• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, October 3, 2018

Reebok is betting that all the cool kids are craving the comfort of flannels, crop tops and the Clinton presidency, launching a new ‘90s-themed ad campaign for the Aztrec, one of its greatest hits.

The ads star six young influencers talking about the decade they describe as active, colorful and uncontrived, and are meant to relaunch the Aztrek sneaker on its 25th birthday.

Themed “Aztrek: 90’s Re-Run,” the effort also includes a giveaway contest of five different capsule clothing collections offered on its website.

The influencers, all raised during the ‘90s, include humorist Jay Versace; Sara Gourley, creative director of Frankie Collective, the streetwear brand; and retro style expert Jordan Page.

Longer videos explore how all six have been shaped by the ‘90s, from style to music to lifestyle, all while sporting the chunky design of the Aztrec, designed for off-road action.

Kirk Tilton, of L.A.’s vintage store For All To Envy is also featured, as are Angie Chavez and Josh Matthews, vintage collectors and curators.

Even the locations are evocative of the decade, including segments shot in Joshua Tree (in Mojave, Calif.) and Utah.

M&C Saatchi is the agency, and a spokesperson says the effort is based entirely on earned media, with videos shared in the influencers’ social media networks.

The campaign comes at a tough time for Reebok. While parent Adidas is going strong and gaining market share, in part due to its successful “Create the Answers” campaign, Reebok’s sales are limping. In its most recent quarterly results, it reported double-digit growth for the Adidas brand, but a 3% drop in Reebok revenues. Gains in its Classics, it said, did not offset decreases in the training and running categories.

And while the sport lifestyle category has been the bright spot industrywide, even those sales are starting to lag, with growth slowing in recent months to the mid-single digits, writes Matt Powell, vice president and senior industry advisor for NPD Group.