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Wednesday, 10 April 2024

What's the opposite of product placement?



Rishi Sunak offers 'fulsome apology' to Adidas Samba fans

The prime minister has been accused of "ruining" Adidas Sambas after being pictured wearing a pair at Downing Street - but he has a message for devotees of the classic trainer.

This isn't the first time the prime minister has made headlines because of his shoes.

In 2023, he was mocked for wearing Timbaland boots during a speech about the government's drive to "stop the boats", with people pointing out they were disproportionately large...

The year before that, he was criticised for wearing a £490 pair of suede Prada shoes to a building site.

And in 2021, people were quick to point out his £95 sliders as he prepared to deliver the budget.



I've no idea what an Adidas Samba is, or Timbaland boots, suede Prada shoes or £95 sliders. I now know they are types or brands of footwear though, so that's one benefit of keeping tabs on the news of the day. 

8 comments:

DiscoveredJoys said...

Being a Prime Minister must be very much like donning a straightjacket. You have to be desperately careful not to say something that causes offence (real or confected, political or Blob) - and now you have to be careful about what you wear...

In the unlikely circumstances where I might be offered the job, I think I would decline. In today's political environment at least.

Sam Vega said...

I think it must be product displacement.

What a colossus of a man. He wears daft sporty fashion footwear in order to appear popular, and then apologises for wearing them when people criticise him. He's not even style over substance. He lacks even the style.

A K Haart said...

DJ - I'd decline too. It does raise a question about the kind of people it attracts, as if the pressures are not aimed at serious and capable people because they would cause too much upheaval.

Sam - yes, daft sporty fashion footwear isn't what a PM should wear, not in any situation. Gravitas gone forever.

Bucko said...

Sunak apologises for wearing shoes? And this man is our PM?

A K Haart said...

Bucko - demeaning isn't it? He should be above all that.

James Higham said...

We could present him with a pair of Kickers.

Doonhamer said...

Remember Wee Willie Hague in his baseball cap.
A bacon sarnie is not an item of clothing but Ed Miliband did not wear it well.

A K Haart said...

James - the name could give him a clue about what he should be doing.

Doonhamer - yes I remember Wee Willie's baseball cap and the bacon sarnie. Politician should forget about pretending to be one of the plebs, it doesn't work.