Solestruck

Image Credit: Screen shot from www.wheredidugetthat.com

When I first saw this advertisement on a style blog about a month ago, I thought to myself, “Are they showing all these shoes in the ad to “prove” how much of an “issue” they are?” However, upon realizing that the website sells the shoes, and after taking time to really think about the message portrayed, I became irritated and a bit angry. Yes, Solestruck’s attempted humor is eye-catching, but placing shoes on the same level as real global issues is disconcerting. When I think of global issues, I imagine poverty, starvation, and gender inequality among others. I feel ridiculous saying something so blatant, but ugly shoes will never have a comparable impact. I feel that it is in poor taste to attribute a factor of materialism to real struggles. I can see Solestruck’s intent to be witty, but the message of this ad is pushing it. What do you think?