Sole Searching

Here’s a company that has thought out of the box, using the box. Over the weekend I embarked on a quest to find a new sole. This took me the length and breadth of Colaba Causeway, ducking into most of the major sport shoe retailers. For the past couple of years I have been quite brand loyal to Nike. The reason – it’s so damn easy to get shoe sizes of 11 and above in most Nike shoes, something not that easy elsewhere. Once upon a time this was true for Reebok, and Reebok used to make some really nice looking shoes then. But alas those days are over and all that’s left are the fond memories of my first and only pair of Reebok’s

So why did I decide to dump the Greek Goddess for the prancing Puma. For one its sale season and the only pair of shoes that I did like from Nike was the last pair and that made me a little uncomfortable. The last two Nike’s that I have owned somehow haven’t last as long as the pair I had before that. Could it be quality is dropping? Another thought was that as such both shoe makers were getting their shoes made in Vietnam.  I decided that it was time to take a bold new step and settled for some interesting looking Puma slip-ons, which strangely enough remind me of another battered pair of Nikes that I have.

What was also interesting about these shoes is the box that they came in. I have grown accustomed to the plain yet colourful designs of the Nike shoe box that isn’t much worth a second glance. So it was quite surprising from a packaging and promotional point of view what the company has pulled off with its box. For one there is a size comparative scale that compares different international foot sizes and juxtaposes this against everyday objects.  What’s more is the space of what is essential a pivotal fold, the company has managed to cram in ideas of how to recycle the box. Neat to say the least and definitely made me look at the box much more than I usually would. I also then subconsciously register the fact that there is a URL on the box (which I should check out). The end result: Kudos to that copywriter and designer who thought out of the box to make an outstanding shoe box.