Converse shoes are the kind of shoes that almost everyone knows about, especially in the United States. However, despite the fact that so many people know of them and even see them on a day to day basis, not many wearers know some crazy facts about the company that we at PPcorn are sharing with you today.
Number Fifteen: Converse Is One of the Highest Selling Shoe Brands in History
Converse shoes have been around for a little bit now and have since then sold more than 800 million pairs. That is a lot of shoes! That number would allow for over two times the United States population to be Converse shoe owners.
Number Fourteen: They Went Bankrupt
For a while, Converse struggled immensely. Due to poor business decisions, the company was forced to file for bankruptcy to stay afloat. Since then, with the help of Nike, who bought them out two years later in 2003, the company has done well enough to become popular yet again.
Number Thirteen: The Association Wasn’t Always with Basketball
Despite the fact that the company is known for its association with basketball and basketball stars, when it started getting momentum in 1915, it produced shoes for tennis.
Number Twelve: They Make More Than Shoes
While the company’s main goal was and always will focus on the foot/leg performance of athletes since the 1970s the brand worked to provide different lines that would help a number of industries (textile, plastic, etc.) with several new products. Those products include teeth guards, rubber compounds, and more.
Number Eleven: They Had an Odd Style of Advertisements
When the company continued to advertise their products, they used odd advertising techniques. One of the most memorable was an advertisement that had Larry Johnson – an NBA player – dress up as a Grandma wearing converse shoes, and jump up for a picture. The result is quite humorous but still strange.
Number Ten: They Were War Shoes
When World War II came around, the U.S. Air Force actually used converse shoes when it came time to train their men. Soon enough, the sneakers became the official shoes of this military branch.
Number Nine: Over Half of Americans Own a Pair
In 2012, it was stated that 60% of all Americans own at least one pair of Converse shoes. That is amazing! Stay tuned for part two, coming soon!