Abstract
While the popularity of athletic footwear or “sneakers” has been widely assessed within academic literature, few studies to date have examined the influence of a specific sneaker subculture called “Sneakerheads”. Moreover, the brand preferences and brand identities that may exist within the Sneakerhead subculture have not been extensively examined. To address this gap in the research, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 male, self-identified Sneakerheads. The main goal of the research was to explore the Sneakerhead culture, while gaining an understanding of brand preferences, practices, and group identity factors. The Social Identity Theory was employed as the theoretical framework for this research. Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed the following three topical areas: (1) Back in the Day, (2) All About the Jumpman, and (3) For Members Only. Findings regarding the unique culture of Sneakerheads indicate a clear sense of group identity as it relates to motivations, behaviors, and brand identity within the Sneakerhead community. Moreover, the findings of this study further define the lifestyle of a Sneakerhead and shed light on their unique behaviors and practices within the culture.
Highlights
Individuals have long viewed clothing as more than just garments for covering
A grounded theory approach was utilized to understand the lived experiences of the participants, and gain an understanding of the meanings, actions, and motivations of the Sneakerhead culture
The All About the Jumpman theme represents the strong brand preference of Nike among sneakerheads, especially as it pertains to Jordans and brand identity
Summary
Individuals have long viewed clothing as more than just garments for covering. Individuals choose clothing based on aesthetics, as well as functionality (Workman and Kidd 2000). Given this factor, many researchers have assessed the relationship between individuals and their clothing. The topic of dress and identity has been examined, and revealed that the way one dresses and the clothing one chooses communicates the specific identities they ascribe to (Roach-Higgins and Eicher 1992). Individuals may form groups, called brand communities, where members form alliances around the brands they identify with (Muniz and O’Guinn 2001)
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