In 2018, Payless Shoe Source conducted a bold marketing experiment by unveiling “Palessi,” a fictional luxury shoe store in Santa Monica, California. The company transformed a former Armani store into a high-end boutique, stocking it with their regular budget-friendly shoes cleverly rebranded under the Palessi name. To enhance the illusion of exclusivity, Payless partnered with the advertising agency DCX Growth Accelerator to create an opulent ambiance, featuring gold mannequins and extravagant