Brand Synergy… or Not
February 1st, 2008
I am one of those people. You know those people. You can’t touch my feet, I can’t touch your feet, you can’t touch me with your feet… or there will be dire consequences.
So imagine my delight {shudder} when I read about the product Reebok released today. It seems that Reebok has decided to combine two things everyone loves: shoes… and Kool-Aid.
Yup. Kool-Aid scented sneakers. “Instant classics” according to Reebok. (But let’s be honest… doesn’t everyone say that? When have you seen a product launch when the company said, “Yeah, this product is really going to tank and there’s not a chance anyone will buy it.”) Apparently this all involves “scent-infused sock liners.” Take a moment to ponder that. And today’s launch is only the first wave. There will be clothing (mercifully unscented) and a much wider variety of “flavors.”
Okay… let’s not mince words here. Feet stink. They do. Particularly feet that spend any amount of time in athletic shoes. And I would venture to say that most people don’t go out of the way to smell each other’s stinky shoes (fetishists… I’m not judging you). And adding some pseudo fruity scent is not going to overcome so much as vaguely nauseatingly mix with a product that is already an olfactory experience. I’m sure the shoes smell great in the box (or as great as anything like that could smell), but honestly, after wearing these shoes on a good run or two, I would assume that it will make the wearer swear off Kool-Aid for good!
Now, I am all for cross marketing. I think when the right brands partner for the right reasons, they can truly enhance a shared experience. And honestly, there are probably some great ways that Reebok and Kool-Aid could work together… but it’s important to find not only the right brand to work with, but the right inroad.
Perhaps the most dangerous phrase on Earth: “Hey… you know what’d be cool?” Think it through, people.
Other posts by Jennifer.
Spike says:
For some reason, this conjures up an image of my feet getting stained in red Kool-Aid.
February 1st, 2008 at 8:28 amSherida says:
Is this line for children or adults? I skimmed the Brandweek article, but didn’t see details. If it’s a children’s line, then I can *sort* of see the coolness factor…and kids won’t care if the shoes smell nasty after a week or two of serious sweating. An adult line is something else. Can you imagine running on the treadmill at the gym and being amushed by the overwhelming fruit scent of Kool-Aid? No, thank you.
February 1st, 2008 at 9:28 amMr. Steve says:
The real question is, will Kool-Aid return the favor, and release a Kool-Aid that tastes like sweaty feet?
February 1st, 2008 at 11:44 amolivier blanchard says:
They could have started by making a better shoe.
I’ll take a Koolaid flavored wristband though.
February 1st, 2008 at 1:19 pmMatty says:
My question is, are they going to put Kool-Aid Man in a pair of Reebok Cross-trainers? If so, I suggest the Reebok pumps, those things would make a great come back if Kool-Aid Man was sporting them!
February 1st, 2008 at 1:55 pmMyBestInvest says:
It doesn’t seem like the most natural of marriages, does it?
I could see a partnership with a soap or deodorant brand, but Kool-Aid? I’m just not seeing it.
And isn’t this putting a ton of emphasis on smell as the identifying characteristic of Kool-Aid rather than taste or nutrition? Has anyone ever grabbed a cool drink because it smells good?
February 1st, 2008 at 2:48 pmVirginia Miracle says:
Oh dear. I’m not sure I want my feet to smell like anything that goes in my mouth. Maybe feet that smell like the beach or a pleasant surrounding might be nice. But I guess the beach doesn’t have a brand representing it to form a partnership with a shoe company…
February 9th, 2008 at 7:47 amNorth Country Guy says:
Reading further into this, it makes me think of back when I played football. I was a swet-hog. Sweating was something that I could do without trying. I was a defensive lineman playing at the college level.
Long story short, my sweat stunk. It creeped into my pads. My pads stunk. Throughout my time, I tried numerous remedies to counter that stank. Febreeze, cologne, and air freshener to name a few. Each time, it was just a layer of new smell on top of fat-guy sweat. Bringing it back to the shoes, I can see how this would seem like a great idea in the boardroom, but in practicality I only imagine that the consumers of these shoes will have one whiff of Dr. Scholls odor eater followed by a whiff of sweat, followed by a whiff of fruity Kool-Aid.
February 14th, 2008 at 2:03 pm