Rappers: the new ad ‘athletes’

NEW YORK – Rapper Nelly, one of the performers on Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime show in the US, isn’t on Nike Inc’s payroll.

But some might say he should be after ‘Air Force Ones’, his 2002 hit song named after Nike’s top retro-style basketball shoes, sparked a frenzy of demand for them. Athletic shoemakers have long relied on cream-of-the-crop sports figures like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and David Beckham to pitch their products and help differentiate them in their US$16 billion (approx N$204,4 billion) industry.But as Nelly’s unsolicited endorsement demonstrated, top jocks aren’t the only ones who can sell sneakers.Reebok International Inc, the No 2 US sports shoemaker behind Nike, has hired several rappers as its pitchmen.In 2003, privately held Lugz worked with hip-hop DJ Funkmaster Flex to launch his fashion-oriented signature shoes.And rapper Master P once endorsed sneakers for Converse, now a subsidiary of Nike.It’s hardly a risk-free strategy, given that the music is often associated with drugs, violence and exploitation of women.Still, experts agree that rap, a music genre second only to rock in the United States, is the way to reach youth, especially in the inner cities.”(Young people) are such a unique and different market that you have to speak directly to them,” said Que Gaskins, vice president of global marketing for Reebok’s Rbk brand.The Canton, Massachusetts, company is teaming with well-known hip-hop music producer Pharrell to launch his signature footwear this summer.Last year, Reebok also signed up rising rapper 50 Cent and Jay-Z, a hip-hop mogul whose Rocawear clothing line is popular among inner-city youths, to endorse their respective sneaker lines.The company said both Jay-Z’s ‘S Carter’ and 50 Cent’s ‘G6’ shoes have fared well in stores.The two entertainers often wear and rap about the sneakers in their music videos, concerts and television performances.”This gives exposure to a manufacturer’s products,” said David Synowka, a sports marketing professor at Robert Morris University in central Pennsylvania.”It’s better than commercials”.Synowka said consumers often buy sneakers for other reasons besides their effectiveness on the playing field.”A lot of people buy these products as a fashion statement,” he said.Relationships with rappers connect Reebok with new urban consumers, said Michael Atmore, editorial director of Footwear News, a weekly trade magazine.”It gives the brand an instant hip status,” he said.Nike, whose endorsement contracts totalled US$200 million (approx N$1 410 million) this year, has supplied hip-hop stars like Eminem and Nelly with its products, but never formally sponsored them.The Air Force Ones sneakers have sold more than eight million pairs since they were first designed in 1982.”There is a definite crossover in terms of teenage consumer interest and these hip-hop artists,” said Wells Fargo Securities analyst John Shanley.”It’s an important part of the whole fashion wave”.- Nampa-ReutersAthletic shoemakers have long relied on cream-of-the-crop sports figures like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and David Beckham to pitch their products and help differentiate them in their US$16 billion (approx N$204,4 billion) industry. But as Nelly’s unsolicited endorsement demonstrated, top jocks aren’t the only ones who can sell sneakers. Reebok International Inc, the No 2 US sports shoemaker behind Nike, has hired several rappers as its pitchmen. In 2003, privately held Lugz worked with hip-hop DJ Funkmaster Flex to launch his fashion-oriented signature shoes. And rapper Master P once endorsed sneakers for Converse, now a subsidiary of Nike. It’s hardly a risk-free strategy, given that the music is often associated with drugs, violence and exploitation of women. Still, experts agree that rap, a music genre second only to rock in the United States, is the way to reach youth, especially in the inner cities. “(Young people) are such a unique and different market that you have to speak directly to them,” said Que Gaskins, vice president of global marketing for Reebok’s Rbk brand. The Canton, Massachusetts, company is teaming with well-known hip-hop music producer Pharrell to launch his signature footwear this summer. Last year, Reebok also signed up rising rapper 50 Cent and Jay-Z, a hip-hop mogul whose Rocawear clothing line is popular among inner-city youths, to endorse their respective sneaker lines. The company said both Jay-Z’s ‘S Carter’ and 50 Cent’s ‘G6’ shoes have fared well in stores. The two entertainers often wear and rap about the sneakers in their music videos, concerts and television performances. “This gives exposure to a manufacturer’s products,” said David Synowka, a sports marketing professor at Robert Morris University in central Pennsylvania. “It’s better than commercials”. Synowka said consumers often buy sneakers for other reasons besides their effectiveness on the playing field. “A lot of people buy these products as a fashion statement,” he said. Relationships with rappers connect Reebok with new urban consumers, said Michael Atmore, editorial director of Footwear News, a weekly trade magazine. “It gives the brand an instant hip status,” he said. Nike, whose endorsement contracts totalled US$200 million (approx N$1 410 million) this year, has supplied hip-hop stars like Eminem and Nelly with its products, but never formally sponsored them. The Air Force Ones sneakers have sold more than eight million pairs since they were first designed in 1982. “There is a definite crossover in terms of teenage consumer interest and these hip-hop artists,” said Wells Fargo Securities analyst John Shanley. “It’s an important part of the whole fashion wave”. – Nampa-Reuters