A huge advertisement appeared in Times Square in New York, depicting a pair of sneakers, white uppers, shell toe design, and the Nike "check" logo on the side was particularly prominent.

Directly below the ad is a promotional slogan: "Nike Superstar, the first basketball shoe ever!" ”

Passing office workers passing by here, they were immediately attracted by the huge advertisement and stopped to watch.

"Basketball shoes? What is it? I've never heard of it before! ”

"I think it's shoes for playing basketball, right?"

"Do you need to wear a special kind of shoes to play basketball? Can't just find a pair of sneakers to wear? ”

"I guess this pair of Nike Superstars should be different from ordinary sneakers, since they are called basketball shoes, they must be exceptional."

Passers-by began to discuss basketball shoes.

At the New York Knicks' training center, the players also received a gift from the boss Chen Qiang, a pair of brand new Nike Superstar basketball shoes.

"This shoe is a leather upper, and the grade is much higher than last year's Nike No. 1."

"This upper is thicker than the Nike One, I don't know how breathable it is, and if it will be hot on the foot."

"The soles are thicker and the lines are deeper!"

"The ankle area is soft! Is it filled with sponge? ”

"The toe is made of rubber, and it is still very hard to the touch, will it rub your feet?"

"It's rubber on the outside, but it's not on the inside, so it shouldn't grind your feet, and I think this design protects your toes, at least it doesn't hurt when you step on your feet."

Wearing ordinary canvas sneakers to play basketball, it is actually very painful to be stepped on, especially when grabbing rebounds, players fall from the air, which is possible if a heel is stepped on a person's foot, and the toe is broken.

Specialized basketball shoes are designed with the protection of the toes in mind, such as the most basic "shell head" design, which can cushion and protect the toes.

As the players discussed, they put on Nike Superstar basketball shoes.

"It's pretty comfortable!"

"I feel like my feet are fixed, especially the ankle position."

"The grip is good, and I think I can do more stops with these shoes."

"I think I'm jumping higher than before!"

"No wonder these shoes are called basketball shoes, they are indeed suitable for playing basketball with them."

A group of professional basketball players gave professional reviews, and they had never worn real basketball shoes before, so they naturally praised the Nike Superstar.

Before 1969, there was no real basketball shoe in the world, and the basketball shoe at that time was an ordinary sports shoe, and the designer naturally did not consider the characteristics and needs of basketball when designing ordinary sports shoes. In contrast, the spiked shoes of football have been popular for decades.

After all, basketball is a sport with intense physical confrontation, so compared with ordinary sports shoes, basketball shoes pay more attention to the protection of players' feet, and this alone can clearly distinguish the difference between basketball shoes and ordinary sports shoes.

……

The sneaker market in the United States is huge, and a new ordinary sneaker on the market may not make any waves, but Nike's Superstar is different, relying on "the first basketball shoe in history", successfully attracting the attention of consumers.

It's just that the price of Nike Superstar basketball shoes is also daunting, which is much more expensive than ordinary leather shoes, and almost catches up with many people's salary for a week. Prices in the United States have always been low relative to the income level of Americans, or Americans are accustomed to low prices, such as earning a piece of clothing for a few hours of work. Spend a week's salary on a pair of shoes, and many people will think you're crazy!

It is precisely because of the high price that when Nike Superstar was put on the market, sales did not explode, but there was a trend of becoming a luxury product.

Chen Qiang is not in a hurry, the price of basketball shoes is higher than ordinary sneakers, and when Adidas releases Superstar basketball shoes in the future, the price is also very expensive, and the initial price of Nike's first air cushion shoes Air Force1 is as high as 100 US dollars, and in 1982, when you spent 100 US dollars to buy a pair of shoes, some people will sigh whether you are crazy or not. But when more and more expensive basketball shoes are put into the market, everyone is used to the expensive price of basketball shoes.

In later generations, spending two or three thousand yuan to buy a pair of basketball shoes, no one will feel abnormal, especially when major sports brands focus on promoting some basketball shoes that ordinary people can't understand after the black technology, consumers generally feel that basketball shoes are worth this price, and there are even shoes to make money. But if you buy a pair of ordinary sneakers for the same price, some people will think you are crazy.

