Complex Targets Skateboard Fiends

Complex Media campaignComplex.com today kicks off a branded promotion tied to the X Games, aimed squarely at skateboard fans who also happen to be die-hard sneaker devotees. The five-day promotion, Clash of the Kicks: X Games Edition, features some 16 pairs of sneakers from brands like Vans, Etnies and DVS.

Each shoe is tied to an X Games skateboarder--such as Tony Trujillo for the Vans TNT--and the goal is to crown one sneaker the champ. Visitors can win daily prizes like designer skateboards and limited-edition apparel, while the grand prize winner will be awarded all 16 pairs of the featured sneakers or "kicks." And each skateboarder/sneaker combo has its own page within the www.clashofthekicks.com microsite, complete with a bio, video clips and updates on their X Games performance.

As opposed to the typical one-vote-per-ISP configuration, fans are actually encouraged to vote as many times as possible during the five-day contest to help get their favorite sneaker into the top spot, as well as increase their chances of snagging the grand prize.

The setup drives user engagement as well as page views, according to Jason Jercinovic, Complex Media's vice president of content and promotion, making it an ideal fit for the sneaker brands as well as the microsite's other sponsors. For example, the site will initially feature display ads for Zoo York, a skateboard gear and apparel brand.

This is Complex.com's second iteration of Clash of the Kicks, as the first promotion focused on the 2008 NCAA college basketball championships. Jercinovic said that the first microsite garnered over 250,000 page views from "tens of thousands of registrants." The success of the initial campaign sparked the rollout of this X Games-themed follow up, and Jercinovic said that Complex readers could expect future Clash of the Kicks promos. "Our readers are sneaker freaks, among other things," he said. "So we're already thinking about the next promotion using kicks."

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