Adidas has just launched a new tryvertising service for its adizero shoes. Kutsukasu (literally, “lend shoes”) lets you borrow a pair of running shoes and even rewards you with a discount should you then decide you want a pair of adizero sneakers permanently.
Though you do have to pay the delivery costs, you may borrow up to four pairs of shoes from 19 adizero series models completely for free. The lending period is three nights/four days so you can get a real chance to test out how the shoes feel on you, rather than the usual relatively hurried few minutes’ worth inside a store.
The kutsukasu site is of course as much a platform for educating visitors in the features and style of the adizero range, which is then physically and experientially replicated when the users actually borrow a pair of shoes. While the tryvertising service will run until the end of May — and the 1,400 yen ($17) discount valid until the end of June — this kind of communication with consumers lasts longer than any of the hype about the campaign’s “freebie” dimensions.
Sports and outdoors retail is big in the news at the moment in Tokyo, with nightlife sports concept spaces, new brand stores opening and targeting female consumers, as well as plenty of tie-ups for the city’s popular marathon. Asics, Nike and Adidas have also all recently opened big flagship stores around Tokyo. Adidas itself just expanded its Harajuku “performance center” branch to include a neo Level store, stocking its new range aimed specifically at young shoppers.
There is also evidence of changing attitudes towards item rental, especially in fashion and with a recession forcing consumers to re-evaluate their wallets. Another “free rental” service, 4jigen (4D) Closet, recently began loaning out brand items, currently also shoes. This one works more like a community; you have to submit an offering for lending to others before you can then borrow something yourself.
