A while ago, we read an article about the frequent failures of ‘brand extensions’. The term is used by marketing types to describe the lazy process of slapping a familiar brand-name on a new product in order to capitalize on the profile and positive image of a customer favourite. Kit-Kat learned this the hard way after introducing some dozen new varieties of its classic candy bar:
“Over the course of the next year, the company rolled out a dizzying array of new KitKats. For the summer months, it launched strawberries and cream, passion fruit and mango and even red berry versions. In the winter came “Christmas pudding” and tiramisu, which contained real wine and marscapone…
The experiments flopped. In just two years, KitKat’s overall sales in the U.K. dropped 18 percent, to $253 million for the 52 weeks ending in April. Nestle recently abandoned virtually all of its exotic flavors. The executive in charge of the gambit has been replaced.”
A 1990 article in the Journal of Marketing describes some important elements when designing a brand extension, arguing that customers regard brand extensions more positively when there is “… a perception of ‘fit’ between the two product classes.”
Which, of course, brings us to these:
Thine eyes do not deceive: These are silver-grey and purple Dinosaur Jr. high-top Nike basketball shoes.
We cannot imagine what possible link the executives at Nike nor whoever represents Dinosaur Jr. possibly saw between a late-eighties/early-nineties grunge-rock band and a pair of mauve-tinted sneakers. What ‘fit’ is there between futuristic silver shoes and a loud, low-fi indie rock band?
We’re trying to imagine the expected response of the bands’ fans at Foot Locker:
“Well, I really liked that You’re Living All Over Me record. If this shoe is even half as good as that album, it’ll be great! I’ll take a pair!”
Yeah, we have trouble seeing it, too. We’ll wait for The Pixies-themed Reeboks. Or the Sonic Youth flip-flops.
July 23rd, 2006 at 10:40 am - Edit
yeah, like Sonic Youth would ever wear flip-flops. pshhhh.
It seems like it makes sense to cross market a pop-idol, a t.v. show, a movie, cartoon/comic hero but with bands it just doesn’t work. (Nobody ever needed to have a Pearl Jam lunch box.) I guess maybe with bands it’s ACTUALLY about the music?
July 23rd, 2006 at 10:35 pm - Edit
This isn’t really that far of a stretch, if you take in to consideration that it is an SB Dunk, so it’s supposed to have some tenuous link to skateboarding….Dinosaur Jr. was bigtime to skaters in the early 90’s due to its connection to Alien Workshop (there was even a Dinosaur Jr/Alien t-shirt back in the day…) And I’m sure there’s an indie rocker or two workin the SB line in Portland wantin this to happen, if not some of the sponsored skaters themselves…I’m surprised that J Mascis would really be interested in a shoe, but I’m also amazed the band is back in the OG lineup, so I guess Dino Dunks aren’t too shocking to me. And in keeping in line with your post, Nike could (and seemingly does) put ANYTHING on a tiredass old Dunk and it would sell, you all know that…no “fit” is needed with SB’s when you have a perplexingly rabid fanbase for anything Dunk.
July 24th, 2006 at 9:44 pm - Edit
Either Nike has some serious rock fanatics working in the basements in Beaverton, or they’re hopelessly trying to woo indiesters to the Dunkamania (seeing as how they’ve already captured a great majority of the hiphop/underground demographic).
Iron Maiden and Pushead have been featured for Dunk graphics. Minor Threat and Black Sabbath have been ripped off for SB ad campaigns. All versions of those sneakers have been sold out to kids who wouldn’t know the difference between Lenny Kravitz and Lemmy.
I love Dino and those sneakers look pretty rad, but Nike can blow my ass if they release those at $150 and expect anyone who actually likes the band to actually be able to get their hands on them.
July 24th, 2006 at 9:54 pm - Edit
Yeah, SB Dunks are still popular with skateboarders (Dino Jr were also connected to Blind and used in Spike Jonze’s “Video Days”) but a lot of the old SB skate fans have been alienated by Nike’s more aggressive push into skateboarding–or so I understand from message boards. But I can think of a couple people I know personally who would buy these if they could find them. The purple, though?
