How high would you jump for a pair of basketball shoes? That was the question on hundreds of UK based basketball fans mind’s this week when sports brand Adidas and NBA-star Derrick Rose teamed up to present #JumpWithRose - A pop-up store in Hackney which offered fans the chance to win a free pair of D-Rose.
Although it was no easy task, in order to get a pair of the limited edition shoes, fans had to get them off shelves which were 10 feet high, the height of a basketball rim, in just 24 seconds, the amount of time it takes to make a play in a real game.
Each person who jumped left the store with a pair of signature shoes, along with a limited edition t-shirt, signed poster and discount voucher for the Adidas Performance store.
The three time NBA All-star commented: “I didn’t get to do this when I was growing up. I didn’t get to meet an NBA player; I really appreciate Adidas bringing me here.”
Adidas’s Derrick Rose resembles yet another example of one of businesses most contemporary trends and PR techniques -the pop-up shop. We’ve seen the likes of ‘Made in Chelsea’ stars Jamie Laing and Oliver Proudlock promote their brands ‘Candy Kittens’ and ‘Serge DeNimes’ through this trend, with it seemingly becoming increasingly popular within the business environment. But what makes them so popular? Well if we delve into the notion behind pop-up stores, it’s quite easy to see why.
One of the primary benefits from pop-up shops is that they help a brand generate buzz. Pop-up retail establishments are often fantastic marketing tools because they tend to draw attention from crowds. People are interested in the sudden existence of a store, especially if they look unique.
Pop-up stores also present a fantastic opportunity for brands to engage with not just their existing customers but also to potential new ones. This is especially important with online brands, who may struggle to interact with their customer’s base more than retail brands.
Like most things in business, it boils down to money and this is where the stores really excel. Due to the nature and size of Pop-up stores they’re generally cost-effective too and this makes them ever more pleasing to marketers.
In summary, this was a fantastic piece of marketing by Adidas who managed to use a number of marketing tools (celebrating endorsement and pop-up stores) to create great exposure around their brand. They’ve slammed dunked it on this one, that’s for sure.