# Pop-Up Shoe Store Pranks Payless' Palessi Pop-Up Showcases Ridiculous Influencer Culture By Justin Lam | Published 2018-12-04 | Marketing Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/palessi-popup References: [luxurylaunches](http://luxurylaunches.com/fashion/a-discount-retailer-opened-a-fake-luxury-store-in-la-and-surprisingly-people-paid-a-lot-more-for-20-shoes.php) & [ndtv](https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/payless-opens-fake-luxury-store-in-los-angeles-tricks-people-into-buying-600-shoes-1956177) Payless ShoeSource is often considered to be the epitome of cheap and affordable footwear, but its latest Palessi [pop-up store](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/shein-pop-up) ramped up the prices to prank its many customers. Housed in a former [Armani](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/my-way-parfum) store, the Palessi pop-up came stocked with regular footwear, but with a hefty pseudo price of $500 and up. To ensure that this store appeared real, Payless created a Palessi [Instagram](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/invsbal) profile, a website, and also invited a host of social media influencers to attend the so-called inaugural event. The customers that attended the Palessi pop-up event were each asked questions of how much they thought the shoes were worth and this is when Payless finally revealed the big prank. Described as a "social experiment" by Payless, this unique pop-up experience was meant to share a pragmatist point of view while also challenging "today’s image-conscious fashion influencer culture.” ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.7/10 - Popularity: 83% | Activity: 80% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 30% men, 70% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, South America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Marketing](https://www.trendhunter.com/marketing) > [Publicity Stunts](https://www.trendhunter.com/publicitystunts) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Prank Marketing:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Brands can create attention-grabbing marketing campaigns by pranking their customers and challenging established consumer perceptions. - **Influencer Culture Critique:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Businesses can capitalize on the backlash against influencer culture by creating experiences or products that offer a critical perspective on societal trends. - **Authenticity in Branding:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Companies can focus on building genuine connections with customers by valuing authenticity and transparency in their branding strategies. ### Where This Applies - **Retail:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Retailers can leverage experiential marketing techniques like pop-up stores to engage customers and create buzz around their brand. - **Fashion:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Fashion brands can experiment with unconventional marketing tactics to challenge existing industry norms and spark conversations. - **Social Media:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Social media platforms can adapt to changing consumer behavior by promoting authenticity and genuine content over superficial influencer culture. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Authentication Awareness Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-realreal-popup.md) - [Revealing Skincare Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-secret-ingredient-pop-up.md) - [Awareness-Raising Shoe Store Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/soles4souls-canada.md) - [Customizable Shoe Decorating Events](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/style-your-toe.md) - [Highly Affordable Fashion Launches](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/yeezy-supply-1.md) - [Playful Retail Pop-Up Installations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-joke-shop.md) - [Platform Statement Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/8inch-flipflops.md) - [Plush Footwear Pop-Ups](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-monster-den.md) - [Kidult Baby Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/super-baby.md)