Black tastemakers across generations paved the way for sneaers to have a place on the world stage. For eBay’s first-ever Black History Month campaign, we took to social to give credit where credit has been long overdue. By honoring The Footprint of Black culture on sneaker culture, we initiated a conversation around the true origins of sneaker culture as we know it.
On Instagram, we created a series of in-feed exhibits honoring key moments along the timeline of Black Sneaker History. We also created interactive stories forums catered to the theme of each era to test our audience’s knowledge and give them a chance to share their thoughts on the shoe stories that matter most to them.
FOUR CHAPTERS 👟 FOUR ERAS 👟 FOUR ICONS
To tell this story across Instagram and Twitter, we explored the sneakers and stories of four game-changing eras: Building Blocks, The Breakthrough, The Takeover, and Tomorrow.
chapter I : BuILDING BLOCKS
The roots of sneaker culture began on the streets of NY and spread through urban youth culture. The love of sneakers as a form of self-expression and identity began with the communities who went against the grain and defined cool for themselves. These pioneers took the first steps to making a culture from a love for kicks.
CHAPTER II : THE BREAKTHROUGH
THE ‘85 SHOP: AN HOMAGE TO THE ERA THAT CHANGED THE GAME
Breakthrough was a plot twist in American culture. Sneakers began to evolve from being looked down on as a sign of poverty to a social symbol of status. With both Hip-Hop and basketball reaching new heights, the sneaker game broke barriers.
CHAPTER III : THE TAKEOVER
The Takeover was when the game went global. Sneaker culture’s biggest turning point came when art forms and industries led by Black pioneers reached new heights. From the early 2000s on, Black culture made sneakers a staple across popular music, film, sports, and entertainment at large.
CHAPTER IV : TOMORROW
The future of sneaker culture is Black history in the making. This chapter celebrates the innovators who are leading the charge of the industry’s future and laying the ground work for what tomorrow’s culture will look like.
SOLE OF THE CULTURE LIVESTREAM: LOOKING BACK TO MOVE FORWARD
Creative director Frank Cooker and fashion stylist Kia Marie talk about the defining moments in sneaker history that changed the trajectory of Black creatives in the sneaker community forever.
THE CONVERSATION
