How can a big brand that mass-produces its goods cater to niches that pride themselves on using and wearing non-mass produced goods? When scarcity makes a brand cool to a target group, is that kind of cool simply unattainable for a market leader? Nike and "Undefeated," the coolest sneaker store in LA, show how a big brand can successfully gain access to the sought-after local trendsetters who actually make brands cool. Wealthy LA hipsters line up the day each round of these "limited run" Nike sneakers go on sale (they've been tracking the release dates online) and then they feel very lucky to buy a pair, even for several hundred dollars. They go home and take pictures of their coveted sneakers and post them on websites, or they show them off at nightclubs, always cautious not to get them scuffed. More on this story and the lessons to be learned in the next Influx magazine. kicktionary http://www.benballer.com/nikegallery.htm
