The Influence of Informed Decision-Making on Brand Preference Amongst Teenage Male Athletes

Abstract

This study examines how informing teenage male basketball players about the performance-enhancing attributes of basketball shoes affects their brand preference. Using a quasi-experimental two-phase survey design administered across local sports facilities in Central New Jersey, forty participants were surveyed before and after being informed about herringbone tread patterns as a key performance-enhancing feature. Phase one established baseline brand preferences among uninformed participants, while phase two assessed preference shifts following verbal education on tread pattern benefits. Results demonstrated a 150% increase in votes for the Li-Ning Gamma, the only shoe featuring a herringbone tread pattern, while the Puma All-Pro NITRO experienced a 100% decline in votes. A One-Tailed Two-Proportion Z-Test yielded a z-value of 1.72, exceeding the critical value of 1.645 and confirming statistical significance. These findings suggest that informed decision-making meaningfully alters brand preference among teenage male athletes, with implications for athletic marketing, consumer education, and future research on adolescent purchasing behavior.