Big Red Boots Fueled with Virality
Brooklyn-based creative collective MSCHF is known for thinking far outside of the box. The collective has made a name for themselves over the past years by creating products that are made for social sharing. Their 2021 collaboration with global star and influencer Lil Nas X was so widely shared and talked about that Nike was quick to initiate a lawsuit against the firm and their collaboration. Yet, they’re back and better than ever with a piece directly out of Astro Boy’s closet: the Big Red Boot.
Photos of the shoe started circulating earlier this week and instantaneously caught the attention of millions across social media from Instagram outfit pictures to aesthetic TikTok videos and every fashion aficionado chiming in on Twitter in-between. The boots have earned well over 250+ million impressions in the past 5 days with no paid advertising spend, all powered by the viral digital concourse that is social media.
Beyond the very eye catching look of the rubber shelled shoes, there is something very special about the viral factor that came with the Big Red Boots: there was no traditional advertising involved. Each and every aspect of the viral factor of these boots have come from a well calculated from of influencer marketing.
The shoes are set to be released on February 16 (just in time for New York Fashion Week) and will be $350. If that hasn’t shocked you yet, just know there are already pre-release pairs going for $1400-$2700 on StockX
Fashion Influencer Sarah Snyder Pioneers the Campaign
Knowing that these were worthy of breaking the internet, MSCHF tapped one of Instagram’s most recognized fashion influencer Sarah Snyder. As a digital collective making products made to dominate social media feeds and become instantly recognizable, there are no need for traditional billboards. There isn’t the time for print advertising. There is only one source for virality here: social media. Upon millions seeing the photos of Sarah Snyder in the rubber shell boots, everyone thought to themselves “what in the world are these”.
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MSCHF Seeding Their Products to Fashion Influencers
With tens of thousands of people talking about the Big Red Boots within hours of seeing them on their social feeds, people needed to know more. Every few hours this week came with a new influencer posting wearing them. MSCHF identified niche fashion influencers and pages like Hypebeast that people follow to stay up to date with the newest trends and outfit inspirations. Let’s look at how some friends of the collective and prominent names on the fashion side of Instagram are sharing off their influencer-seeded pair of Big Red Boots. Not to mention that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the LA Lakers wore them while entering the arena before his game.
@jaadiee Replying to @Big T. Styling the Big Red Boot 🅱️🥵👴🏻 #gramps #bigredboot #mschf #streetwear #fashion #styling #outfit #astroboy
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Shai in LA 👀
Lakers-Thunder, 10pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/rZZpgzS6fz
— NBA (@NBA) February 8, 2023
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Creating a Product with Viral Factor
A move to bring Astro Boy’s closet to real life deserves the free 100+ million impressions it has earned this week. In an industry-agnostic sense, people love products that push traditional boundaries. As fashion and streetwear are greatly impacted by social media’s response to trends and ability to create future trends, this product is a perfect fit for breaking the internet.
But, it doesn’t just mean that any brand can create a product with viral factor. It depends heavily on how the brand is using social media to get the product to the point of tipping the viral scale. MSCHF gave approximately 20 pairs of shoes to influencers this week. The next thing we knew, we couldn’t stop seeing the Big Red Boots. Let’s look at some of this week’s most viewed pieces of content revolving around the boots.
We can always rely on social media to continue conversations across mediums and act as one large conversation hall for creators, contributors, and consumers.
@hypebeast hypebeast: Check out @mschfsneakers’ Big Red Boot 👀 releasing February 16 for $350 USD #sneakers #shoe #unboxing
@lilap3 try at your own risk 😂 😂 #mischief #mischiefbox #nyc #mschf #boweryshowroom
Sarah Snyder for MSCHF (2023) pic.twitter.com/PcxqRreFcT
— Outlander Magazine (@StreetFashion01) February 6, 2023
he did his thing with the red boots I fear pic.twitter.com/674V324cEi
— Hurt CoPain (@SaeedDiCaprio) February 9, 2023
The Influencer Factor
What makes this pair of shoes so marvelous is the fact that they are created for the conversation. If social media was one big room of people, MSCHF put an outlandish product right in the middle of the room and basically told everyone to debate their value or lack thereof. With a price point of $350, coupled with the fact that only the biggest names in social media have found a way to get their hands on the boots, their perceived value has skyrocketed.
When seeding influencers products goes correctly, like in this case, everyone wants them because they know there is scarcity of them. If these were 90% reduced in price and selling for $35 on Amazon (I’m predicting it will take 45 days to start seeing low-price fakes) then this would be a whole different story. But, these will sell out within minutes and we will continue to see these shoes on our explore feeds and in memes for the next few weeks.
The Comment Section
As we frequently mention, it’s not just the quality of the post or the content being published that fuels virality. Rather, the comment section on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. People flock to the comment section to share their opinion, further fueling the algorithms to disperse posts to more and more viewers. These comments get their own impressions, likes, and conversations that continue to build on them.
Comments around the Big Red Boots include people’s interest or distaste for their appearance, how it would feel to “stomp around” in them, and even what these would do for people’s mental health. Here are some of my favorite
I need to squish the red boots for my own mental health
Don’t let Kanye see these…
Never thought I can look like Yoshi someday
I literally can’t stand anything or anyone anymore after seeing these
Working with Influencers to Raise Awareness of Your Products
Brands have the ability to create a viral factor with any product they produce, no matter how simple or extravagant it may be. Rejecting traditional advertising approaches has become more popular as social media has risen and proved to shift the consumer purchase behavior of consumers. In order to get your product in front of the eyes of your ideal customers in 2023 you can turn to influencers to become your brand advocates and act as vehicles of communication. When thinking about how to find influencers for your brand, speak to one of Glewee’s influencer marketing experts to find out how our end-to-end suite of tools will help maximize your efforts.
And yes for anyone wondering, I will be purchasing a pair of these when they release on February 16th.
