Sneakerheads only had eyes for one brand in 2015, at least so far as Instagram likes are a measure of how well brands connect with young consumers.
With the help of the 2015 Best Nine website, Dan Freebairn of KickPosters has assembled a series of infographics which tell the story of which sneaker brands made the most impact on the photo-sharing app over the last 12 months.
With 78.8 million likes for the year, Adidas was the clear winner, receiving nearly double the number of likes as nearest rival Vans, who amassed over 40 million likes. Nike placed third with over 25 million likes, although if likes from its separate sportswear and Jordan Brand accounts were rolled in it would place second to Adidas.
There is little doubt the Yeezy sneaker line by Kanye West played a huge part in Adidas’ success last year, giving the Originals brand the biggest profile boost its seen in years. With regular releases throughout the year and key placements (it helps to have the most-followed person on Instagram wearing your shoes) the Yeezy was a triumph in digital marketing.
Freebairn also measured brand loyalty by calculating each company’s likes to follower ratio, and in this metric it was Vans who came out on top, receiving approximately 10 likes per follower. The top three was rounded out by New Balance in second and Adidas Originals in third place. Nike, meanwhile, placed dead last, receiving on average less than 1 like per follower.
