The latest offensive apparel

Adidas has cancelled the release of its latest sneakers, the JS Roundhouse Mids, after their social marketing campaign backfired.

There was the New Mexico T-shirt that read “New Mexico, Cleaner than regular Mexico”, Abercrombie and Fitch’s Eye Candy thongs for 10-year-olds. Urban outfitters “Eat Less” T-shirts, and now Adidas has cancelled the release of its latest high top sneakers, the JS Roundhouse Mids, designed by Jeremy Scott after their social marketing campaign backfired.

Adidas unveiled the sneakers on Facebook, figuring the fashion statement would go viral, and it went viral all right – because unlike other sneakers, they were connected by a rubber chain to bright yellow ankle shackles. And the caption read “Got a sneaker game so hot you lock your kicks to your ankles?”

Get it, these sneakers are so hot – they might just try to escape.

But many of Adidas Facebook friends got a different message, they saw Adidas trying to market a symbol of slavery to black kids.

Jeremy Scott, the designer, said – wait a minute – that’s not what we meant! Other commenters pointed out the shackles could refer to ordinary prisoners, or slaves to fashion, or might just be a take off on a toy from the ’90s called My Pet Monster which was also sold with shackles.

But Jesse Jackson was ready to boycott:

“To conjure up the idea of slavery and to have some of the African American ball players is a bit much to take,” said Jackson.

So Adidas has pulled the product.

I think the whole controversy ignores the real outrage. These sneakers were priced at $350!

They could have explained the shackles as anti-theft devices. The way a CEO might shackle a briefcase full of money to his wrist.