I hate Twitter as much as the next person, but I’ve always believed myself to be impervious to its corruptive influence. I’m sad to report that I was wrong.
Last week, while scrolling through my feed, I saw a prominent voice in running
Nike M2k Tekno Dames media proclaim that Nike had just released the latest version of its coveted 4% racing shoe. There was a sense of urgency in the announcement; apparently, the Nike Zoom Vaporfly 4% Flyknit was going fast. It was all I needed to hear. Within minutes, I was handing over my credit card information to Nike.com and setting a new,
Nike Air Vapormax Mujer dubious, PR by spending $250 on a single pair of running shoes. As least I wasn’t the only lemming hurling himself off the ecommerce cliff, because the shoes sold out the same day. (I checked.)
Needless to say, the timing of the Nike’s latest product
Nike Air Max 720 Damen launch was not accidental. On Sunday, I watched the Chicago Marathon, where the company is a major sponsor. Lo and behold, the vast majority of professional runners were sporting the same racer that I had just mortgaged my home for.
“It’s interesting to see
Nike Roshe Run Donne that most of the front runners are wearing the same footwear,” one of NBC’s commentators said. Perhaps afraid that the network was in danger of violating some law of impartiality, the other announcer quickly interjected that they wouldn’t be revealing the identity
Nike Air Huarache Womens of the “shoe company.” It was an impressive and totally superfluous act
emilielafarge.fr of discretion.
The 4% Flyknits are not discreet. Their fluorescent vermillion colorway, combined with the general media hype around the shoe, mean that runners can’t wear them and be incognito, which of course might be the point. It’s virtually
Nike Roshe Run Femme impossible to rock a pair of 4%s, without outing yourself as the type of person who spends $250 on running shoes.It would be one thing if the Vaporfly 4% was just another high-end item in a retail category that is increasingly merging with the luxury market. But
Nike Air Max 270 Damen ever since its unveiling last year, the narrative surrounding the shoe has been dominated by how its distinct design can help improve running economy by four percent (hence the name) and propel wearers to faster times. Nike even commissioned a study to prove
Nike Air Force 1 Mujer that this was the case. Last month, the 4% received invaluable PR when Eliud
Nike Air Max 90 Femme Kipchoge eviscerated the marathon world record by 78 seconds while wearing the shoe.
It was shrewd marketing on Nike’s part to include “4%” in the product name, lest anyone should forget that this shoe promises to improve your performance. And that’s
Adidas Superstar Mujer the thing: to wear a pair of Vaporfly 4%s is to tacitly acknowledge your faith in that promise. It is to announce to your fellow runners that not only are you the type of person who spends $250 on running shoes, but you do it because you actually believe
Nike Air Max 270 Mujer they will make you faster!