Basketball shoes are originally a high-end product among sports shoes, and it is naturally impossible to sell them at the price of cabbage, not to mention that in 1946, basketball shoes were still a new thing, so what Chen Qiang could do was to wait for the reputation of basketball shoes to slowly ferment in addition to advertising.

……

The founder of the Converse Company is named Marquis Mills Converse, he used to work as a manager in a shoe factory, and later founded the Converse Rubber Shoes Company in Massachusetts, the old Converse was fifty years old when he started his business, so the current Converse Company has been handed over to his son Converse Jr.

During World War II, Converse made a fortune by producing military boots, nicknames and military protective clothing to the U.S. military, and now that World War II is over, Converse has shifted its focus to the production of sneakers.

After Nike's Superstar basketball shoes were launched, Converse also got the news as soon as possible.

At Converse's headquarters in Massachusetts, the head of marketing walked into the office of President Converse Jr. with a shoebox.

"Sir, Nike has launched a new sneaker called Nike Superstar, and they call this shoe the first basketball shoe in history, and I've already bought a sample." The head of marketing said.

"This Nike company, taking advantage of the fact that we are fully fulfilling the orders of the US military, has made a Nike No. 1 sneaker, which has grabbed a lot of market share of sneakers, and is a noteworthy opponent." Little Converse paused, and was about to reach out to take the sample shoebox, and at the same time asked, "How much do these shoes sell?" ”

"$20." The head of marketing replied.

"$20! Are they crazy? Who would pay $20 for a pair of sneakers! Little Converse exclaimed.

"Nike's propaganda says it's not just any sneaker, it's basketball ......"

Before the marketing director finished speaking, he was interrupted by Converse Jr., and he said: "Don't think that you can sell sneakers at a high price by giving them a fancy name, consumers are not fools, and they can't buy a pair of sneakers at a price dozens of times more than the name of 'basketball shoes'!" Is this Nike manager really stupid, thinking that the previous sneakers sold well, and the new shoes could be sold at a high price? They treat consumers like idiots, and consumers will punish them with money. ”

Little Converse said, shrinking back again, not picking up the sample shoebox.

"Sir, do you still see such a product?" The head of marketing asked.

Little Converse shook his head: "Don't look at it." A $20 gimmick, what's so nice to see. ”

Converse Jr. made a decision that he regretted immensely, and it was because he glanced less at the sample that Converse missed the wave of basketball shoes.

In the fifties and sixties, Converse almost monopolized the American sneaker market, which can be described as holding a good hand, but in the seventies, Adidas and Puma, the two German brands, easily defeated Converse, the American local brand, in the American market, and in the eighties, the rise of Nike made Converse collapse, and then Reebok, AND1 and other brands further encroached on Converse's only market share. It made Converse embark on the road of bankruptcy and acquisition.

……

At New York University, Anderson, the main player of the varsity team, walked into the locker room and took out a new pair of Nike Superstar basketball shoes from his bag, but he didn't put them on his feet right away, but put them on the chair next to him first.

When you buy new shoes, you have to show off them well, and even now, those who love to play basketball do the same, and it's no surprise that Anderson has behaved like that.

Anderson deliberately changed his clothes slowly so that others noticed his new sneakers, and sure enough, just over half a minute later, some teammates saw Anderson's Nike Superstar basketball shoes.

"You bought a new pair of shoes?" The teammate asked.

"yes, I just bought it yesterday and it cost me $20!" Anderson deliberately pretended to be distressed, but his heart was secretly happy, finally someone noticed his new shoes, and then he could show them off.

"What else did you buy besides these shoes?" The teammate asked.

"No, just this pair of shoes." Anderson replied.

"What? $20 for just one pair of shoes, you're crazy! What kind of shoes are they sold so expensive? Gilded! A teammate exclaimed.

The exclamations of his teammates also caught the attention of others in the dressing room, and everyone cast concerned eyes.

Anderson picked up the pair of Nike Superstar basketball shoes with a proud face, and then said: "This is not an ordinary sneaker, this is a pair of basketball shoes, specially made for playing basketball!" ”

"Shoes for basketball?"

