99% of footwear companies aren’t doing this 👀 : Friday’s with Filar #001
For all newcomers, welcome to my website, and more specifically welcome to my first blog newsletter.
THE WHY:
I love finding new ways to engage with people. My goal has always been ‘create to inspire’. So I hope this does just that for you.
Almost all social platforms these days consume our attention for 5 seconds, if not less. And as of late, I’ve been fascinated with the idea of creating longer lasting content that can survive time. Not only do our instagram stories and snap chats disappear after 24 hours, there’s even a new app called BeReal (which I’m on so go find me) - which makes you only post in the moment at random times each day and then disappears after 24 hours.
While I’m paying attention to all of these ideas and outlets, I like going against the grain and finding new ways to narrate messages and stories.
THE WHAT:
Every Friday I’m going to release a few words covering fashion, footwear, inspiration, design and any cool new shit that catches my eye.
As I observe my news feeds, I notice that some news outlets post 47 times in a day and its impossible to catch really interesting things amongst all the bullshit they put out. So my goal is to summarize a few key points from each week that are worth noting… in my opinion.
I’ll have fun with different segments like Feet Fetish (sneaker related content) or A Dose of Design (see below) at the end of each blog - these will keep you on your toes. We’ll also chat about a main idea that’s been on my brain.
The Main Idea 🙇🏼♂️ :
I’m not going to say it’s a coincidence, but I wrote an article a couple weeks ago called “6 things I learned in 6 months at a Start Up”. Since then, I think it made people curious… they started to reach out about what we’re doing different, what makes our product special, what’s the story behind it?
And to anyone who will listen, I keep explaining that it is the utility behind our products that makes it special. A word that’s used very regularly on Twitter among NFT communities, but not a word used by traditional footwear brands. This is because they are only transacting one product : one payment with their customers.
And I don’t think that simple 1:1 transaction is going away in our lifetimes - it’ll remain a main source of purchasing goods. But what you will see more and more in the coming years, is brands looking for new ways to reach and connect with their customers. In a world saturated with brands, what will separate you from the rest of the pack?
One of my favorite examples is what we just did with our release around DeVonta Smith’s sneaker. Having each sneaker linked to a digital asset and having it authenticable through the NFC chip that’s embedded in the sneaker, it activates an incredible third pillar around a product. You have physical - the actual product. You have digital - the social content and buzz around the product (Digital in our case is that previous sentence + the web3/NFT world exposure). And then you have the experiential pillar.
The experiential part is what I personally get jazzed up about. To prove my point, Im highlighting another brand below, as this segment isnt going to only talk about Endstate each week. This time I noticed that Represent did this:
And I love it so much. Keep building fanbases - and reward them for it. Its experiential for the consumer that way.
THIS is what 99% of brands aren’t doing. They are missing the value add component. In a world full of footwear options and shortage of attention, your traditional marketing ads aren’t going to get you very far. Goodbye are the days of just paying $250 dollars for another pair of sneakers, throwing away the box, and the consumer wearing them a few times. Hello are the days where you pay $250 dollars for sneakers, get a free cheesesteak, get to potentially meet you favorite athlete, and join a circle of people with like minds and interests.
THAT is what we did with DeVonta Smith and that is the future, except it’s here now.
PS - This isn’t another push for people to believe in NFTs, its another message that this technology is bigger than you and I, and we're only at the beginning. The blockchain allows for incredible transparency and connection with your core customer.
Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe I’m right.
A DOSE OF DESIGN ✍🏼 :
Havn’t thought about brutalist design in a while. And then the depths of Twitter find a way to really enlighten you.
Ps - yes this is probably unnecessary, but it makes you think and captures your attention.
Fashion content of the week 🦹♀️ :
Massively inspired by the movie Entergalactic. For those unaware, it’s a film that came out on Netflix a couple weeks ago and has been wildly overlooked. Directed and created by Kid Cudi, the movie was tastefully told with blending art, culture, streetwear, and relationships all together. The colors throughout the film were beautiful and ‘streetwear’ styling was nice to see - from OFFWHITE T’s and Kaws statues. Would recommend watching 10/10.
Entergalactic Scene
Secondarily, I LOVE that I stumbled into this new project called Committee. It’s a web3 digital-physical bikini wear. I was on a Twitter Space with someone from the project and the energy they spoke with was second to none. They’re trying to offer amazing, high fashion bikini for all different shape and sized women while onboarding women into the web3 space.
Anyway, thanks for reading the first issue of Friday’s with Filar. I’m going to focus on releasing more perspectives and ideas throughout fashion, footwear, and art. If you’re interested, please subscribe to getting emailed these articles once a week 🙏🏼