The skateboard shoes Vans might be iconic. but does AI know that?
We recently ran a Comp Sesh using the Seshes.ai LLM Brand Tracker, analyzing how five major AI models rank and mention Vans in response to prompts like:
- “What are the best shoes for skateboarding?”
- “Top skate shoe brands in 2025”
- “What 5 fashion brands represent youth rebellion or alternative style?”
- “Which 5 sneaker brands are most popular with Gen Z?”
- “What are the 10 most iconic skate shoe brands of all time?”
- ……. and more
These prompts simulate real-world queries from skaters, parents, and trendspotters. Then we applied our scoring system—Visibility and Presence—to measure how often and how prominently Vans showed up.
What the AI Said
Across OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Llama:
- Visibility Score: 45%
- Presence Score: 69%
That means Vans is mentioned in over two-thirds of responses—but ranked near the top less than half the time.
Why It Matters
Some LLMs downgraded Vans in favor of newer niche brands. The reason? Not style—but performance claims: cushioning tech, sole durability, and ankle support.
In other words, LLMs are tuning their answers based on product specs over cultural weight. That’s a problem for heritage brands riding on recognition, not raw innovation.
The Takeaway
If you’re not actively tracking how your brand appears in AI-generated answers, you’re leaving perception to the bots.
LLMs are already shaping brand visibility and consumer decision-making. Tools like the LLM Brand Tracker help you stay ahead—quantifying your presence, spotting shifts, and reclaiming rank.
On a side note: Midjourney’s new ‘animate’ feature is pretty rad. Just need to work out the text feature.
