Many athletic footwear products and discussions around sneaker culture are largely geared towards male consumers, so when Zappos took notice of this, it created a new platform called Zappos 'The_ONES.'
On Zappos' site, The_ONES is curated like a magazine that features the latest sneaker styles from big-name brands alongside lifestyle content and stories from female influencers who come from diverse backgrounds and different career paths. As Zappos' senior brand marketing manager Kristin Richmer puts it: "We’re focused on firing up the more casual, feminine, and gender-fluid side of the sneakerhead world."
Offline, consumers will soon be able to experience Zappos' The_ONES as part of brick-and-mortar pop-ups coming to New York City's Beyond and Bird Brooklyn.
Editorial Sneaker E-Retailers
Zappos' 'The_ONES' is a Female-Focused Platform for Sneaker Content
Trend Themes
1. Female-focused Sneaker Culture - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop exclusive sneaker styles and collaborations that cater to the female market and celebrate diverse backgrounds and career paths.
2. Curated E-retailer Content - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create an online platform that combines e-commerce with lifestyle content and stories from influencers, providing a personalized shopping experience for customers.
3. Brick-and-mortar Pop-up Stores - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Establish temporary physical retail spaces in strategic locations to enhance brand experience and engage with customers directly.
Industry Implications
1. Athletic Footwear - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce innovative sneaker designs and materials to meet the growing demand for female-focused athletic footwear.
2. E-commerce - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop an e-commerce platform that integrates curated content and personalized recommendations to offer a unique online shopping experience.
3. Retail - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create temporary pop-up stores to test new markets, build brand awareness, and drive customer engagement.