Client: Converse

An investment group acquired the bankrupt Converse brand and turned to Sandstrom Partners to help revive their once beloved and respected brand. Our task was to reintroduce the brand to younger audiences that knew little of its rich product heritage as the first basketball shoe, and unite that with its iconic counter-culture brand cred. We created and updated the brand and its various product identities, applied this across business papers, packaging, catalogs, point-of-sale and retail environment systems. Key brand icons were utilized from the iconic All-Star shoe, including the rubber foxing stripe and sole and small grommeted air vents. On a tight budget, we could not afford to use any NBA uniformed images of athletes, past or present, at a time when every player in the NBA Hall of Fame had worn Converse. We used vintage club and college photos, ads and promotional materials from their extensive archive and built a connection with Converse history and originality and the current buying audience who relished authenticity. When you hear a shoe squeak on a basketball court, Converse invented that. Our relationship was integrated into every marketing and business plan to capitalize on any marketing opportunity. After becoming the fastest growing brand in their segment, Converse was purchased by Nike. It stands as a billion-dollar company and a crown jewel in Nike’s portfolio strategy. You know, if they had a crown.