The findings come as Converse faces increasingly intense competition in Indonesia's sneaker market. The brand has a long-standing identity built around its iconic Chuck Taylor All Star shoes and its connection to streetwear, casual fashion, and youth culture. However, changing fashion preferences, social media trends, and the growing influence of competing global sneaker brands are reshaping how consumers make purchasing decisions.
Converse Faces a Competitive Sneaker Market
Data cited in the study indicate that Adidas and Nike remain the most preferred sneaker brands among Indonesian consumers, with preference levels of 62.4% and 61.9%, respectively. Converse ranked third at 45.1%. The study also noted fluctuations in Converse's Top Brand Index, which declined from 11.0% in 2022 to 7.5% in 2023 before recovering to 10.6% in 2024.
DKI Jakarta was selected as the research setting because it is a major economic center and an important hub for fashion and lifestyle trends. Consumers in Jakarta are also highly exposed to digital marketing campaigns, influencers, celebrity endorsements, and rapidly changing sneaker trends.
The researchers identified three marketing and product-related factors that could shape Converse purchasing decisions: storytelling marketing, celebrity endorsement, and product quality.
Storytelling marketing refers to the use of narratives to communicate a brand's message and create an emotional connection with consumers. Celebrity endorsement uses public figures or influencers to attract attention and shape perceptions of a product. Product quality covers attributes such as product function, design, durability, consistency, and the extent to which a product meets consumer expectations.
Survey of 150 Converse Consumers
Putra and Fauzi used a quantitative survey involving 150 Converse consumers living in DKI Jakarta. Respondents had purchased and used Converse products and were between 17 and 45 years old.
The researchers collected primary data through an online questionnaire using a five-point response scale. The responses were then analyzed using SmartPLS 4.0 to examine the relationships between storytelling marketing, celebrity endorsement, product quality, and purchase decisions.
The sample was dominated by young consumers. People aged 18–25 accounted for 66.7% of respondents, while students represented 57.0%. Women made up 54.7% of the sample and men 45.3%.
The statistical model showed strong explanatory power. Storytelling marketing, celebrity endorsement, and product quality together explained 89.1% of the variation in Converse purchase decisions among the consumers surveyed.
Product Quality Has the Strongest Influence
Among the three factors examined, product quality had the strongest relationship with purchase decisions.
The effect of product quality on purchase decisions produced a coefficient of 0.406, with a t-value of 3.419 and a p-value of 0.001. Celebrity endorsement followed with a coefficient of 0.341, while storytelling marketing recorded a coefficient of 0.234. Both relationships were also statistically significant.
The result suggests that consumers do not purchase Converse simply because of an attractive marketing campaign or because a celebrity wears the brand. Tangible characteristics of the product remain the most influential consideration within the research model.
Product quality received particularly strong evaluations from respondents. Consistency of product quality recorded the highest average score for the product-quality variable at 4.413 on a five-point scale. The fit between product benefits and individual consumer needs received a comparatively lower score of 4.267, although it remained within the high category.
For Converse, this finding highlights the importance of maintaining consistent quality while continuing to improve comfort, durability, design, and product suitability.
Storytelling and Celebrity Endorsement Still Matter
Storytelling marketing also significantly influenced Converse purchase decisions. Respondents rated the brand's ability to communicate the conclusion of its stories highly. However, the ability of the storytelling to maintain curiosity and emotional engagement throughout the narrative received comparatively lower scores.
The finding indicates that Converse's storytelling can be strengthened by developing fresher narratives capable of maintaining audience attention, particularly among younger consumers.
Celebrity endorsement had the second-strongest influence among the three variables. Respondents gave the highest rating to the broad social influence of endorsing influencers, with an average score of 4.433. However, trust in information delivered by influencers was comparatively lower, at 4.247.
This suggests that popularity alone may not be sufficient. Influencers who combine broad reach with credibility could provide greater value for brand communication.
Implications for Converse and the Sneaker Industry
The findings provide several practical considerations for Converse. The company could refresh its storytelling campaigns to create stronger emotional engagement and maintain consumer curiosity.
For celebrity endorsement, Converse could consider working with public figures who have broader visibility while ensuring that their credibility and connection with the target audience remain strong.
Product development may have the greatest strategic importance. The researchers recommend greater attention to sole ergonomics and comfort, as well as clearer communication about how specific product benefits meet consumer needs.
Dicky Andhika Putra and Firman Fauzi of Universitas Mercu Buana emphasize through their findings that digital marketing can attract consumers, but the physical qualities of the product remain a central consideration when consumers make the final purchasing decision.
For the wider fashion and footwear industry, the research offers a broader lesson: effective storytelling and influential public figures can strengthen consumer interest, but marketing strategies need to be supported by products that consistently deliver value.
Author Profile
Dicky Andhika Putra is the lead author of the study and is affiliated with Universitas Mercu Buana.
Dr. Firman Fauzi, is the second author and is also affiliated with Universitas Mercu Buana. The article identifies Firman Fauzi as providing guidance throughout the preparation of the research.
The source article does not provide a complete academic degree or specific field-of-expertise profile for Dicky Andhika Putra. Therefore, those details are not added here to avoid introducing information that cannot be verified from the source.
Research Source
Article title: The Influence of Storytelling Marketing, Celebrity Endorsement, and Product Quality on Converse Consumer Purchase Decisions in DKI Jakarta
Authors: Dicky Andhika Putra and Firman Fauzi
Affiliation: Universitas Mercu Buana
Journal: International Journal of Sustainable Applied Sciences (IJSAS)
Volume: 4, Issue 8
Publication year: 2026
Pages: 939–954
DOI: https://doi.org/10.59890/ijsas.v4i8.50
Official journal website: http://ijsasjournal.my.id/index.php/ijsas
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