Business Notes Marketing

Remember what the yuppies did for sales of Saab, Cuisinart, Rolex and Burberry raincoats when those products became their symbols? Now it is the turn of the sneaker. The young urban professionals have their own: Reebok, a pricey ($30 to $60), soft-leather shoe that comes in six colors and 40 styles, including a popular high-top model. Says Edward Hurley, an assistant manager at an Athlete's Foot store in New York City: "All other shoes have been forced to take a back seat to Reeboks. It's the season's hottest shoe." He sold 700 pairs last month.

Reeboks come from the unfashionable town of Bolton, England, in depressed Lancashire. The shoe's manufacturer came into the U.S. market in 1979, and its products were first picked up by aerobic dancers. They and others especially liked models with a stylish, light leather exterior. The company also promoted Reeboks as a favorite of the dedicated athlete, an image bolstered when Steve Jones, who set a world record in Chicago's America's Marathon, was photographed in a pair of Reeboks. Last year total U.S. sales reached $65 million, up from $3.5 million three years ago. The overall market for athletic and running shoes, in contrast, has been flat.