Adidas to Release Gay Pride Shoes June 29th. Serious Question:

MeanderingPandering wrote:

mehhhhh wrote:

It does kind of feel like total pandering with no real community concern when companies just sell "pride" things for the sake of being a company that sells "pride" things.

Isn't that sort of the definition of marketing and sales? When General Mills puts Tom Brady on the front of a Wheaties box, are they pandering and just selling Patriots things for the sake of selling Patriots things? No. They are aware that a certain cross-section of America is more likely to buy Wheaties if they throw Tom Brady on the front.

Don't they pay for the privilege of picturing Brady? Who is Adidas paying/supporting for the privilege of producing a "Pride" shoe?

Is this shoe closer to Wheaties or to the guy committing copyright infringement outside the stadium with a T shirt screen printer?

theJeff wrote:

You are definitely overthinking it. The shoe isn't for you - at least that you'll admit. So why are you wasting time thinking about it? And frankly, if they did release some shoe geared to your particular fairy tale, why would you spend anymore time thinking about it other than, "Yeah, I'll buy them, " or , "No, I won't".

I think you are missing my point. This isn't about whether or not I agree with the view being expressed.

I am asking whether or not this feels like genuine support of those being targeted (poor word choice).

Ugh. You are fishing here. It is obvious that you want someone to say, "No, they don't genuinely care about the cause. They are just trying to sell more shoes." Or, someone more cynical might say you are trolling completely, looking for someone to say, "Why do the gays need their own shoes to begin with? [insert some homophobic slurs for good measure]" Then you can step back and say, "I was just asking the question," while the message boards continue to devolve into a hateful mess.

I'm not really sure why you feel the need to stir the pot on this. The answer is obvious. Adidas is trying to sell more shoes. A certain cross-section of people will buy them because they are linked to Pride.

MeanderingPandering wrote:

mehhhhh wrote:

It does kind of feel like total pandering with no real community concern when companies just sell "pride" things for the sake of being a company that sells "pride" things.

Isn't that sort of the definition of marketing and sales?

Yes.

I'm not arguing the semantics of what marketing and sales are, I'm just responding to the OP and saying that yes, it feels like pandering (or "marketing and sales") rather than genuine support. To me, genuine support for the LGBTQ community involves giving back in a meaningful way instead of just creating products in order to get our money. Nothing about "marketing and sales" implies community support, you're right. But I think there's a difference between putting a football player on a cereal box and making a product marketed to a marginalized community. The former is just a way to use Brady's success to sell a product; the latter is an attempt to market a product to the lgbtq community (and allies) under the guise of supporting them.

Same thing with a lot of businesses and companies during the pride festivals. Lots of companies want to march in the parade or put a flag outside of their business when pride rolls around so that everyone sees them and thinks they're super progressive or whatever, but it's more meaningful to me when I see businesses actively supporting the LGBTQ community during the rest of the year.

It's 2018, if anyone is looking for a pat on the back for selling pastel-rainbos shoes or hanging a rainbow flag in June, sorry but I think it takes a little more than that to establish yourself as a corporate LGBTQ ally.

Gross!

Got it. I understand your point, and I agree that Adidas isn't truly "supporting" the LGBTQ community with these shoes, unless there is some sort of profit donation that I'm not aware of.

However, I would also argue that many people in the LGBTQ community are not looking for "support." At this point in history, many in the community are looking more to celebrate their culture and honor their differences, and this can be done by wearing a "Pride shoe," even if it doesn't make them less marginalized.

For example, let's look at a company that chooses to put Malcolm X on a t-shirt, and they don't donate any of the profits to the NAACP. Is that taking advantage of a marginalized community? Maybe. But there are huge numbers of people in the black community who will purchase a Malcolm X shirt because they love the way it looks and they like to be associated with the black struggle, even if the shirt doesn't directly contribute to the cause.

I bought a pair of these shoes, now I have a case of the gays. Should I go see a doctor? Can he give me an antibiotic to fix it.

As I stated in an earlier post, I teach Econ. I am interested in the concept of meaningful incentives.

It doesn't take an econ professor to recognize that some people will buy a shoe if it is associated with something they like, even if it doesn't contribute to the greater cause. Does that answer your question?

derp wrote:

theJeff wrote:

As I stated in an earlier post, I teach Econ. I am interested in the concept of meaningful incentives.

It doesn't take an econ professor to recognize that some people will buy a shoe if it is associated with something they like, even if it doesn't contribute to the greater cause. Does that answer your question?

We agree. That wasn’t my question, however. Check the OP and report back, soldier.

And yet many of your posts are clearly bait. It is truly frightening that you are allowed to mislead, are teach.

theJeff wrote:

LGBQ Community (of those of you with close friends in that community, please ask), is this shoe a source of pride for you? Or do you feel pandered to?

These two options are not mutually exclusive. Surely there can be pride in being part of a niche group to which marketeers would pander. If nothing else it normalizes a group which has historically been persecuted.

Citizen Runner wrote:

theJeff wrote:

LGBQ Community (of those of you with close friends in that community, please ask), is this shoe a source of pride for you? Or do you feel pandered to?

These two options are not mutually exclusive. Surely there can be pride in being part of a niche group to which marketeers would pander. If nothing else it normalizes a group which has historically been persecuted.

Ding ding. But as someone who is not marginalized in any way whatsoever and doesn't have the ability to empathize with those who are marginalized, this concept never occurred to theJeff.

A company I drive by on my way to work has a rainbow flag flying beside the State and US flag. I don't want to give the company name away, but I will say this company is not a retailer of any kind. Flying the gay pride flag has nothing to do with their business success. It strikes me as odd that they would do that. How is it any different than flying a flag displaying a Christian Cross? Or, a flag displaying any arbitrary philosophical/religious/political view. I'm not saying the business should not be allowed to display this flag, but just to point out the societal double standard. I'm fairly certain they would get blowback if they flew some Christian symbol flag.

Lastly, LGBT identity is completely based on sexual preferences. Why not display a "porn-pride" flag? Why not display a "foot fetish pride" flag? If you step back and think about it, it's a really odd thing to virtue signal about.

As someone earlier in the thread mentioned, when someone says something about "virtue signaling," you have a pretty decent sense of their mental capacities.

theJeff wrote:

So here is the question: LGBQ Community (of those of you with close friends in that community, please ask), is this shoe a source of pride for you? Or do you feel pandered to?

Interesting in that I just had this conversation with a group of LGBT friends.

I feel pandered to.

However, I really appreciate where the sentiment comes from. And I am absolutely more likely to spend my money at a company that does pander to us (so long as it feels genuine.)

Rick Sanchez wrote:

How are gay shoes any different than straight shoes?

You can squeeze your left foot in the right shoe and vice versa.

Sick! Democrats are a disgrace!!!!

Grossed out wrote:

Sick! Democrats are a disgrace!!!!

Agree