Mindful Marketing
  • Home
  • About
    • Mission
    • Mindful Meter & Matrix
    • Leadership
  • Mindful Matters Blog
  • Engage Your Mind
    • Mindful Ads? Vote Your Mind!
  • Expand Your Mind
  • Contact

Barfarian Sneakers

10/7/2017

19 Comments

 
Picture

by David Hagenbuch, founder of Mindful Marketing & author of Honorable Influence

People once wore one sneaker to do everything.  Thanks to Nike and other apparel manufacturers, there are now specialized sneakers for almost any activity, from basketball, to lacrosse, to volleyball.  Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised, then, that one well-known company has created a special shoe just for this favorite pastime: drinking.

Yes, German footwear giant Adidas is marketing a shoe called the München (or, Munich) that has a “durable puke and beer repellent (DPBR) coating” that allows users to dabble in drunkenness without ruining their footwear.
 
Why would one of the world’s leading apparel manufacturers, which equips superstar athletes like Novak Djokovic, Lionel Messi, and James Harden, want to outfit the town drunk?  The reason is more compelling than you might think.
 
Early fall is the time of year when many cities, towns, and other associations, host their own version of Oktoberfest, the lively celebration best known for one thing—beer. The granddaddy of all these well-oiled gatherings is the one in Munich, Germany, which claims to be “the largest festival in the world.”  It just completed its 184th iteration.
 
Munich is located in the heart of Bavaria, world-renowned for its hops and boasting some of the most prolific beer-drinkers anywhere—the average Bavarian consumes 150 liters, or 40 gallons, of beer a year.  Adidas is also in Bavaria, headquartered in Herzogenaurach, less than 200 km north of Munich and the original Oktoberfest.
 
Interestingly, Oktoberfest didn’t start as a keg party. It began as a wedding celebration for Crown Prince Ludwig and Princess Therese that included horse races and a “festival for the whole of Bavaria.”  The following year, the horse races returned, and over the years, additional activities were added to the annual festival, including more places to buy beer.
 
The latest iteration of Munich’s Oktoberfest featured about 143 food and drink businesses, which started serving suds at 10:00 am on weekdays and 9:00 am on weekends.  Those early hours helped vendors sell over 6 million liters of beer during the festival.

As you might imagine, with so much “liquid gold” flowing freely among 6.3 million visitors, there are likely to be incidents, such as the 7,900 people who needed to visit medical tens and the 600+ individuals who got alcohol poisoning.  One Munich native describes the often unpleasant scene: 
 
“During Oktoberfest, the city gets packed and there are drunk people everywhere, and all the time. The drunken debauchery often leads to fights, aggressive behavior, and bierleichen — so-called "beer corpses," which is what locals call the many passed out drunks lying on the hill behind the tents.”
 
This past year, an American tourist from Texas didn’t let his one-year old baby strapped to his chest stop him from getting plastered.  As the man slumped over, police took the baby away and took him to the hospital.
 
Given its geographic and cultural closeness to the debauchery, it appears that Adidas has picked the perfect target market for its ‘drinking sneaker.’  In addition to the barf and beer-resistant coating, other details artfully reinforce the shoe’s positioning, e.g., a red and white check lining that matches the beer tents’ tablecloths, a brown and gold upper that coordinates with lederhosen, and the word “Prost” (German for “cheers”) embroidered on the side.  Even at €199.95 (about $240), the sneakers sold out on one popular website, suggesting that Adidas has a marketing hit.

However, just because Adidas can sell a shoe for drinking doesn’t necessarily mean that it should.  While many people drink responsibly, and some studies even suggest benefits from moderate alcohol consumption, there’s a difference between having a beer with dinner and drinking oneself into a stupor, which is when a sneaker’s protection against suds and vomit becomes most important.   Consequently, it’s fair to ask, ‘Does the sneaker’s unusual positioning encourage drunkenness?’

Of course, no sneaker by itself will make people drink.  Personal and social factors hold much more influence.  Still, there’s something unseemly about products that promise to help us avoid the negative consequences of bad behavior.  For instance, I’d bet that people who own radar detectors are more likely to speed.  Do the detectors make them speed?  No, but having a device in their vehicle that significantly reduces the probability of getting caught probably encourages them to take their chances.
 
Is the possibility of ruining one’s shoes a deterrent to drunkenness?  It’s probably not a major factor, but it must have some influence; otherwise, Adidas wouldn’t have developed the special coating and consumers wouldn’t be buying up the sneaker's supply.  The more important point is that by marketing the shoe, the company is essentially saying, ‘Go ahead and drink ‘til you hurl; we’ve got you covered.’  
 
