Daddy’$ Money, a new line of sneakers geared square at teenage girls, stirs the proverbial pot with a suggestive name and advertising campaign – and moms are flaming mad about it.
Skechers is behind the line of trendy tennis shoes, sporting a hidden wedge and funky-colored patterns like animal print, flowers and Warhol-esque lips. Sounds relatively harmless, right? But the marketing of these kicks has moms outraged and the web in an uproar.
Featuring scantily clad teens posing, smiling and holding stacks of cash, the commercial is eliciting strong responses.
Over at Fashionista.com, Nora Crotty describes the ad as “31 totally offensive, derogatory seconds.”
The high-top sneakers, currently available for about $50 to $80 at select Famous Footwear and Skechers Stores in southeast Michigan and online, boast a hidden two-inch wedge and have names such as “Gimme Starry Skies” and “Gimme Kisses.”
“They’re all called ‘Gimme.’ Are you kidding me?” Julianna Miner said in a blog at Rants from Mommyland. “Because this is what we want our daughters to be like. We want them to say ‘GIMME’ when they want something. To dress in tight clothes and go to their daddy with their hands out and say, ‘gimme.'”
Nowhere is the battle being more furiously fought than on the Daddy’$ Money Facebook wall.
“I’m almost at a loss for words over your new brand ‘Daddy’$ Money,'” wrote Amy Wynne. “My daughter has always loved Skechers, but there is no way we will be buying another pair as long as this line is in existence – not with her daddy’s money, her mommy’s money or anyone else’s!! Shame on you!!”
Skechers responded to the outcry in a statement to ABC: “The Daddy’$ Money name and the collection’s advertising are designed to be fun and lighthearted,” the company said. “We regret that some people have been offended by the name.”
One thing’s certain: Skechers’ tagline for the brand – “Get spoiled with Daddy’$ Money, ultra-cool shoes that will put you in the spotlight” – is a bit of a self-fulfilling prophecy. These sneakers sure are turning heads.
But will sales match all the cute little “cha-ching” cash-register noises on the Daddy’$ Money website? If the backlash is any clue, pops might soon be out of business.
