Converse recasts itself as 'brand of youth'

Although dominated by international sportswear players Nike and Adidas, the market has the presence of domestic firms such as Li-Ning and Anta. The two Chinese brands' sales in China grew 32 percent and 40 percent year-on-year, respectively, in 2019.

In retail, Converse's objective is to find the right space within the trade zone to offer the right products to various consumer segments, based on the nature of consumer behavior in different shopping areas.

The decision to engage more with consumers is "consistent "with top-notch experience at different points of sales, Jung said.

"Whether you are offline or online, everybody's expectation is just to be consistent and to provide a similar high touch experience.

"People go into stores with cellphones on. And I think that's just the new behavior. There's like one shop in the universe."

This year, Converse in China has built a WeChat mini program to ensure consumers can buy products during collaborative product launches.

The brand, which works with about 30 key distribution partners in the country, has also helped develop omni-channel capabilities with its local partners to empower them to have strong online-and-offline shopping experiences.

In its next phase of development, Converse will re-launch the brand's own website in China to reflect its new brand mission, serving as an invitation to enable and empower the creative community and to communicate the brand story in a more robust way, said Jung.

Innovation and newness are what fuels the brand, he said. Converse said it has constantly kept updating its product lines with new materials and designs to make shoes more comfortable and relevant.

Its product line CX provides extra comfort by using new fabrics and rubber. Its Shapes collection focuses on inclusivity and sustainability, which has received positive reception from Chinese consumers, Jung said.

The brand has also expanded its product offerings by further connecting with new sports communities, including those related to basketball and skateboarding.

Endorsing Chinese local designers such as Feng Chen Wang to create products also resonated well with local consumers.

"We've rebuilt the brand for Converse over the last four years in China through very hyper emphasis on work that reflects the consumer but also celebrates China," he said.