But, maybe it’s not just people who get drunk who can benefit from the sneakers.  There also are individuals who drink moderately, or not at all, who risk having their shoes ruined by others’ indiscretions.
 
That’s a reasonable argument, except for the fact that it’s pretty unusual to get vomited on unless you’re keeping close company with buds who are bashed.  Likewise, how many people are willing to shell-out $240 for sneakers when there's only a remote possibility that they’ll be walking in other people’s puke.  It seems like the sneakers’ primary appeal, therefore, is to people who plan to get plastered.  That bad intent is reinforced by Adidas offering a free beer mug with every purchase of the sneakers.
 
Aside from some people’s wild intemperance, Oktoberfest is a great cultural event that brings families and communities together to celebrate Bavaria’s rich history.  Similarly, Adidas is a fine company that is smart to support its German heritage.  However, any product that makes it easier to overindulge on alcoholic must be called “Single-Minded Marketing.”

Picture
Picture
Subscribe to Mindful Matters blog.
Learn more about the Mindful Matrix and Mindful Meter.
Check out Mindful Marketing Ads
 and Vote your Mind!
19 Comments
Christina Aspland
10/16/2017 09:21:25 pm

I think that this idea is comical. Adidas recognized a niche market and created a product to suit the market. Although ethically this may deter some customers, I don’t think the company will suffer long-term consequences from producing this product. I would not buy the product, but as an Adidas fan, I hadn’t even heard of these shoes before reading the article. I almost would view this product as a gag gift, more than a purchase to avoid the barf train that Adidas claim the shoes can withstand. A customer may use them as a conversation starter, but at the end of the day, Adidas made a lot of money off of a product that seemingly had a silly purpose. Ethically, I think the world has bigger issues to worry about than a pair of Adidas barf-proof shoes.

Reply
Hannah Dietze
10/18/2017 03:27:11 pm

The idea of barf-proof sneakers is, on its own, quite laughable; however, it is the context in which Adidas’ München shoes are being sold which makes one pause and think. Because these puke and beer repellent shoes are being marketed for Oktoberfest in Munich, a site of much drinking, one has to wonder the influence these shoes might have on someone’s decision to drink too much. I think the article put it perfectly: that “no sneaker by itself will make people drink…[but] there’s something unseemly about products that promise to help us avoid the negative consequences of bad behavior”. The fact that the sneakers are barf-proof isn’t the bad thing--it’s that they reinforce drunkenness. However, while this isn’t necessarily good, I don’t think Adidas’ new sneakers will cause much hindrance to society.

Reply
Anthony Lau
10/18/2017 04:53:44 pm

After first reading this it seemed like a joke that such a big company like Adidas would make something like this. Adidas has great worldwide fame when it comes to their branding, but I guess they wanted to make something sort of special just for this festival in Europe. I think Adidas has both identified a niche market for these party goers and made an exclusive item. It seems that these shoes were limited and so they were more coveted than others. Either way it seems that Adidas marketing has a made a profit from these shoes.

Reply
Savanah Hansen
10/18/2017 09:35:37 pm

I don't completely agree with this post. I think that there are many other reasons for people to buy these shoes other than encouragement to get plastered. At a festival as large as Oktoberfest, I am sure that there are plenty of people puking, and plenty of people that do not want other's puke all over their shoes. If one was worried about getting plastered then they would probably be concerned with more of their outfit than just the shoes. Additionally, think of all the bartenders and security guards that are in close proximity to drunk people all the time that these shoes would be great for.

Reply
Zach Martin
10/19/2017 04:30:52 pm

In my opinion, it seems backwards for a company that is trying to compete with Nike to be supplying shoes to people who are trying to flood their body with alcohol. Whether or not Adidas is supporting/encouraging excessive alcohol consumption is besides the point. Nike is all about class and being the brand of the best athletes in the world. For Adidas to even associate themselves with people who intend to get drunk for fun is a swing and a miss. I think this is a market segment that might prove to be profitable to Adidas, but is it really worth devaluing their brand in the eyes of the millions of people who think shoes that are anti-puke are both weird and irresponsible?

Reply
Megan Miller
10/19/2017 06:16:44 pm

I find it odd that Adidas, a fitness brand, is creating a promoting shoes that serve the purpose to help people out when they have had too much alcohol. The fact that Adidas includes a free beer mug with the purchase of the shoes seems to promote drinking irresponsibly. Despite the mug being included with the mug, I do not think that Adidas is promoting a lifestyle of binge drinking. Because of where they are located, I think that Adidas saw a marketing opportunity with Oktoberfest and took advantage of it.

