If you weren’t in Shepherds Bush this weekend, why not, because that was the location of the latest Corteiz drop. It saw its Blackout Cargos (which usually retail at about £400) being given away for just 99p – and it seems almost everyone in London was fighting for a pair.
With over 3000-people racing to the pop-up, fans were initially given nothing but the time and knowledge that there would be a limited selection of 99p Blackout Cargos for sale at the event, creating a frenzy that’s now come to be fully associated with the brand.
Over on TikTok and Instagram, footage of fans flocking to the drop after the location was announced captured a sea of people who flooded Shepherds Bush, all with the same intent: getting their hands on a pair of cargos. Despite the mass appeal of the event, stock was limited and a lot of people went home with their hands empty. Undoubtedly though, it will only be a matter of time before we see Corteiz reveal another surprise pop-up in London, so don’t worry if you missed out.
In a throw-back to the scavenger hunt-drops Corteiz became known for when they first broke onto the streetwear scene last year, their marketing strategy has gained a reputation for causing havoc. This isn’t the first – or last – time Corteiz has created a riot in the streets of London: in fact, they’re known for it. Almost all of their drops have involved similarly unconventional strategies, including a pop-up car-boot sale in Soho, and an event where fans were encouraged to swap their old jackets for a Corteiz Bolo jacket, aka Da Great Bolo Exchange.
These unique marketing strategies are what sets Corteiz apart from other young London-brands, consolidating their status as someone to be watched. They’ve come a long way since their debut in 2021, but keeping fans on their toes with surprise pop-ups and a limited stock is a tactic it seems they’ll never depart from.
This is because Corteiz is one of the few modern brands harking back to the exclusive and frenzied nature of streetwear branding in the 90s, when drops were scarce and more likely to get your heart racing. Tapping into our hunter-gatherer mindsets might also be a technique they’ve adapted into their marketing strategy, as the crowds filling the streets of Sheperds Bush at the weekend would corroborate.
Since the brand’s conception, their iconic motto, “Corteiz RulesTheWorld”, has come to mean a whole lot more than just a simple slogan. It’s now clear this is a promise.
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