More absolutely fucking bizarre Nike marketing (though the middle section is snarky photoshops, which one has to explain when surrounded by the almost equally unbelievable):
http://forums.skatersinc.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=13835
July 25th, 2006 at 6:44 am - Edit
I don’t understand why it’s wrong to make band shoes but ok to make band t-shirts, hoodies, basebal caps or something similar.
And I think those look like something Mascis would wear.
July 26th, 2006 at 8:36 am - Edit
Japs, the question isn’t if it’s ok to make shoes, it’s more about the tenuous, at best, linkage between Dino Jr and this product. It’s more about what Optimus perceives as an overt cash grab.
July 26th, 2006 at 2:58 pm - Edit
OK, maybe there is more of a link between a band and band-shirts than band shoes but I don’t think the difference is really that big.
If I remember right there was also Dinosaur Jr Golf tees, the thing you put under a golf-ball (Mascis plays golf I think). Dinosaur Jr has had a lot of merchandise and I think their fun. I myself don’t buy much band merchandise but I have no problem with them selling it.
You don’t have to buy them if you don’t want to.
July 27th, 2006 at 4:10 am - Edit
Not to mention that they’re nikes.
July 27th, 2006 at 4:47 am - Edit
I found this on the freakscene.net forums:
“Hello Freaksceners… We saw that images of the shoes have surfaced. There was a lot of subsequent talk about the bands supposed cash profit from the shoes, etc. For the record neither J nor Dinosaur Jr made any money from these shoes… there will be a few available via retail, this was just a fun thing for J to do. Nike approached us about doing a skate shoe and said J could make them any style or color he wanted… this was what he came up with. Thanks.”
July 28th, 2006 at 1:22 pm - Edit
re the tenous link between skateboarding and Dino Jr…
not tenous connection at all,great article up on freakscene.net by Slap Skatebord called Let It Ride:Skateboarding and The Music Of Dinosaur Jr. Lists all the music of Dinosaur Jr that has been included in numerous skate videos, Neil Blender collaboarated with J & did some cover art and so on and so on…
http://www.freakscene.net/smf/index.php/topic,7242.0.html
July 30th, 2006 at 1:03 pm - Edit
Is it not worse that the profit only goes to nike? I don’t care if some artist making profit, but doing something for fun, for Nike? Geh
July 30th, 2006 at 4:54 pm - Edit
Nike hate aside, since Dinosaur Jr ISN’T making any money off the shoe & the link to skate boarding is far from tenuous, how about noting Dinosaur Jr is NOT selling out…
February 9th, 2007 at 9:20 pm - Edit
I bought them because it was ironic, and because they are awesome as shit. I like the band but am not a big fan… I am stoked about the shoes though… as soon as I saw them I wanted them…
March 6th, 2007 at 9:42 am - Edit
[...] i’ve been bopping around to little bits of the new record on my headphones. it is pretty hot. i don’t usually listen to such solo-tastic music when i’m out and about, and am a touch self conscious when i walk past someone with my guitar-solo-face in full lip biting mode. it’s great though, i love we’re not alone and crumble. here’s a reason not to buy it though. spend your money on these. [...]
August 29th, 2007 at 5:39 pm - Edit
Actually, this makes perfect sense, and I plan on getting a pair. I’m not sure if you actually know anything about Dinosaur Jr, but the colours and style fit the band pretty well. They even have the Dinosaur Jr guy. Cute.
And, if we’re talking about selling out, I think you’ve stumbled upon the wrong shoes, because they’ve made Pee-Wee Herman styled shoes in this set aswell. Nike isn’t grabbing for money, they’re just losing their minds.
November 2nd, 2007 at 9:14 pm - Edit
I think Nike’s are going to the retro look now for the more casual crowd. Their athletic line is ugly, but I like the retro looking ones.
December 29th, 2007 at 1:17 am - Edit
where can i get these shoes ?
January 17th, 2008 at 10:57 am - Edit
LiKE WHoA!!! THESE DUNKs ARE KiLLiN THE GAM3 FA REAL!
i WiSH THEY WERE iN A STORE NEAR ME OR SUMpHiN…
ARE THEy EVEN iN STORES…WHEN WiLL THEy BE?
THEiR SO0O FRAKiN HOTT THo!!!!!!!!!!!!