I recently wrote a post on Fila Walters and their sponsorship of the project “fila Walters v94m r low men lifestyle sneakers shoes new“. I was interested in the project because the story is a new branch in the discussion of sports and African-Americans. I had never heard of the crew out of Chicago and the documentary revisiting the program is the type of story that should garner considerable coverage, but it hasn’t. Fila’s sponsorship at the time of the post I wrote, didn’t include sneakers. Now it does and I must state the tee and sneaker combination is definitely an elevated look from the brand.
I also wrote a post recently on Fila’s launch of the Tennis LX and Centa. Fila Walters created two shoes that would look great on the shelves of an elevated sneaker boutique. The problem is, in my tri-state region the only place Fila Walters is sold is in hood stores and discount shops. Fila Walters is about as downmarket as you can get, which is at odds with the gear being released from the brand; and how the brand is perceived in the international market. Here is that article:
FILA’s Original Tennis LX & Centa Attempts to Move the Brand from Discount to Luxury
I typically write a solution in velcro posts, but my time has been stretched thin lately so I’m initiating questions. If Fila Walters is a downmarket product, how do they regain control of their product without losing those small accounts that have carried them when those small accounts couldn’t get Nike or adidas? How does a brand move upmarket without doing as Nike has done by killing off mom and pop shops? The AMBT 88 is a beautiful design, with amazing storytelling. Does the brand focus solely on the region of the story? Or do they push the boundaries and try to reach a larger audience? Can regional launches lift the boat for brands?
Let’s chat about this.