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Shoe Fashion Newsletter | Vegan Sneakers and Ballet-Inspired Styles

Plus: Scalable Ad Campaigns That Actually Work

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
May 07, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Shoe Fashion is the essential newsletter for eCommerce footwear professionals.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

ClickZ was on the ground at POSSIBLE Miami, and here were our top takeaways:

  1. More than ever, consumer discovery is shifting to "interest media" platforms (like TikTok, Snap & Pinterest). Gary Vaynerchuk highlighted this evolution from a "social media era" to interest media, emphasizing that brands must now prioritize creating relevant content aligned with user interests to capture attention at the crucial initial stages of the customer journey.

  2. Measuring the ROI of top-of-funnel engagement on "interest media" channels is becoming a crucial differentiator. Despite recognizing the importance of reaching consumers earlier, many brands struggle to effectively track how content on interest media channels translated to bottom-line results. Those adopting full-funnel measurement solutions increasingly hold a competitive advantage.

  3. Commerce is increasingly integrated into content (e.g., TikTok Shop) demanding strategies that blend engagement and direct purchase. The growing impact of viral content driving sales, particularly through platforms like TikTok Shop, highlights the need for brands to embrace shoppable content experiences to capitalize on this evolution.

Turning these insights into actionable strategies is essential. For a free resource on strategically investing in and measuring the performance of upper-funnel 'interest media' channels, check out Fospha's Growth Accelerator Guide here.

Sector Spotlight 🎥

BRAND HERITAGE SPOTLIGHT

With over 90% of U.S. footwear imported and tariffs impacting retail, American-made brands like Calleen Cordero, Esquivel X, and The Frye Company demonstrate niche opportunities for marketing professionals to position domestic quality, heritage, and sustainability as unique selling propositions in an import-dominated market.

SUSTAINABLE FOOTWEAR INNOVATION\

A surge in demand for vegan trainers is driving brands to adopt plant-based and recycled materials, appealing to environmentally conscious consumers while broadening product portfolios. The article ranks top-performing models such as Loci atom and Merrell moab speed 2, analyzing trends, material innovations, and marketing implications for footwear brands targeting eco-aware consumers.

FOOTWEAR TREND ANALYSIS

Ballet-inspired sneakers are trending as major brands like Adidas, Puma, and Onitsuka Tiger introduce slim, minimalist designs drawing from ballet footwear aesthetics. With StockX reporting over 1,000% sales growth in ballet sneaker styles following key celebrity collaborations, marketers should note the consumer shift toward versatile, cross-demographic appeal.

BRAND COLLABORATION

Reebok’s new collaboration with HYMNE, launching May 2025, introduces limited-edition footwear and an apparel capsule blending HYMNE’s utilitarian design sensibility with Reebok’s heritage appeal, targeting fashion-forward consumers. For marketers, this partnership illustrates the effectiveness of heritage-brand partnerships in enhancing brand perception and driving consumer engagement through exclusivity.

MEN’S SUMMER FOOTWEAR

This guide identifies 14 top-performing summer shoes for men, emphasizing breathable materials, versatile styling, and comfort—key factors for seasonal consumer demand. For marketers, it highlights evolving consumer preferences, sustainable material trends, and product positioning tactics supported by firsthand editorial testing. Actionable for product selection, messaging, and retail activation.

Influencer Corner 📢

Visual Rules to make you stop scrolling. | Juan Campdera

Capture your audience's attention? Visual composition isn't just about making things look good, it's about guiding your audience through your message with purpose. These visual principles act as the foundation for powerful communication, helping you arrange elements in a way that’s eye-catching, aesthetic, and legible.

Video ads aren’t just about audience. They’re about context and timing | ClickZ.com

At POSSIBLE 2025, Gary Mittman, CEO of KERV.ai, joined Anna Peggram to explain why shoppable video is finally getting real traction and what needs to change in how we measure engagement. Key takeaways:

1. Stop guessing attention. Track action: Clicks, scans, and interactions matter more than inferred “attention.” Measure what people do, not what you think they saw.

2. Context is the new creative: If someone just watched a cooking show, don’t serve them a generic ad. Use real-time content recognition to deliver something relevant and shoppable.

3. AI doesn’t need taxonomies: Most ad systems still use categories built for humans. KERV leverages AI to match creative to content without rigid labels and that’s what makes the experience seamless.

Optimization Hub ⚙️

PERFORMANCE MARKETING EXCELLENCE

A Google Ads eCommerce account demonstrating a 700 ROAS and $100K+ monthly spend achieved results by segmenting campaigns: Performance Max for broad coverage, targeted new customer acquisition, separating top performers and new product launches, and structuring search and display for granular targeting. Robust non-branded search rather than relying on branded keywords proved crucial to high ROAS. Marketers should focus on campaign structure, product segmentation, and ongoing optimization for scalable, data-driven eCommerce growth.

INNOVATIVE MARKETING TECHNOLOGIES

APIs are essential for marketers seeking efficient email campaign automation, personalized messaging, and real-time analytics by integrating CRM and customer data platforms. Reliable email APIs deliver scalability, security, and actionable segmentation, ensuring higher engagement and cost-effective outreach. Prioritizing these capabilities directly enhances campaign responsiveness and ROI.

CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE

Session replay tools provide marketers, product teams, and UX specialists with direct behavioral data, revealing actionable pain points and user flow obstacles that traditional analytics miss. As third-party cookies phase out, these tools become essential for optimizing eCommerce, SaaS, and digital experiences based on real user interactions. Selecting the right platform involves considering functionality, authentic user feedback, and transparent pricing to efficiently improve business outcomes.

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