Reply
Santa-Victoria Perez
10/20/2017 11:52:14 pm

It is interesting that such a big brand like Adidas would make and market a product so specific, durable puke and beer repellant shoes for Oktoberfest. It seems nonsensical to make a sneaker that has a DPBR coating when they could just as easily market the shoe as waterproof/resistant. While I wouldn’t consider this mindful marketing, I also understand the appeal to increase sales as they enter into a new niche market segment. Had they marketed these shoes for Oktoberfest and then had their special coating listed in the details it wouldn’t seem as if they made shoes for someone who wanted to get excessively drunk and was preparing for the inevitable. The detail about offering a free beer mug with purchase adds to the speculation that Adidas is encouraging buyers to purchase the product as a precaution.

Reply
Grant Ganther
10/22/2017 06:44:09 pm

I think that it is a very interesting concept that Adidas decided that they would market a shoe towards a group of people that like to get blackout drunk. It is times like these where i think you can really see what the inside of a company supports. I think the idea about the shoe is really cool and a good idea but they could have marketed this in a totally different way. I think we would all enjoy a shoe that seems to be as durable as the one Adidas made but deciding to market it towards a group of people who like to drink is saddening. They did not take any interest in marketing it to anyone else which think is a big loss on their part.

Reply
Kody Leong
10/22/2017 08:40:26 pm

If an individual is going to drink, no shoe or other apparel is going to encourage or inhibit that decision. I think of the shoe as more of a tool for somebody to use when in proximity to drunk people or when going to drink. It is a great idea by Adidas because they not only identified a need, but possibly created a niche market for drinkers who barf to protect themselves. Additionally, it is a great shoe to have as a designated driver because as the driver, it is quite possible they will have to carry their friends into the car and run the risk of barf being expelled from their very drunk friends.

Reply
Yuka Nagai
10/23/2017 02:35:24 am

Adidas’s barf and beer proof sneakers made me think of Reef’s flip flops that have a built in bottle opener. Both of these footwear advertises the consumption of beer - the difference between the two is that Adidas’s barf and beer proof sneakers encourages their customers to over drink and cause harm to themselves, as Reef’s flip flops simply creates an opportunity for people to have a beer anywhere without having to carry about a bottle opener. The fact that Adidas was promoting their sneaker at an “all you can drink” beer festival, shows what type of audience Adidas is targeting. Although this can be deemed as “unethical,” it is ultimately up to the people to decide if Adidas makes or loses profit. The result was that the Adidas sneakers sold out and made huge profit. I think that this says more about the consumers ethics than the company's.

Reply
Michael Banks
10/23/2017 11:41:39 pm

Before reading this blog, I thought this was hypothetical but it's not. Although it is an interesting concept, I feel like Adidas got caught up in whether they could do it, rather than if they actually should go through with the production. Adidas may not openly state that they are encouraging the drunkenness behavior, they certainly aren't doing much to say otherwise. Also promoting the shoe at Oktoberfest, the all you can drink, until you puke extravaganza doesn't help, even if they are targeting that market and niche.

Reply
Hannah van Warmerdam
10/24/2017 12:19:41 am

I had to do a double take when I read Adidas was coming out with a beer and barf repellent shoe. It honestly made me laugh too. This is such a strange product to come up with and put research into. However, Adidas target audience are people going to Oktoberfest which is a messy drunken event. Festivals like this one are also very trendy right now which might be some of the reason these shoes are selling. I don’t think these shoes encourage drinking because people are gonna do what they are gonna do whether or not they have this very repellant shoe. I do think this shoe is selling because Adidas is a well known brand, festivals are trending, and it is a funny purchase and story. However, I don’t think sales will keep up because the target market is small. If Adidas were to broaden their market as well as market this shoe as durable and liquid proof, they might gain a wider audience.

Reply
Cavin Hawkins
10/25/2017 08:38:52 pm

This is quite an interesting read, although I'm not entirely sure I agree with the conclusions regarding Adidas' "Barfarian sneakers." While the straightforward target market for the shoes is those who drink excessively, I think the sneaker-head culture behind it is what really drove the success of these shoes. Consider sports fans, for example: a wide margin of them are, themselves, incapable of such physical prowess, or they simply lack the raw athletic ability, yet they continually spend hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of dollars of expensive athletic shoes. This isn't because they necessarily need them for practical purposes like basketball or tennis. Rather, they want these shoes because of the cultural impact they have, and the status they bring to the wearer. Likewise, for Adidas' beer shoes, although some buyers may purchase them for their practical application, most customers are likely indulging in the cross-culture of sneaker-heads and beer-lovers. Just because they aren't getting hammered every night, or even every weekend, doesn't mean they wouldn't be willing to drop a large amount of money on quality brandname shoes. Either way, the approach taken by Adidas, here, is absolutely a unique one.

