Klarna launches world’s first sneaker drop raffle using your heartbeat to enter, as close to 100% of traffic on hyped sneaker releases now come from bots
Klarna, the global payments and shopping service has joined forces with the sneaker experts, Highsnobiety, for the world’s first sneaker drop using heart-rate technology to reward true passion for sneakers over bots. The global sneaker market is thriving, but sneaker shopping for this avid community often leaves a bad taste in the mouth, particularly when it comes to online sneaker raffles.
Launched on 2 July, Heartbeats 4 sneakers will see five of the last decade’s most sought-after sneakers raffled off to true sneaker lovers, who enter using their heartbeat. This is the first drop of its kind, empowering real sneaker fans to get what they love and ensuring only those with a heartbeat (aka humans) can enter for their chance to win one of the iconic pairs.
Sneaker bots have long been the bane of the sneakerhead community and have two functions: to increase the chance of success in a raffle by creating numerous accounts, and when purchasing, checkout items in as little as 0.2 seconds. Both prevent fans with any chance of getting a pair of limited edition sneakers when they are released.
It is estimated that close to 100% of traffic on hyped sneaker releases come from bots, with many of these sneakers then appearing for resale at several times their retail value. The problem has become so significant, sneaker fans will even invest between £300 – £4k (GBP) in a bot to increase their chance of winning the latest sneakers.
In the Heartbeats 4 Sneakers’ smooth raffle only those who can prove their passion for sneakers will be able to enter for a chance to win. Employing new technology a sneakerhead’s heart-rate will be measured by putting their fingertip on the camera lens of a smartphone or desktop entering only those who have a heart that beats for sneakers.
Curated by sneaker experts, Highsnobiety, the drop offers sneakerheads the chance to get their hands on some of the most iconic and sought after sneakers from the last decade such as Adidas Originals Yeezy Boost 750 OG (2015), Acronym x Nike Presto Mid (2016), Virgil Abloh x Nike Air Jordan 1 Chicago (2017), Sean Wotherspoon x Nike Air Max 97/1 (2017) and, Daniel Arsham x Adidas Futurecraft 4D (2018).
David Sandstrom, CMO at Klarna commented, “At Klarna, we believe everyone should get what they love in life and in shopping. That’s why we’ve created Heartbeats 4 sneakers, especially for the sneaker community. Finally, a sneaker raffle where your chance to win is purely based on your love for sneakers, not your access to bots or special intel, ensuring only those who truly love sneakers end up the rightful owners.”
Fabian Gorsler, Highsnobiety Sportswear Editor and sneaker expert commented, ”These five sneakers have been chosen based on the impact they had when they dropped and their lasting influence on sneaker culture since then. This raffle gives sneakerheads the chance to get their hands on some of the most celebrated and sought-after collaborations of the past few years, without the added, unfair competition of bots.”
The Heartbeats 4 Sneakers’ campaign epitomises Klarna’s commitment to providing every shopper with a ‘smoooth’ shopping and paying experience, empowering shoppers everywhere to get what they love, today.
