Since 2017, Knight Eady has partnered with Hibbett Sports to bring a gameday activation to both Alabama and Auburn home football games. What once started as a simple wall of shakers, dubbed the “Shaker Wall,” evolved into “The Sneaker Shed” - a repurposed shipping truck that housed the latest in cutting-edge fashion from the newly rebranded Hibbett | City Gear (HCG).
After several years of operating the Sneaker Shed exclusively at Alabama and Auburn football games, HCG wanted to expand its usage and take more advantage of their unique and eye-catching activation. But there was a problem - the repurposed shipping truck was bulky and cumbersome to drive and operate. HCG wanted a turnkey solution that they could manage themselves moving forward.
Our solution - The Sneaker Sprinter. This time, we utilized a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van as a base. Not only is a Mercedes Sprinter actually cool, but the the smaller size makes it more mobile and allows for more activation opportunities than its predecessor.
Outside, the wrap features a skyline of Birmingham extending over the back of the truck as a nod to HCG being headquartered here in the Magic City. The front of the wrap mimics HCG’s storefront design by incorporating their customer’s favorite brand logos on the doors.
Inside, neon tubes, a hardwood floor, and a flat screen TV set the stage for a flashy interior. Shelves topped with sneakers and hats line the right wall. On the left, three tvs adorn the wall - two vertically stacked near the rear of the truck play custom animations, while a third works in tandem with the focal TV to play HCG commercials and promotions in loop.
With a now-completed design, we turned our attention to the final puzzle piece - the sound system. As no pie is complete without its crust, no vehicle is complete without its sound system. Inside, we installed ten Kicker 43DSC6904 3-Way Coaxial speakers paired with four, 12” 45DL7R122 subwoofers. To power the system, we installed two amplifiers in the front cabin that ran power to the entire setup. With a quick crash course, the driver would be able to control the entire system as they drove down the street - a key feature for the team at Hibbett | City Gear.
When it was all said and done (and fresh off a deep cleaning), we handed the keys over to our friends at HCG. The Sneaker Sprinter immediately saw action in Memphis, Tennessee, for the Liberty Bowl and has since made numerous stops across the southeast ranging from store openings to the Black Beach Weekend in in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Overall, the Sneaker Sprinter has been a huge hit with people of all ages. The new van has allowed for HCG to create more opportunities for fans to interact with their brand. We’ve heard nothing but rave reviews from the HCG team including our favorite feedback, “We’re gonna need another one of these!”