Reply
Brittany Hampton
12/7/2017 12:02:50 pm

Adidas had a very unique idea for these shoes. I have never heard of any other shoes made for such a specific purpose. I do agree with the article that they may not be the most mindful product. By eliminating even a small consequence of getting drunk, people will be more willing and open to the idea. I do not think that is necessarily a pro to these shoes. Encouraging people in dangerous behaviors was not mindful of Adidas. However, if people were going to get drunk regardless of what shoes they were wearing, Adidas may have save someone the trouble of washing their shoes. I do not believe that this single pro can outweigh the cons of producing these shoes.

Reply
Jin Bai
2/2/2018 02:15:09 am

I think this idea is pretty interesting. Normally I would think German manufacturers must be conventional and serious, for example,Miele, or Bosch. Assimilating Beer culture in to sneaker development is a brave and innovative move. I reckon Adidas attempted to combine German beer culture and its brand image and performance together. Making the consumer aware that Adidas can make interesting sneakers apart from its high-performance NMD and high-end, pricy Yeezy. I don't think this shoe will encourage people to get drunk. Plus, there are potential markets such as UK and Australia. Britons and Aussies would like it since they also consume tons of beer. Since those had been sold out at 200 euros, which I think its beer culture image cost more than half of it, Adidas could make a fortune.

Reply
RJ Cordeiro
2/2/2018 02:18:29 am

I think the blog said it best, "just because Adidas can sell a shoe for drinking doesn’t necessarily mean that it should." I felt like it was the best way of putting it. This is an interesting crowd to target mostly because I don't think people go shoe shopping, with the idea in mind that they are gonna get thrown up on. If this was the case I would imagine that people would just wear rain boots or something along those lines. This is taking things to the next level. Adidas should stick to sports wear, not drinking wear.

Reply
Cary Tai
2/5/2018 01:03:26 am

It is crazy how much sneaker society has changed. 40 Years ago, professional basketball players wore converse sneakers to play basketball. Nowadays, basketball sneakers range anywhere from $80 - $240. I guess that the change is inevitable with everything else that is changing around the world such as medicine, fashion, technology, laws, and the people in the world. In this case, sneakers specifically designed for drinking is absurd. People wear whatever shoes they wear for drinking and things seem to go well. It isn't like these new "drinking" sneakers offer any benefits anyway.

Reply
Kaylyn
3/8/2018 08:06:46 pm

This product at first seems like a joke--no one is that concerned about their shoes when they drink that they need to buy special shoes. However, at the same time, Adidas is very serious about this new product. These shoes, first of all, represent a very different marketing technique by Adidas, which is traditionally a sports-focused brand. Therefore, I think that having Adidas, of all brands, create these shoes does, at least a little, encourage getting drunk. These shoes imply that Adidas--a brand focused on athletics, and hence, fitness and health--endorses getting super drunk. It may give people a sense that it is okay if they drink that much. I think, therefore, that these shoes are an unethical move by Adidas.

Reply
Will Shannon
11/3/2018 12:34:38 am

When I first read this article, I thought it was a joke. But then I realized that Adidas saw an opportunity to provide a specifc pair of shoes for an event. They created barf proof tennis shoes for Oktoberfest. I think it is a great idea for a short term business decision. There is no way that a sneaker like this would have any long term customers. It is solely for events that involve lots of drinking. This is kind of controversial because it shows that Adidas supports drinking alcohol to the point of alcohol poisoning. I think that Adidas made a smart business decision but some would say that it was unethical. I saying I think of is “if it makes money it makes sense.” But, Adidas must be careful and not offend too many people over a short term market.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Subscribe to receive this blog by email

    Editor

    David Hagenbuch,
    founder of
    Mindful Marketing    & author of Honorable Influence

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014

    Categories

    All
    + Decency
    + Fairness
    Honesty7883a9b09e
    * Mindful
    Mindless33703c5669
    > Place
    Price5d70aa2269
    > Product
    Promotion37eb4ea826
    Respect170bbeec51
    Simple Minded
    Single Minded2c3169a786
    + Stewardship

    RSS Feed

    Share this blog:

    Subscribe to
    Mindful Matters
    blog by email


    Illuminating
    ​Marketing Ethics ​

    Encouraging
    ​Ethical Marketing  ​


    Copyright 2020
    David Hagenbuch

Proudly powered by Weebly