Rockport launches truWALKzero with great stunt

Ok, call me a sucker for a good looking pair of athletic shoes. And, as always, I'm a total fan of a good marketing stunt.  That puts me right at 100% for the new truWALKzero collection from Rockport. It's priced at a suggested retail of  $120 - $140 and comes in two women's styles and two men's styles. Medium width only.

I haven't actually seen the shoe, and for all I know it could have glue sticking out of the seams and fit like a piece of cardboard. I doubt it.  Rockport is a good shoe and they've certainly put some heft into the launch. And the pictures (see bottom of article) certainly make it LOOK stylish.

Here's the pitch on the shoe itself, which took two years to develop:
..."the shoes are also infused with Rockport’s proprietary truWALK Architecture, which provides a natural full range of foot motion, from shock absorption at heel strike to forefoot flexibility during push off, courtesy of adidas adiPRENE cushioning technology. Additionally, the upper consists of a synthetic mesh that wicks away moisture to keep feet dry, and a padded collar and tongue to help prevent blisters and lace bruising...they also have an EVA outsole that helps to reduce foot fatigue for all day comfort."

A great launch
So the company went to mid-town Manhattan and had Johan Lorbeer walking in midair to show how the shoe defied gravity.

Here's the video - I give the launch A+, though I wasn't actually there so if you were and have input, add a comment:

The company explained the launch in a press release by saying, "To illustrate the ultra-lightweight quality of the shoes and to evoke how wearing the truWALKzeroshoes is like walking on air, Rockport will be working with world-renowned performance artist Johan Lorbeer (http://www.johanlorbeer.com) on April 5th to create a live installation at the corner of West 43rd Street and 6th Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, highlighting the new truWALKzerofootwear. Johan’s specialty is creating gravity defying installations in public spaces: utilizing his own exclusive technology and harnesses that are hidden under clothing, Johan affixes himself and his team of actors to the walls of buildings, bridges, columns and walls, creating the optical illusion that they are literally floating in the air."

If you're curious, here's the shoe:

Rockport truWALKzero

Photo credit: 

Rockport