"Do you still have these shoes? I've never heard of it before! ”

"When you say that, I seem to have some impressions, I have seen the advertisement for these shoes before, and it seems to be called Super......"

“Superstar！” Anderson hurriedly reminded.

"Yes, yes, that's the name. These shoes have just hit the market, and you buy a pair. ”

The teammates picked up Anderson's Nike Superstar basketball shoes and passed them to each other to look at each other.

The historical Superstar was launched in 1969, and this shoe can become one of Adidas's most classic sneakers, and it is still enduring for 50 years after its launch, and naturally has many advantages. Not to mention, in terms of appearance alone, it was considered trendy before the 80s, and the same design was not a problem at all in the 40s.

In particular, the "shell head" design, which was the regular design of many sneakers in later generations, did not have such a design in the 40s, so this "shell head" can give people a refreshing feeling.

"These shoes are so beautiful! The toe cap is still rubber. ”

"It's leather, and it's soft."

"It feels very thick, and there is plenty of padding inside."

"The shoes I bought for $20 are really different from our sneakers."

Anderson, who was sought after by everyone, was greatly satisfied with his vanity.

Ten minutes later, Anderson appeared on the training ground in his new shoes.

"Squeak! Chirping! Chirping! The sound of basketball shoes rubbing against the ground kept sounding, and Anderson, the soundmaker, instantly became the most eye-catching person on the training court.

At the same time, Anderson also felt that after wearing this pair of Nike Superstar basketball shoes, it seemed easier for him to make an emergency stop or sudden rise, and even jumping and landing was more comfortable than before.

"These basketball shoes are really different, and the feeling of playing basketball on your feet is different from ordinary sneakers!" Anderson said secretly in his heart.

……

$20 to buy a pair of shoes, for ordinary people is too expensive, willing to spend so much money to buy basketball shoes, must be some senior basketball enthusiasts, such as professional or amateur basketball players, college basketball team members, etc., and it has to be a good family conditions, family conditions are more average is really reluctant to spend $20 to buy a pair of shoes specifically for basketball.

Not being able to afford a pair of basketball shoes is nothing new in the United States, and even the top stars in the NBA can't afford to buy a pair of basketball shoes in their childhood. For example, Iverson's mother, in order to buy him a pair of basketball shoes, even had to save electricity bills, and was reluctant to turn on the lights after dark, but to light candles; Garnett, for example, started working at the age of thirteen to earn money, and his first pair of basketball shoes was bought by doing odd jobs 20 hours a day during the summer.

In the first week of Nike's launch, although there was an overwhelming amount of advertising, the sales were not high, only more than 1,000 pairs were sold in the United States, and the money to sell shoes was not enough to pay for advertising.

However, the people who buy Nike Superstar basketball shoes are either basketball practitioners or senior basketball enthusiasts, they are real professionals, and after they buy shoes, they will wear them on their feet for the first time, and they can clearly feel the difference between basketball shoes and ordinary sneakers.

Basketball professionals are aware of the benefits of basketball shoes, and as a result, the reputation of Nike Superstar basketball shoes has gradually spread among these basketball professionals.

In the second week, Nike Superstar basketball shoes were still sold in just over 1,000 pairs, but this time the customer base has changed, and most of them are buying on the advice of others.

By the third week, Nike Superstar basketball shoes had sold nearly 3,000 pairs, more than the previous two weeks combined, which was the result of word-of-mouth fermentation.

In the fourth week, sales of Nike Superstar basketball shoes increased again, reaching 4,000 pairs!

Nearly 10,000 pairs of expensive sneakers can be sold in a month for $20 a pair, and even Jared, the manager of Nike, is incredible, and he really can't understand what American consumers think.

Chen Qiang was not surprised by this result. His Nike Superstar basketball shoes are a direct copy of Adidas' Superstar basketball shoes, except for the different logos, everything else is the same. It is no exaggeration to say that this is a "god shoe". Historically, Adidas relied on Superstar to take out Converse and gain a firm foothold in the American market as an outsider, which is enough to see how popular this basketball shoe is.

It's no exaggeration to say that before the advent of cushion technology, Superstar was the unrivaled presence in basketball shoes.

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