Clarks. Reggae did the advertising.
Clarks made quiet, sensible shoes. Jamaican rude boys made them cool, and the brand turned up 50 years late to sell it back.
THE GIST ON CLARKS: "Reggae Did the Advertising"
What did Clarks just do?
Clarks is a 200-year-old British shoe brand. Jamaican rude boys, reggae and hip hop made it cool. Last year they launched a dancehall collection. Because brands always come back to cash the cultural cheque.
Where did Clarks begin?
Clarks started in Somerset in 1825, and a Quaker family ran it for nearly 200 years. They made the Desert Boot in the 50s and the Wallaby in the 60s. Both were quiet, sensible shoes.
Who made them cool?
In the late 60s, Jamaican rude boys adopted them. The Desert Boot and the Wallaby became the uniform. Through the 70s, reggae artists name-checked Clarks in their songs.
For 40 years Clarks ignored it all.
When did Clarks show up?
In 2012 they did a Trojan Records collaboration. Then a Jamaica pack, then a Raheem Sterling line. Last year, a dancehall collection. They've finally shown up to the party 50 years late.
This is what brands do when the culture has done the work. They wait until the meaning is undeniable, then show up to sell it back to you. Reggae gave Clarks 40 years of free advertising, and now Clarks is selling dancehall back to dancehall. Have we forgotten who made it cool?
Do brands arriving late to a culture feel fake?
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Quick answers
When was Clarks founded?
In Somerset in 1825, run by a Quaker family for nearly 200 years.
Who made the Desert Boot and Wallaby cool?
Jamaican rude boys in the late 60s, then reggae artists who name-checked Clarks through the 70s.
When did Clarks join in?
From 2012: a Trojan Records collaboration, a Jamaica pack, a Raheem Sterling line and last year a dancehall collection.
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