Various reasons the Foams became popular in 1997?

danextgrate

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I was just wondering why the foams became so popular, ultimately becoming a cultural mainstay.
...He's a super-freak, super-freak, he's super freaky, yaoooooo...
 
colors stood out. design stood out. quality was topnotch. the price was high compared to the kicks back then which means demand will catch on.
...wait!!! i take that back.
 
foams are the reason i was a sneakerhead. my fav shoe of all time. copped the retro 1's this year for 275. and now im done. i remember in 97 wyclef had them on with a orlandos jearsy on some mtv interview.
 
Foams were my 'shoe' awakening. Before that i didn't really care what i wore, but these were almost like the lamborghini of shoes. Despite what you thought of shoes, they truly caught your attention.
But the thing is, nothing really matters.
TEAMYANKEES
 
I was still young when they first dropped but I remember when the Blk Foam Pros came out. My sis took me shoe shopping and showed those to me. I turned away in disgust and picked up some RBK Pumps.. :smh:
smh.gif
Team PokerStars
"Duece, Seven... I'm ALL-IN"
"I'VE NEVER WORKED A DAY IN MY LIFE"​
John Madden​
 
the shoe was so different, plus the price was higher then any shoe in the market at the time...
TEAM
PLATANO
 
Everything that was posted above plus Nike's ridiculous marketing campaign - they were and still are "different" (in a good way)
 
"Ridiculous marketing campaign"?

Elaborate please.
...He's a super-freak, super-freak, he's super freaky, yaoooooo...
 
DaNextGrate:

"Ridiculous" as in good, fantastic, eye-catching, innovative, fresh, cool, hype, catchy, memorable, comedic (Lil' Penny) Not as good IMO as the Bo Jackson or Agassi campaign but good nonetheless.

Nike's print ads are/were very clever, especially when they first came out in the late 80s & early 1990s... Now I just don't feel their ad campaigns as much.
 
I remember there was a paper add with a number you could call and Penny would be talking about the shoe. I konw that had one for the XIs too.
Team Vintage Heat​
Never too old..​
 
i didn't like them when they first came out.


and i still don't like them now.

..with so much personality,
what do you want from me?
i could be by myself and enjoy the company..
but i'd ratherher
 
Word up, I was mad unaware back then, how big was Penny Hardaway?

Was he Jordan (almost) big? Kobe big? Lebron big?
...He's a super-freak, super-freak, he's super freaky, yaoooooo...
 
For me it was the design and the fact that they barely got scuffed, I would ball in mine day and night and all I had to do was wipe them with at wet towel and they'd look like new. Man, I love those shoes
 
i think the foams was such a big hit because of the sturdiness in the design. i have two pairs of black foam pros and one of them was a winter shoe for me.....been through snow and all that with them. after all that they have been through, they are still comfortable without ugly creases or scuffs or anything else. basically....foams can be abused!
"The Retro Died in 2001..."
 
being from the east coast in nyc ( brooklyn). these shoes weren't big sellers. they sat around on shelves especially with the 180 - 200 asking price ( depending on the store and if they new you) these shoes used to be termed the ' drug dealers" due to the fact that those were the only people with enough money to get there hands on these with out starving. no way mom dukes was dropping 200 on a shoe for my lil self. at first i didn't like the design but what 10 year old cares for design. i can remember seeing them on shelves on pitkin ave out in brooklyn like it was last year. good memories
 
Quote:
colors stood out. design stood out. quality was topnotch. the price was high compared to the kicks back then which means demand will catch on.
+ Penny Hardaway

I was in the 6th grade in '97, so there was absolutely no way I could had these, unless I was a drugdealer because they were the only ones that had any around the city... and that was if you could find them, because not to many stores around the city took a chance on selling those or at least to market them if they had them in stock...
TEAM
B A L T I M O R E
"...Screw what the odds is...
...your boy got the Rock Republics sittin' on top of the'dopedealers', marvelous!!!..."
 
Its a status symbol thing for many. A lot of people couldn't believe Nike would drop a $180 retail shoe. Some could not afford it then, but can afford it now.

Also take into account the popularity of the Penny line.
team am fam / team vintage heatflintgreynt@gmail.com
myspace.com/flintgreynt
 
I just remember my brother working and working (chores) to get these from my Mom on his birthday :lol:
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TEAMCOWBOYS
VI..XII..XXVII..XXVIII..XXX......
"WE like some wild COWBOYS comin to get YOU at high noon"

FS: Retro Jordan 5(black and silver)sz. 10.5 $150: Black Foams 11.5,$220​
 
Remember when a GR shoe could be hot just because?

It didn't need to be limited to be just a nice shoe.
.:: I CAN ONLY IMAGINE - AND MY IMAGINATION IS AMAZING ::.
JUSTIN TAYLOR IS THE TRUTH​
 
These were da posterchild to what nikes hot back then : "new, fresh, expensive, exclusive, penny hardaway"
team platano/BLACKMARKET
check out da myspace
teamdecepticon​
T R A N S F O R M E R S​
 
Penny was very very popular back then.

Price was out of every kids range which made em more desirable, and the design was great.

Nike
exit on Crenshaw, then make a right.
Dom Kennedy
Soon​
 
penny,marketing,price,the shoes where in movies,tv adds they were everywhere. a timeless classic along with some jordans,and air max's.
THE JOKER GANG
"I have given a name to my pain, and it is Batman"​
 
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