On Feb. 17, Donald Trump unveiled his new shoes at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia. Named the “Never Surrender High-Top,” the shoe features a gold-painted exterior, an American flag, and a large T in the middle that is now impossible to obtain. All 1,000 pairs of the $400 shoe sold out within hours of the sneaker launch online.
Trump unveiled the Never Surrenders along with two other pairs of sneakers and cologne the day after a federal judge ordered that he pay a $354 million fine for fraudulent business practices. It’s ludicrous to assume the $400,000 revenue will make any dent in the almost $400 million he currently owns, so a more reasonable motive is that Trump is attempting to expand his following to include younger voters who are a part of the growing community of “sneakerheads.”
The introduction of an extremely rare and valuable shoe has left younger sneakerheads in a frenzy. Sophomore Warren Peng, who pre-ordered a pair of the Never Surrenders, stated, “I’d consider myself a liberal, but I might end up voting for Trump [if I was old enough] because of how sick these shoes are.”
Trump’s engagement with the sneaker community, one with such a rich culture, truly displays affection and will certainly strike an arrow of remembrance in the hearts of sneakerheads across America, whether or not his love for sneakers is a façade. He’s fostered a connection between himself and a passionate group of people, building enough trust and respect to sway voters to his side.
Given that the most essential part of sneakerheads’ shared identity is a love for shoes, something having nothing to do with politics, many young sneaker collectors lack a determined voting stance. Tapping into a collection of seemingly different people who are still exploring their political identity gives Trump a foot up in the upcoming election — a giant foot up as the number of sneaker collectors in the U.S. continues to grow into the millions.
If Biden wants any chance to sneak back into first place in the hearts of sneaker-lovers, he has no choice other than to launch a rival shoe company called “Biden Widens,” referring to the widening of his target voters. Already an octogenarian, Biden must take every step to ensure his voice is heard among America’s youth.
I would propose a white low-top sneaker with blue stars scattered across. For marketing purposes, he should even paste a picture of his face on the side. The design is up for debate, but what isn’t is the fact that Biden needs a shoe brand, and he needs it fast.
