The Fusion of Hip Hop Culture and Shoe Brands

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The Fusion of Hip Hop Culture and Shoe brands
Introduction 
Culture is a people's way of life. There are various cultures all over the world, and there are various dimensions that influence people's culture. For about five decades, there was a change in American culture, which professional artists and musicians orchestrated. The artists and players became popular and used their fame to influence culture. The artists used their influence to change many aspects of people's life. The talented group of players and artists took advantage of their fame and unknowingly conceptualized the Hip hop culture. So strong was the culture that its impact is still being felt in various sectors of the American economy, such as sports, commerce, and music. Against that backdrop, I decided to explore the impact of hip-hop culture on a specific product, shoes to be precise, by conducting interviews and recording observations. The qualitative data extracted from the interviews were compiled and augmented with empirical findings from previous studies. 
Hip-hop culture and branding    
Over the years, hip-hop has been thriving, and it has had a huge influence on cultural adaptations and fashion statements. The exponential growth of some products and brands in America and other parts of the world can be attributed to musical artists who belong to a specific genre. The artists who are so famous and command international attention have been taking advantage of their popularity to market certain brands. On such grounds, I decided to conduct interviews and obtain qualitative data from observation to establish the link between hip-hop culture and shoe brands (Fields,1). The brands are known to many people across America due to the marketing strategies of hip-hop artists and other celebrities. The said celebrities received ambassadorial endorsements from the directors of the companies manufacturing the products. One of the shoe sellers I interviewed admitted that 'Michael Jordan probably the biggest influence on me. He was the biggest reason I started buying shoes.' The statement speaks concerning the influence of celebrities on branding. It is right to opine that high-profile personalities who greatly influence the masses can be contracted and subsequently used to advertise the products. So influential are the artists and celebrities that, whichever brand they market, it becomes a favorite of many people. 
It is believed that hip-hop originated in New York's South Bronx district. In 1973 Kool DJ, a Jamaican native based in America introduced a unique mixture of sounds and movements. Later on, the music genre would be described as Hip Hop. From a historical point of view, it is evident that the practices associated with Hip hop have been transferred to the current generation. Additionally, it is equally right to opine that the existence of hip hop has deep connections and the ability to influence the behavior and mannerisms of not only young people but also older adults. In my second interview with one of the shoe sellers, I noted with concern that individuals from different generations had a preference for a specific brand and they attributed it to the hip-hop culture. One of the interviewees admitted, 'What started shoe culture? I think hip-hop started shoe culture just with how important style has always been in hip hop'. It is a statement that further underscores the deep connection between hip-hop culture and various brands that the majority prefer. For many years, the hip-hop culture has experienced exponential growth, and brand managers and marketers have used it to reach out to the larger audience who prefer certain products. Brands can only become famous if the consumers notice them, so the role of consumers is key to branding. Besides that, for product branding to be successful, the company executives must devise innovative ways that appeal to a larger audience and are competitive.
While conducting the interviews and in my observations, I noticed that consumers could only be attracted to a brand if they are persuaded in more than one way that the product is good. I, too, noted with concern that the complexity of the design could make or break the success of an item. On that account, I established that as a marketing strategy, branding could transform the personality, style, and mindset of consumers. That fact has been witnessed in some generations (Wilson 91). Still, in my second interview, I noted that there is a constituency of consumers who are deeply attracted to certain brands they confess to love. The said group of consumers had bought many brands of that product and were willing to spend more. They attributed it to the hip-hop culture. One of them admitted, 'what does it mean to be a sneakerhead to you? Someone who loves shoes and the history of shoes.)
I saw individuals lining up to buy a specific brand. The age of the brand does not matter to them. The younger ones preferred older brands since they were cheap and could easily afford them, the shoe seller said, ' I have also seen that younger customers were more attracted to used shoes probably because of the lower price.' As a researcher, I, too, realized that the deep attachment to particular brands influenced the socio-economic lifestyle of some individuals. The fact that the known brands were attractive to the masses was an advantage to the sellers since they purchased many of them and resold them to other people even at higher prices. In a way, the hip-hop culture that some people adopted influenced their social lifestyle and financial status.
As the interview progressed, the shoe seller said, 'He just told me he membered being young and wanting to collect but not being able to afford it; he said it would come back to him sooner or later. I watched my friend make a few more sales and call it a day. I made my way to exit, where people were still paying to come in seemed like the event was never ending'. The sentiments attributed to the shoe seller are indications that the young buyer had developed a passion for the shoe brands at an early age, although maybe he could not afford them. A change in his financial status meant that he could easily purchase them. The interview excerpt shows that the shoe seller made a fortune from the sales, an aspect that can be attributed to branding. Branding is an idea that has since changed over the past 15 years. Marketing can be described as a close relationship between a company and a customer, which can result in future earnings by securing preference. Brands are perceived as identifying factors and strategic components to which customer value and experience are attached. It is the responsibility of the brand agencies to recognize, build and express the idea of a brand.  
Research has shown that public opinion toward celebrities directly affects the sales of products they endorse. The presence of a celebrity on camera who form part of the hip-hop culture impacts their credibility among the public. Marketers have realized that the easiest way of marketing brands is to attach the portrait of a celebrity since sales largely depend on the public perception of the celebrity. Against such a backdrop, I realized that consumers are closely attached to brands associated with celebrities, for instance, Lebron and Michael Jordan. In one of my interviews, I gained useful insights on the shoe sellers' preferred brand of shoes, the quantity he was willing to buy, and the preferred site where they could be purchased (Datamonitor 9). The shoe seller said, 'What brand of shoe do you purchase the most., Jordans, How many pairs of shoes do you have., 50 or 60, Where do you purchase most of your shoes?Nike on the app.' From the conversation, I learned that the shoe seller's preferred brand was Jordans, which could be purchased online from an application. Nike is a famous brand endorsed by Jordan, an aspect that further underscores the huge influence of celebrities on the brand endorsement. The shoe seller's willingness to purchase more than 50 pieces indicates that the customer has developed a high degree of trust and loyalty to the brand. 
The sneaker is a brand Michael Jordan popularized in the '80s.' He is credited for developing and revolutionizing the sneaker culture. Later, he paired with Nike at the height of his career, and athletic sneakers followed the trend. Michaels' influence in the shoe industry encouraged shoe companies to endorse well-known athletes to market their shoe products. Jordan had a huge fan base, and the shoe companies made enormous profits. 
In some aspects, hip-hop culture transformed the fortunes of celebrities and their fans, who benefited by purchasing the endorsed and the company management. In 2009, Nike signed a contract deal with Kanye West...