Latest / The Marketing Funnel Podcast with Fexingo: Awareness, Interest, Decision, and Action Stages / How Nike Turned the Sneakerhead Community Into a Funnel
Transcript
- Lucas: So you know how every marketer talks about building a community around your brand? Luna: Yeah, it's practically a cliché at this point. 'Build a community, not just a customer base.' Lucas: Right. But few brands have done it as literally — and as lucratively — as Nike. And they've done it by turning the sneakerhead subculture into a marketing funnel that practically runs itself. Luna: I'm already intrigued. How does that work — sneakerheads as a funnel? Lucas: Let's start at the top of the funnel: awareness. For most people, awareness of a new Nike sneaker doesn't come from a TV ad or a billboard. It comes from a leak on Instagram, a teaser from a celebrity athlete, or a post on a sneaker forum like Reddit's r/sneakers. Luna: So Nike isn't even generating the awareness themselves — the community does it for them? Lucas: Exactly. And that's by design. Nike has cultivated this ecosystem where the most passionate fans become the mouthpiece. They feed the beast with carefully timed leaks and exclusive previews. It creates this organic buzz that's way more authentic than any paid campaign. Luna: And then that buzz drives people to the SNKRS app, right? That's the interest stage? Lucas: Exactly. SNKRS is the hub. It's not just an ecommerce app — it's a content platform. You get stories about the design, the inspiration, the athletes behind the shoe. It's editorial. And it builds interest in a way that a simple product page never could. Luna: So the app itself becomes the funnel. People are spending time there just learning about sneakers. Lucas: Yes. And then you hit the decision stage, which is where Nike does something really clever. They use scarcity — but not just any scarcity. They create what I'd call 'earned access'. Luna: Earned access — meaning you don't just buy, you have to be chosen? Lucas: Exactly. For the most hyped drops, it's not first-come-first-served. It's a lottery. You enter a draw, and if you win, you get the chance to buy. There's also a tiered system where loyal customers — people who've bought before, engaged with content — get early access. Luna: That's like a VIP level. It makes people want to stay in the ecosystem. Lucas: Right. And the action stage — the actual purchase — is just the beginning. Because once you have the sneakers, you join the secondary market. You post them on StockX or GOAT. You wear them to sneaker conventions. You become an influencer in your own right. Luna: So the purchase feeds back into awareness. It's a loop, not a linear funnel. Lucas: Exactly. It's a flywheel. The sneakerhead community is both the top and the bottom of the funnel. And the numbers are staggering. The SNKRS app has over 4 million monthly active users. And the global sneaker resale market was estimated at $30 billion in 2025. Nike captures a huge chunk of that through brand heat. Luna: But wait — doesn't this exclusivity model also create frustration? I've heard stories of people who try for every drop and never win. Luna: Doesn't that risk turning them off? Lucas: It does. And Nike is aware of that tension. They've been tweaking the algorithm to try to balance fairness with hype. But here's the thing: even the frustration can be useful. It keeps people engaged. They keep coming back, checking the app, entering draws. That's interest, even if it's tinged with annoyance. Luna: So it's like a gamified funnel. The scarcity itself is the hook. Lucas: Exactly. And Nike uses storytelling to deepen that hook. Take the Air Jordan line. Each retro release is tied to a specific moment in basketball history — the 1985 rookie season, the 1998 Flu Game. That narrative layer turns a shoe into a collectible artifact. Luna: So you're not just buying footwear. You're buying a piece of culture. Lucas: Exactly. And that's why people will pay $220 retail and then see that same shoe trade for $1,000 on the secondary market. The story justifies the value. And Nike doesn't even capture that resale revenue — they capture the brand heat, which fuels the next drop. Luna: But let's talk about the downside. Critics say this model fuels exclusivity that's inherently exclusionary. It's a luxury play in a mass-market brand. Lucas: That's a fair critique. And Nike has been trying to address it. They've opened up more 'general release' colorways. They've also used their platform to highlight social causes — like the Colin Kaepernick campaign. That broadens the awareness funnel beyond just sneakerheads. Luna: So they have two funnels running in parallel: the deep, exclusive sneakerhead funnel and a broader, values-driven brand funnel. Lucas: Exactly. And the two reinforce each other. The exclusive drops keep the core community engaged, while the broad campaigns keep the brand culturally relevant. It's a dual-funnel strategy that most brands can only dream of executing. Luna: But what about the average consumer who just wants a decent pair of running shoes? Do they get caught in this funnel? Lucas: No, and that's the genius of it. Nike has separate funnels for different audiences. Their running shoes, like the Pegasus, are marketed through traditional channels — performance specs, athlete endorsements, retail partnerships. The sneakerhead funnel is just one piece of a much larger marketing machine. Luna: So the takeaway is: don't try to build one funnel for everyone. Instead, identify your most passionate subcommunity and build a dedicated funnel around them. Lucas: Exactly. Nike didn't create sneakerhead culture — they recognized it and built a system around it. And that's a lesson for any marketer, whether you're selling software or sneakers. Luna: It's also a reminder that the best marketing often doesn't feel like marketing. It feels like belonging to something. Lucas: Right. And speaking of belonging — if these marketing conversations have sparked something you've actually used, a small way to keep this ad-free show going is to buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. No pressure, just a nod for the nod. Luna: Yeah, it's a simple way to support the show. And it keeps us independent. Lucas: So back to Nike — one more thing I find fascinating. They've also started using the SNKRS app for exclusive content that doesn't even lead to a purchase. Like short films, interviews with designers. That's pure top of funnel investment with no immediate conversion. Luna: So they're building brand love even for people who may never buy a limited edition. Lucas: Exactly. And that's the long game. Because someday, those people might buy a pair of general-release sneakers. Or they'll tell a friend about the cool documentary they watched on the app. The funnel isn't just about transactions — it's about relationships. Luna: And that's a much healthier mindset than trying to convert everyone on the first visit. Lucas: Absolutely. So next time you see a sneaker drop, think about the marketing machine behind it. It's not just a shoe — it's a lesson in community, scarcity, and storytelling. Luna: And maybe a little bit of luck, if you're trying to cop a pair. Lucas: Right. Well, that's our show. Thanks for listening.