different eras, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jack Purcell share a rare distinction: they are the only two Canadian athletes to have their own signature shoe, and both are affiliated with Converse. While Purcell's legacy has outlived his badminton career—his sneakers often overshadowing his achievements—Shai's journey is just beginning. Whether the SHAI 001 will stand the test of time similar to Purcell's remains to be seen, but for now, Canada has a new sneaker icon to celebrate.
CBC
18-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander designed a shoe. What do you think?
Not everyone loves the 'Butter' colour Calling all sneakerheads! A new celebrity shoe has made its debut. This weekend at the NBA All-Star Game, Canadian star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was rocking a new pair of sneakers that he designed. WATCH — 5 things about Canadian NBA player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander It's called the Converse SHAI 001 and comes in a shade of mustard called 'Butter.' Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, known by his initials SGA, plays for the Oklahoma City Thunder. The 26-year-old was born in Toronto, Ontario, and raised in nearby Hamilton. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander debuts his newly designed basketball shoe, the Converse SHAI 001, at the All-Star Game in San Francisco, California, on Feb. 16. (Image credit: ConverseHoops/Instagram) On Feb. 16, The 26-year-old point guard dribbled around the court in San Francisco, California, in his new kicks, scoring 12 points in the game that brings together the top players in the NBA. WATCH — Students design a museum-worthy shoe 'I poured my heart and soul into the SHAI 001, and I'm proud to share it with the world,' Gilgeous-Alexander said in a news release. The new shoe features a zipper and a design that Gilgeous-Alexander said he hopes will be worn on and off the basketball court. You'll have to wait until fall 2025 before you can slam dunk in your own pair. Nike, which owns Converse, didn't say how much the shoe will cost. Several websites say the shoes will cost $130 US (about $185 Cdn) but CBC Kids News couldn't confirm the price. The shoe is getting pretty positive reviews online so far, but some people are criticizing the colour. What do you think? We want to hear your opinion on the Converse SHAI 001.
