Encore

I have been without cable television for the past year so naturally I don’t watch too much TV. When I do want to watch TV, as was the case this Saturday, I turn to the web. While I was relentlessly searching for Game 3 of the NBA Western Conference Finals online, I had stumbled across a few mislabeled Kobe Bryant Nike commercials. These commercials are relatively recent and I have never given them much thought until now. I will not go into the validity of the stunt; simply apply the laws of physics on your own time.

The biggest concern is that there is absolutely no mentioning of the shoes quality, craftsmanship or rigors of production (Skoggard). When promoting a new line of shoes its worth mentioning that these sneakers incorporate the next generation of air soles or are made of some hybrid, carbon fiber, extraterrestrial technology. But there is no need for that type of honesty; nothing sells better than having one of the most marketable athletes in the world jump over an expensive car.

The video has been viewed millions of times and generated tens of thousands of responses since its initial debut in early April. The actual “Kobe Hyperdunks” are not expected to be available to the public until July or August, in time for the summer Olympics. Again Nike is successful in penetrating the minds and wallets of those “sneakerheads” and “collectors” by creating this media blitzkrieg (Hans). It’s an exact science that specific “colourways” will become extremely limited in the coming months based on all the hype and reasonable price tag of $110; it could retail at over $170 and would still sell.

These shoes are so hot that I am honestly thinking about rescinding my pledge to no longer buy shoes. I am a weak soul so feel free to scream and yell at me in class at any time. On that note, I will leave you with part two of Nike Kobe Hyperdunks.