Thesis Response 1

The Paradox of Street Cred by Rebekah Webb

Rebekah's thesis was well constructed and proved to be well informed. Her research involving brands and "street credibility" was brilliant. As her title explains, the paradox behind the subject: brands speaking to a niche market entering a market without losing loyalty of its audience, was foreign to me. Put simply, a brand that reaches to a specific audience that then expands to be accepted by a larger audience, often loses its "street cred". Not only was the concept new to me, but so was the scenario in reverse. Converse, or Chuck Taylors, have only been advertised as basketball shoes, yet have found such a definite space in its counter-culture market, that it has continued to sell uncontrollably. Rebekah makes it known that a brand that can withstand and retain street credibility, is one that is authentic, credible, trustworthy, and strives for a relationship with its audience. I especially like the quote: "Brands only exist in the minds of consumers."