Shoe brand Reebok teamed up with Amazon and Google Home to launch its limited edition Swarovski sneakers via a contest over voice assistant. By turning to tech and tapping into ‘drop’ culture, the brand is looking to win over young audiences who are tired of traditional marketing techniques.
The Reebok collection, which was up for grabs for a limited time only, featured just 50 pairs of Swarovski crystal-encrusted kicks inspired by Cardi B’s nails. To win a pair, fans were asked to tell their Amazon Alexa or Google Home devices to “open Reebok Sneaker Drop,” and the winner was later announced through voice channels. By partnering with tech giants Amazon and Google Home, Reebok aimed to engage digitally-savvy fans who are lured by hype culture. “We aimed to create a moment that is authentic to Cardi while breaking convention and doing something more engaging than a typical celebrity cameo,” says Inga Stenta, senior marketing director at Reebok.
With online collaborations and click-to-buy options filling up news feeds, the world of e-commerce is a noisy space for brands to stand out in. At the same time, global attention spans are dwindling – especially among younger generations – and 41% of shoppers abandoned their online shopping carts in 2018. As a result, brands are having to switch up their sales pitch – and voice tech seems to be a new frontier. One in fiveconsumers has shopped using a voice assistant, and voice commerce is expected to be worth more than $80 billion per year by 2023. Reebok’s venture into voice is not only unique enough to get attention, but it also plays on the power of exclusivity and technology – both essential ingredients when it comes to engaging Gen Z and Y audiences.
Abi Buller is the editorial assistant at Canvas8, which specializes in behavioral insights and consumer research. She holds a degree in Creative Direction for Fashion from the University of the Arts London. Outside of work, you'll find her wandering around art galleries, practising yoga and seeking out new pastel-coloured garments to add to her collection.
