Creative Brief (PR 535)
DICK’s Sporting Goods Foot Locker Sneaker Truck Campaign
Target Audience
The target audience for this campaign is Gen Z event-goers, roughly ages 14 to 29, who spend their time and their money (or parents’ money) on social events like concerts, professional sporting events, eating out with friends, traveling to nearby social hotspots (beaches, movie theaters, skate parks, friends’ parents’ homes, etc.) (Ernst & Young, 2023). They spend any time they aren’t in an activity with friends, at school or at work on social media, primarily TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat. If they happen to be into fashion or fashion trends, they will generally care about what shoes they buy, or their parents buy them, because it signals status to their friends and they want to be seen as in-style (Ernst & Young, 2023). For this trendy, shoe-focused group, footwear is the ultimate expression of identity, status, and superiority to their peers. They often discover new styles through their social media use and will stumble upon limited releases that capture their full attention until they can purchase them and show them off to their friends, in person or online (Ernst & Young, 2023). This audience enjoys showing up at an event and meeting similar-minded peers who are equally shoe obsessed. They like using hyperbole when talking about their ‘must-have’ products.
Where Will the Advertisement Appear?
To target this audience, the ad for this campaign will primarily appear online and through digital media channels that Gen Z will actually see regularly and intimately (not television, not radio, not in newspapers). This focus will include Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, as well as sponsored posts on mobile-ticketing apps for events (professional sporting events, music festivals, etc.) Short-form video ads and promoted posts will highlight a sneaker truck pulling up to a major event (FIFA World Cup 2026) or a similar fan festival. Geotargeted mobile ads will also run near event venues so Gen Z consumers already in the area will be targeted by advertising that highlights a possible sneaker drop nearby. Out-of-home placements around stadiums and music festival grounds (a few spots like this in every major metropolitan area around the country) will support the campaign and create hype as Gen Z attendees arrive. If the ad is successful, Gen Z will have to work less to seek their limited-edition sneakers and be able to focus more on purchasing what is right in front of them.
What’s the Goal?
The goal is to sell shoes and reimagine DICK’s sporting goods as the go to option (or at the very least AN option) to buy shoes, point blank. In the process, secondary goals would be to increase awareness and excitement for the new Foot Locker sneaker truck activation while driving sales increases. The campaign (if done effectively) should create a sense of urgency and curiosity, so Gen Z buyers want to track down or chase the trucks and see what new shoe is dropping that day. Beyond sales and awareness, the long-term goal is to position DICK’s Sporting Goods and the Foot Locker brand as deeply connected to youth culture, sneaker culture, live experiences, limited-edition opportunities, and stay current as a market contender for Gen Z purchasing decisions.
What’s the Current Perception of DICK’s vs Desired Perception of the Ad?
Currently, many Gen Z consumers think of DICK’s Sporting Goods primarily as a traditional sporting goods retailer where people buy soccer balls, baseball gloves, or sporting equipment (basketball hoops, treadmills, weights, clothes/uniforms). That perception isn’t wrong, but it’s not very exciting either. The desired perception is that DICK’s is also plugged into sneaker culture and understands what young consumers care about at the end of the day. The sneaker truck helps transform the brand into something more dynamic, unexpected, and culturally relevant.
Why Do We Need This Ad?
DICK’s Sporting Goods needs this advertisement to work because the sneaker truck concept relies on immediacy and rapid deployment/redeployment of the sneaker truck, engagement with Gen Z ‘sneaker-heads’ and sales. At the end of the day, DICK’s Sporting Goods is a business, and they need revenue to stay above water, not anger their shareholders and remain relevant in the sporting goods ecosystem (something that other sporting goods stores failed to do, Big 5 as a great example). The advertising needs to build anticipation, direct fans to the truck’s location, and turn the activation into a must-see summer experience for Gen Z sneaker obsessives.
Advertising Headline/Tagline
DICK’s Sporting Goods Foot Locker Sneaker Campaign
Headline
“Declaration of Drip”
Supporting Line
Limited drops. One traveling sneaker truck. This Fourth of July weekend, celebrate America’s 250th by discovering exclusive pairs at the Foot Locker Sneaker Truck, rolling into the biggest festivals and sporting events this summer. Pull up, find the truck, and claim your pair before they disappear for another 250 years…
Media Placement
The advertisement will appear primarily in digital out of home placements and social media channels surrounding the FIFA World Cup, Major League Baseball games (All-Star game weekend is around this time), fireworks shows and parades celebrating America’s 250th birthday, etc. Digital billboards and transit screens will run near concert entrances, stadium districts, and high-traffic pedestrian areas where Gen Z attendees will be spending their time and money. The campaign will also run through short form paid social placements on Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat. These platforms are where Gen Z sneaker enthusiasts discover opportunities to buy shoes and share their finds and experiences with their friends and followers in real time. Geotargeting through mobile ads will alert users within event areas when the Foot Locker Sneaker Truck is nearest, moving, stopped, or leaving.
Strategy Note
“Declaration of Drip” connects sneaker culture with the cultural moment of the year, America’s 250th anniversary celebration, in a way that captures attention, speaks to Gen Z and their slang, and ultimately is catchy (alliteration complimenting targeted language) (Ernst & Young, 2023). The headline riffs on the Declaration of Independence while using ‘drip’ as a reference to outfits with style. The phrase is simple, easy to remember, and humorous.
Strategically, the concept positions the sneaker truck as part of the energy of Fourth of July weekend. Fireworks, festivals, sports, and music events already attract large crowds of Gen Z attendees. Introducing limited sneaker drops around a nationwide cultural moment for people to come together (while simultaneously participating in a World Cup hosted on American soil) has all the makings of a successful advertising campaign.