In this article: Liverpool’s connection to the 110; local voices behind the campaign; why cultural ownership matters.
In Liverpool, the Nike Air Max 95 is more than a trainer. Known locally as the “110,” a nickname that comes from its original £110 price, the shoe has become part of the city’s fashion identity, with a following that stretches across generations.
JD Sports and Nike have built their latest Liverpool Air Max 95 campaign around that relationship. Created with agency Ear to the Ground, the work brings together footballers, musicians and local collectors to celebrate the people who made the sneaker a recognizable part of the city.
A sneaker nickname becomes local identity
The Air Max 95’s connection to Liverpool is strong enough that the shoe has its own local name. The “110” reflects a history that goes beyond product design or a single release.
Rather than introducing the trainer as something new to the city, the campaign recognizes a relationship that already exists. Liverpool is not simply a backdrop for the latest Nike release. Its residents, their style and their attachment to the shoe are the story.
Football, music and collectors tell the story
The campaign’s hero film, directed by Glenn Kitson, features Liverpool FC midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai, Everton legend Duncan Ferguson and Liverpool-based rapper Kasst 8.
They appear alongside people with direct connections to the city’s sneaker culture, including Block P, a Liverpool store dedicated to the Air Max 95, and sneaker influencer Lola Bennett, whose collection of more than 50 pairs has attracted online attention.
Ear to the Ground also used its Fan Intelligence Network to gather perspectives from people across the city. Those conversations informed the film’s language, casting, locations and creative direction, with local voices appearing in the finished work.
The city gets a starring role in the launch
The Liverpool Nike Air Max 95 launched on October 1, with the campaign positioning the shoe as something the city has helped define.
The creative brings together football, music, fashion and sneaker collecting without treating them as separate interests. Each is part of the wider culture surrounding the 110.
What marketers can learn from Liverpool’s 110
The strongest part of the campaign is its decision to recognize cultural ownership. Nike created the Air Max 95, but Liverpool’s sneaker community gave the 110 a distinctive local identity.
By involving collectors, local businesses and familiar sporting figures, the brands make that connection visible rather than relying on a generic celebrity endorsement.
The available reporting establishes the campaign’s creative approach and October 1 launch, but does not provide measured sales or engagement results.
Source: Little Black Book, October 2026.
