I had to double-check it wasn’t April 1st when I read this story.
A Jamaican rapper has boost the sales of Clarks’ shoes in a way that no advertising exec would could.
The British brand is known for its comfortable, sensible shoes, not for its street-cred, right? Wrong. A Jamaican rapper has released a song that has caused such a surge in their popularity that the price of the shoes has almost doubled. Shoe shops in Jamaica have raised the price per pair from $6,000 Jamaican Dollars to over $10,000 – the equivalent of £78.42 a pair.
‘Clarks’, by rapper Vybz Cartel, features the chorus line ‘Everybody haffi ask weh mi get mi Clarks’ and even has lyrics about the Queen wearing them. The CD cover features a picture of him carrying pictures of his favourite shoes – Clarks’ Wallabees, DesertBoots and Desert Treks. Since then popularity and sales of the footwear have gone through the roof.
I wonder if he knows that the ‘sensible’ shoes actually originate from a family company from Street in Somerset….
According to this Sky News article, Vybz Cartel has also since released two follow-up singles; “Clarks Again” and “Clarks 3”:
Clarks must be thanking their lucky stars!
Gemma Carey – Bluewood Training Ltd