The hunt for Kanye West’s Red Octobers has caused quite an uproar since their release. For some, there is no limit to what they’re willing to do–or spend–to get their hands on them. For some college students this isn’t the case, yet these name brands and high-end designer products are marketed most heavily toward them through social media.
Nike revealed via Twitter on Feb. 9 that the Air Yeezy 2 Red Octobers had gone up for sale. Vibe reported that within 11 minutes the shoes had completely sold out at $245 a pair.
However, customers still eager to get their hands on the shoes could do so only if they were willing to shell out thousands or even millions of dollars. The Air Yeezy 2s are now being bid on for exorbitant amounts via Ebay.
The current bid for one pair was nearly $16.4 million, and there is surely at least one Kanye West fan willing to splurge. The Daily News reported that the shoes had 84 bids by the next afternoon.
“I think name brands seem to be higher quality, but it’s only because the media hypes those brands up,” freshman English major Courtney Porter said. “Personally, I have spent a lot of money on name brands, but I can see the foolishness behind it. Hundreds of dollars for a pair of shoes is ridiculous, as is 16 million, but people pay that money because of the image the media provides.”
One of the most effective ways retail garners mass media exposure is through product placement. As consumers, we are bombarded by high brand labels all the time, whether it be while viewing television, driving or scrolling through our Instagram feeds. In most cases, product placement is subtle and served to us in the form of our favorite celebrity. According to wayowrdradio.org, this is known as celebrity seeding and is a large component of brand building within the fashion industry.
Kim Kardashian, West’s fiance, shared a picture of the family’s matching Red Octobers via Instagram on Feb. 15. The photo included pairs for both West and Kardashian, as well as a pint sized pair for baby North. The coveted kicks are a one of a kind, since no child’s size has been officially released.
The Red Octobers were also promoted by Kevin Hart via his Instagram, and were also worn on television by Kendrick Lamar during his NBA All-Star performance and Macklemore during his New Years Rockin’ Eve 2014 performance.
Although sophomore James Payton says he doesn’t indulge in the hype built on celebrity endorsed products, the human performance major, admits he has stood on line for hours to purchase a pair of Jordans.
“I think, people want certain things because they’re exclusive, or limited, or because there’s a name behind it. Not necessarily because of the quality, but because of who endorses the product,” said Payton. “When you wait in line for it, it’s really satisfying, I feel like it’s moderation. I’m not waiting overnight or anything. It could be worse.”
Selene Sanfelice can be reached at selene.sanfelice@spartans.ut.edu
Kai Miller can be reached at kai.miller@spartans.ut.edu