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Dissertations could be written about how prolific Vans has been at putting off an authentic and core image despite their current colossal corporate standing.
They get a pass. They have been supporting skateboarding since day one, their team has that "crew" mentality that makes a skate company a skate company, and not just a sporting team like nike or adidas.
So the marketing works, then?
Pretty significant difference between being a successful sportswear company and branching into skateboarding strictly for profit and being a successful skateboard shoe company and becoming successful in the mainstream. They've been making skateboard specific shoes since 1976 and went bankrupt doing it before making it big time. I know they are owned by VF now, but i still think the trajectory is relevant in their "core" status. I don't wear them anymore, but that's equal parts having busted as feet and wanting to support smaller companies.
Nike does want to make a profit for sure. As for any business that fact can't be denied, but the decision to launch the SB program might not be "strictly" to make money. Nike is a shoe company so a desire to make shoes for various activities must already exist within right? So why wouldnt a shoe company that makes shoes for pretty much all the sports not want be involved in Skateboarding. Of course the high volume of shoes consumed by skaters is a major draw, but through SB they get to work with lots of fresh talented young designers, athletes, artists, fashion designers, media moguls, photographer, etc. Im sure the SB programs is one of the more fun projects going at Nike. would SB be dropped if was suddenly not profitable, maybe, but I still think there is a passion for making shoes behind the program.
I have no doubt it's a fun place to work (mandatory side note in regards to all footwear production conversation: except for the factory employees). Tons of money means suite digs, best of the best designers and artists, a stacked team. I just disagree that there's a maybe about it. They got into golf, another place where innovation and design is critical, and bounced when it didn't go well. Hell they did it in skateboarding twice already, I think. Furthermore, while Lakai and Emerica are going on tour together, Nike has engaged in practices designed to suppress the sales of its competitors. I know they are a company and profits are integral, but there's a big, and I think relevant, difference between Nike and skater owned brands.
It's an old coversation, if we don't agree what Nike is all about at this point we probably won't, but I stand by my claim that it is 100% about the profits.