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Kevin Durant Leads a Star-studded Foot Locker Holiday Campaign

Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, and LaMelo Ball join Durant — as well as musician Enisa — in the campaign, launched in tandem with Foot Locker’s The Heart of Sneakers platform.

With the holiday season nearly in full swing, Foot Locker is getting creative with its offerings.

In its preparation for the inevitable shopping rush, Foot Locker has tapped NBA stars Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry to be the leading faces of its holiday campaign. Foot Locker announced its hoop-focused holiday lineup — one that also includes fellow NBAers Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball, as well as global music artist Enisa — last week in conjunction with the launch of the company’s new global platform, The Heart of Sneakers.

The new Foot Locker platform aims to be a first-of-its-kind, sticking out in a space that can get crowded during the holidays. The Heart of Sneakers is an ongoing one that will incorporate all of the company’s campaigns, online and in-store experiences, community events, and much more. Through The Heart of Sneakers, sneaker fans can stay on top of all the latest releases — some of which may be some of the more popular pairs of sneakers out there, such as Durant’s KD 16 in the Aunt Pearl colorway.

“Any time I get to show love to the Aunt Pearl colorway, I’m excited,” Kevin Durant said of the Foot Locker partnership. “Getting to put pairs in the hands of real hoopers — and be able to be a little creative with it — was at the heart of this campaign.” 

Anyone immersed in the space knows that sneakers are more than simply shoes; it’s a lifestyle. As a leader in the community, it’s not shocking to find Foot Locker at the center of it all with the creation of The Heart of Sneakers, which is more than just a place to find the latest styles.

If you know Foot Locker for anything other than its place in kicks, it’s likely for its iconic store associates. Also known as “Stripers,” due to the referee-like striped shirt all associates wear in-store at any Foot Locker location, the store employees will continue to act as a “connection between sneakers and the sneaker-passionate.” They have been and will continue to be featured in the roll-out for the new platform, which allows sneakerheads far and wide to stay dialed in on all of the brand’s campaigns, online and in-store experiences, community-rooted events, and more moving forward.

“For nearly 50 years, our authentic connection to sneaker culture and our Stripers have been the magic behind Foot Locker,” said Kim Waldmann, Global Chief Customer Officer at Foot Locker. “Through The Heart of Sneakers platform, created with our advertising agency of record, Preacher, we’ll continue to put the heart of our company’s DNA front and center in communities globally, creating an unrivaled experience only found at Foot Locker.”

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The platform was launched just in time for the holiday rush, and as evident by Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry leading the charge, Foot Locker tapped a star-studded NBA-focused lineup to lead its campaign as we move closer to the end of the year. And while the former teammates have felt the pressures of playing in a Finals, they even need assistance in securing that coveted pair of kicks from time to time, and that’s where the Stripers come into play.

Stripers have multiple components to their job, but as we near December, one of their more important roles is simple — bring the “hype for the holidays.” For Durant, Curry, and anyone using the new The Heart of Sneakers platform or visiting a store in person, these specific Foot Locker employees are pivotal during this season of giving.

“Foot Locker’s Stripers continue to be the heart of the shopping experience, as sneaker enthusiasts across the globe have long looked to them as their reliable experts,” the company said in a release.

Be sure to stay tuned to Foot Locker’s social accounts as the holiday campaign continues to play out over the coming weeks.

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Griffin Adams

Griffin Adams is an Editor at Boardroom. He's had previous stints with The Athletic and Catena Media, and has also seen his work appear in publications such as USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and MLB.com. A University of Utah graduate, he can be seen obnoxiously cheering on the Utes on Saturdays and is known to Trust The Process as a loyal Philadelphia 76ers fan.

About The Author
Griffin Adams
Griffin Adams
Griffin Adams is an Editor at Boardroom. He's had previous stints with The Athletic and Catena Media, and has also seen his work appear in publications such as USA Today, Sports Illustrated, and MLB.com. A University of Utah graduate, he can be seen obnoxiously cheering on the Utes on Saturdays and is known to Trust The Process as a loyal Philadelphia 76ers fan.