Sole stories: Uncovering consumer profile identities within sneaker culture and community

Sneaker communities have increasingly become a category of interest in consumer behaviour literature, driven by a culture and group commonly referred to as Sneakerheads. While the topic of Sneakerheads has been assessed in previous studies, few to date have investigated the unique behaviours and identities of this group to identify distinct consumer segments. Uncovering these consumer segments is instrumental to brands targeting this group, as it may lead to enhanced market segmentation, cultural targeting and stronger brand positioning. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to develop in-depth consumer segments using model-based clustering to uncover subgroups within the Sneakerhead community based on personal characteristics, preferences and behaviours. Specifically, the variables of self-esteem, community belongingness and life satisfaction were assessed. The results of the analysis reveal two key Sneakerhead consumer segments: partially committed enthusiasts (PCE) and highly invested enthusiasts (HIE). The findings suggest that while both PCE and HIE profiles play a vital role within the sneaker community, the two groups may engage differently and have different preferences within the community. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.