Kelley Walton on Crafting Snipes' Brand Narrative With Gen Z and Alpha Consumers

'You must immerse yourself within the communities you seek to reach'

“I’ve always been drawn to high-stakes opportunities where creativity and culture drive commercial growth,” says Kelley Walton of her career trajectory, which includes top marketing positions at global brands like NBA, ESPN, LVMH and Amazon.

Last year, she joined Snipes USA as CMO. “What drew me to Snipes was its raw credibility in sneaker and streetwear culture—it had all the ingredients of a major brand ready to break out.”

Her mandate has been “to bring strategic rigor to that authenticity. By aligning traditional marketing with our digital and e-commerce strategic approach, we’ve created an omnichannel experience that deepens customer loyalty,” she says. “Leading a strategic cultural, and operational evolution through the lens of a challenger brand has been an incredibly exciting chapter.”

We spent a few minutes with Kelley to learn more about her background, inspirations and how brands can connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

When did you first know you were a creative person?

I’ve spent my entire career surrounded by creativity, but I’d actually describe myself as a brand and marketing strategist. Even early in my career, I gravitated toward how creativity and culture could drive business results, how consumer behavior shifted and what made an investment in a partnership or platform actually pay off. That’s still how I approach marketing today.

What’s the secret to reaching the Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers that form Snipes’ customer base?

I’m going to date myself here, but a decade ago, we were asking about the secret to reaching millennials as the young generation setting trends. What I found true then is similar to what I find true now. As a brand, you must immerse yourself within the communities you seek to reach and be willing to co-create your brand narrative with them, including their input along the way. Long gone are the days of companies being disconnected from consumers and dictating to them how their brand will be experienced.

As an added layer, Gen Z and Gen Alpha discover news, shape their style and define trends almost entirely through social media. They look to influencers, creators and streamers to discover what’s next. Our recent back-to-school campaign, “Pull Up Fresh,” is a great example of this in action. Bringing together a variety of influential voices like musicians DJ Khaled and JT with creators and streamers like Azzy Milan and Reggie Travers reflects the way culture works today. 

What creative hill would you die on?

Authenticity always wins. Consumers are incredibly savvy at recognizing when a brand is trying too hard. You don’t have to be part of every trend or every conversation. What matters is showing up consistently with a point of view that’s true to your brand.

Tell us about a specific creative challenge you have had to overcome and how you handled it.

In retail, you’re always managing two speeds: the long-range planning of key selling seasons and the lightning-fast pace of culture. I addressed this by bringing structured go-to-market discipline to our major annual moments like back-to-school and holidays. Getting out ahead of those tentpoles gave our team the breathing room to execute rapid, real-time activations when cultural moments explode.

When the Knicks went on their historic playoff run, we didn’t miss a beat. Within a few days, we aligned our inventory across channels and launched in-store watch parties that drew NYC’s Mayor and major cultural influencers like Lola Brooke. Upstream planning didn’t box us in—it gave us the creative and operational freedom to show up for our community in the moment.

What’s one of the most satisfying projects you’ve ever worked on?

Launching Snipes Reserve, our loyalty program, late last year. Most loyalty programs default to points because it’s the easy playbook. But we wanted to build something that felt as direct as the way our customers actually shop. So, members earn straight cash back, 3 percent on purchases and a 5 percent bonus when they load funds into a digital wallet. That wallet becomes a way to save toward a drop they’ve had their eye on for weeks. 

Reserve members also get early access to launches and invitations to VIP events. That combination, tangible value plus access to culture, is what loyalty should feel like for this consumer. It’s not about accumulating points you’ll forget about. It’s about a brand actually showing up for you in ways that matter, whether that’s your wallet or your access to the culture you care about.

Whose work are you admiring lately?

Women’s sports overall and the WNBA specifically. I played ball all through high school, so watching what’s happening right now with the league is really special. The talent has always been elite, but now the media rights, the pay conversations, the way players are shaping culture and fashion and commanding endorsement dollars. The sport is finally getting the marketing investment it deserved 20 years ago.

I’m proud Snipes has been in this space early. We were one of the first sneaker retailers to sponsor a WNBA team when we partnered with the Liberty in 2022. And we’ve stayed in it. We’ve presented their pregame tunnel walks, showed up for community moments like coat and sock drives with the Bowery Mission, and hosting fan activations at the Barclays Center.

What’s the last great film, TV show or podcast you enjoyed?

I’ve been watching Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse with my daughter and it’s become one of our favorites. It’s the most hip-hop of the hero movies—the animation style, the soundtrack, the way Miles moves through the world. Black Panther gave us this beautiful expression of culture and legacy. Spider-Verse is doing something different but just as intentional. It’s putting hip hop’s visual and sonic identity at the center of a superhero universe. And it does it with so much confidence.

Favorite musical artists?

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill is one of those albums that never leaves rotation for me. Her writing on relationships and heartbreak was so raw and specific; it still holds up decades later.

Favorite TikTok or Instagram account?

I’m following Everybody’s Crazy—Savannah James’ and April McDaniel’s podcast and IG. I can relate to them as women who’ve also worked in the entertainment industry for so long. On TikTok, I love watching National Women’s Soccer star Trinity Rodman—her content strikes the right balance of authenticity, intimacy and polish without feeling forced. 

What would you say to inspire others working in modern retail marketing?

Stay curious, and spend more time listening than talking. Retail marketing moves quickly because culture moves quickly. The brands that succeed aren’t the ones trying to manufacture trends; they’re the ones paying attention to where culture is already going and finding authentic ways to contribute. Think about creators as collaborators. The best partnerships happen when there’s an authentic affinity for one another, and everyone brings something unique to the table.