Puzzled wrote:
Again I find these endorsement deals puzzling. He is not a household name. Believe it or not outside of distance running circles few people know who the heck he is. Further perhaps because I'm in the demographic that is not influenced by trends I can't imagine going out and buying a pair of Nike shows because I see Rupp wearing one. When I do buy shoes it is because I need them and I tend to base my decision on the look, comfort, feel and price. Not sure how that fits in with Nike's marketing strategy.
I don't get the lack of marketing geared towards faster running. Nike does a great job marketing the Frees to the masses but it is true that nobody knows who their top runners are. Every meet is just a bunch of men/women wearing the same kit and the same shoes.
I've never bought a pair of shoes because I saw Rupp where them but as a kid I had a pair of Iverson's for basketball. I don't know why Nike doesn't have the Rupp Vapor's or whatever. You can't buy the gear that pros wear often times and then they're not really a part of shoe/apparel campaigns. Give me a singlet with Rupp's name on the back and a pair of the Rupp Vapor's and I'd wear them.