Skechers has been receiving the ire of parent and womens groups for its ads for its Skechers ShapeUps for girls. According to the Daily Mail in the United Kingdom, the ads, running on
Nickelodeon and the Cartoon Network, “depicts cartoon characters of
pre-tween age enthusing how the shoe
offers everything a girl could want, looking good, having fun, with
extra height and bounce. “
The girls are followed by cartoon boys dressed up as a hot
dog, cupcake and an ice-cream, tempting them with their high calorie
treats.
Blog Mom Entrepreneurs wrote: “It’s hard enough on young girls struggling with self-esteem who continually feel the pressure to fit in and be perfect, behave in all these ways and look a certain way.”
Jezebel.com stated, “Little girls should not worry about toning their thighs and butts.”
An online forum has even started a petition to ban the range. The change.org website read: Women have plenty of time to be targeted for their
weight throughout their lives and Sketchers is sending a clear message
to girls and women: youre never too young to start hating your body.
A Skechers spokesperson told the Daily News that said the shoes are not made in preschooler size. The shoes start at size 2, the average size of a 7-year-old.
