taking a page from the prescient “conquest of cool”, adbusters is getting into the the shoe business by starting the blackspot sneaker brand. according to their marketing plan, they are accepting “preporders” [ no payment required ] and once they get 5000, they can start a production run at a unionized south korean factory.

of course they are open to cheap shots at using a south korean shop, but i’ll take them at their word that it’s a clean, well-lighted, unionized place at this point. i’ll admit that i haven’t preordered anything yet, because i’m a bit suspicious of a product that is only displayed in fuzzy artistic renderings. adbusters can position the shoes as being a nike killer all they want want, but i’m not going to get suckered into shelling out my money for what could potentially be a pair of crappy, chuck taylor ripoffs [ note that i’m saying they are, i just want more evidence and don’t make the logical error of assuming that i’m endorsing nike; it’s just that if i’m going to spend $60 to make a point then there are better ways to do it thanforking out cake for an adbusters stunt ].

theoretically, i’m all for what adbusters is trying to do. personally, i like how americanapparel going about it, which is similar in spirit on many levels; however, compared to the blunt instrument of blackspot rhetoric, there’s a savviness to americanapparel that i think is more broadly appealing.