Sex Sells...Running Shoes?

I'm not sure if I should be offended or laugh my a*s off.

I'm sure you guys have seen Pearl Izumi's  most recent print advertising volley (or should that be "folly?")  in Runner's World. 

In the campaign, Pearl suggests that in order to save the world of running from 5hr+ marathon times, REAL runners should have sex and procreate with other REAL runners. Doing so, the ad suggests, will save the sport from recreational joggers whose genes are clearly inferior. There are several versions of the ad, all of which depict both men's and women's shoe models unlaced, with a couple clearly, um, "hooking-up" in the background. "Breed Like An Animal" encourages the upstart shoe company.

Of course, this isn't the first time Pearl Izumi's campaigns have created a stir...or taken pot shots at recreational runners. Their "dead bodies" campaign has been tossed around the Internet for months.  Strangely though, I don't see a lot of play about this most recent offering,  which seems even more outrageous.

This may be one of those times in which any publicity is good publicity, but I guess the real question for the company's marketers is, "are we selling more shoes?" The running shoe market is lucrative (about $9 billion) but crowded with monsters like Asics and Nike. I mean, what's a little guy to do? Well, if you believe the guys at MSNBC, the strategy may be generating blog space - but isn't doing much for the company's bottom line. In fact, the tone of the whole thing kind of smacks of eugenics, which really is scary given what's going on in the world today.

Anyway, I put the ad into my photos if you want to take a look. What do you think? Will you be trying a pair of Pearls the next time you need a new pair of shoes?

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