ClickZ Luxury Footwear Newsletter - 1.23.2025

Plus, Rihanna & PUMA prove retro sneakers are timeless marketing gold

Author

Sophie Bruxner-Randall
January 23, 2025 • Estimated Reading Time: 8 minutes

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Welcome to ClickZ Luxury Footwear, your essential newsletter for luxury footwear e-commerce professionals.

Editor’s Pick 🌟

What’s driving the success of high-growth brands in 2025?

The Growth Accelerator Guide uncovers the strategies that are setting industry leaders apart, with exclusive benchmarking data, actionable insights, and proven frameworks for eCommerce growth.

One key takeaway? Upper-funnel campaigns are the foundation for robust ROAS.

🔍 Fospha analyzed tens of billions in eCommerce revenue, and the results are clear:

Brands allocating over 5% of their budget to Awareness & Consideration campaigns see dramatically higher ROAS—especially larger brands, achieving an average of 218% higher ROAS above this threshold. 

For large brands, the rewards keep growing. Investing 10%+ of the digital budget in upper-funnel campaign leads to a staggering 110% higher ROAS compared to brands spending under this threshold.

📥 Download the full report here to discover how to build a high-impact full-funnel strategy.

What happens when AI meets marketing at the world's most influential business summit?

At Davos 2025, the message was clear: AI is now the driving force behind advertising and the entire customer journey.

Imagine AI powering your ad campaigns on platforms like Google Performance Max and Meta Advantage+, freeing you to focus on what humans do best: creativity and strategy. Meanwhile, social media transforms into a shopping haven, blurring the lines between content and purchase.

This is the new reality of omnichannel retail, and the brands that master AI and social commerce will dominate the next decade.

Bottega Veneta and Vans are redefining the intersection of luxury and casual footwear with a playful design dialogue—Bottega's Sawyer shoe echoes Vans' classic skate sneaker, while Vans launches a luxe woven leather line. For luxury footwear marketers, this convergence offers a key takeaway: blending high-end craftsmanship with streetwear aesthetics can captivate diverse audiences, spark buzz, and create cross-market appeal. It’s a blueprint for leveraging design synergy to drive engagement and broaden brand reach.

Pharrell's collaboration with Louis Vuitton illustrates a strategic blend of heritage and innovation, epitomized by the ButterSoft sneaker. This retro-infused design signals a pivotal direction in LV's menswear, offering invaluable insights into fusion strategies that effectively engage affluent consumers and elevate e-commerce dynamics within the luxury footwear sector.

Kurt Geiger’s bold push into North America with 50 planned store openings showcases a savvy approach to leveraging the region’s status as its fastest-growing market. By emphasizing vibrant, London-inspired designs, the brand taps into the universal allure of pop culture. This expansion underscores the importance of aligning product storytelling with cultural relevance, using bold design and strategic localization to accelerate growth and deepen market resonance.

PUMA and Rihanna's FENTY Avanti LS, a 1970s-inspired update, debuts in vibrant blue. Combining heritage design with modern aesthetics, FENTY branding in gold adorns the sleek nubuck leather. This release strategically revitalizes PUMA's legacy, embodying retro style and contemporary appeal, offering marketing professionals insights into effective brand innovation.

A Ma Maniére and Air Jordan collaborate on a Diffused Blue Air Jordan 3, releasing in March 2025. This strategic partnership emphasizes innovative design, featuring unique elements like a quilted sockliner and hidden messages. The product offers aspirational value, aligning with current trends and targeting dedicated sneaker enthusiasts.

Influencer Corner 📣

Anastasia Demchuk on LinkedIn: AI is reshaping the luxury industry—are you ready?

From hyper-personalized shopping experiences to AI-driven trend forecasting, luxury brands are leveraging technology to redefine creativity, sustainability, and customer engagement.

Here are the key ways AI is making an impact:
✨ Personalized Shopping & AI Stylists – Brands like Louis Vuitton use AI for tailored recommendations.
🎨 Design Innovation & Trend Forecasting – AI accelerates creativity and predicts future trends at LVMH.
♻️ Sustainability & Supply Chain Optimization – Reducing waste and enhancing transparency.
🕶️ Virtual Try-Ons & Augmented Reality – Enhancing digital shopping experiences RIMOWA.
🔍 Counterfeit Detection & Brand Protection – AI fights fakes, ensuring authenticity.
💬 AI-Driven Customer Service – 24/7 AI-powered luxury assistance at Cartier.

THAT TikTok Ban in the USA: A Marketer’s Crisis or Opportunity?

If you read this article for any reason today, let it be to watch John Oliver's take on the #TikTokBan in the US📵🤳🏼... Oh, and to understand the implications for #digitalmarketing folk, obviously. 🤔 Sadly, no example TikToks from me during the pandemic feature in this article... what a time to be alive! 🫣📵🤳🏼... Oh, and to understand the…

Optimization Hub ⚙️

The U.S. TikTok ban prompts brands to rethink strategies, focusing on diversification and international markets. House of Marketers emphasizes adaptability, advocating UGC, influencer partnerships, and cross-platform expansion. By leveraging strategic insights and a data-driven approach, brands can navigate disruptions and seize emerging opportunities for growth.

Identify and resolve six common Google Ads pitfalls to boost e-commerce success: misjudging performance, mismanaging bids, neglecting prioritization, products too niche, conversion tracking errors, and outdated campaign structures. Strategic adjustments can dramatically enhance campaign efficacy and revenue, leading to sustainable growth and achieving six-figure targets.

AMA is an AI-powered assistant transforming marketing tasks by offering efficient solutions. It provides conversational AI for streamlined ad strategy and data analysis, supports creative tasks with design ideas, and offers actionable insights. Its adaptability enhances efficacy, making it a competitive tool for marketers across industries.

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