The Ads
Aside from the ad posted below, their ads also feature well-toned celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Brooke Burke, and Pro-Football
legend Joe Montana as endorsers. Skechers also
commissioned 4 clinical studies in the US & Japan, with results that showed
Shape-ups increased muscle activity & energy consumption over standard
fitness shoes.
The following
image shows the results of a clinical study and the statistical method used by
Skechers:
To read a copy of one of the clinical studies, please click here.
Analysis: What we found out
1.
Clinical
studies: Conflict of interest.
These
studies were done to test the shoes’ benefits compared to regular fitness
shoes. 2 of the 4 clinical studies were “independent”,
and conducted by chiropractor Dr. Steve Gautreau. Skechers failed to disclose that Dr.
Gautreau, who gave a good review on the ads was not only compensated for his
services but was also married to the Senior Vice President for Marketing at Skechers.
This is a clear conflict of interest.
a. The First Clinical Study: (a 6-week study with 8 participants) – No control group; Bad sampling.
It showed
that participants wearing Shape-ups footwear lost an average of 3.25 lbs and represented
that further weight loss and other improvements could be assumed with
continuous use of the footwear. One
defect of this study is it didn’t include a control group (a group of
participants who wore standard fitness shoes to serve as comparison to the
group wearing Shape-ups footwear).*
b. The Second Clinical Study
(8 weeks with 80 participants)- Biased; With numerous defects; Use of
unreliable statistical methods.
The data relied upon the
study were altered and incomplete: Ex.
Some participants gained weight/increased body fat percentage, but were
falsely reported as having lost weight.
Some data were also missing, or were not collected from some of the
study’s participants. In addition, some
of the study participants were connected to the researchers: Ex. Wives
of 2 of the co-authors, parents of one
of the study’s co-authors, employees and/or persons associated with Dr.
Gautreau.*
*based on a study done by US FTC.
*based on a study done by US FTC.
2. On the Skechers Resistance Runner Ad:
This ad was actually
questioned by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the US - a government body
in charge of protecting consumers from unfair or deceptive acts or
practices. FTC officials said that the
above claims lacked scientific evidence, as they were not substantiated during
the time the representations were made. According
to FTC, each muscle activation percentage was based on the readings from a
single subject in a one-day study, and thus, could not represent what consumers
could expect to achieve from wearing Resistance Runner.
3. Another ad in question:
Note the following
statements on this ad: “Shape Up While You Walk” and “Get in Shape Without Setting Foot in a Gym”.
The FTC alleges that the
above claims were actually unsupported and lacked scientific evidence. The above ad falsely gives the notion that
enough clinical studies were done to back up Skechers’ claim.
4. Many doctors worry about the effects of
wearing toning shoes, particularly on those with balance and alignment
issues. Dr. Barbara de Lateur, a
professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Johns Hopkins University’s
School of Medicine in Baltimore, said that toning shoes like Shape-ups can lead
to strained Achilles Tendons due to their bulky and unstable design. Other possible injuries include pulled hamstrings
and broken ankles.
Our Two Cents’ Worth:
The growing
competitiveness among the big market leaders have led some companies to engage
in more aggressive techniques and forms of advertising. Most of the time, consumers fall prey to
exaggerated claims and deceptive ads.
In the case of Skechers,
it would have been better if they had conducted extensive clinical studies,
done by a different doctor who’s not related to any of its employees, to avoid
bias.
Companies should
strictly observe proper advertising ethics and should be mindful of their
responsibilities to the consumers since their ads affect buying behavior. Whatever health and sports claims they make
should be backed up by complete evidence and reliable studies to avoid
misleading the public and avoid legal consequences altogether. Skechers has been accused by the US FTC of
deceptive advertising and misrepresentation of data. The Company’s use of charts and statistics
without enough scientific evidence and faulty clinical studies led consumers to
believe that their shoes were more superior to traditional sneakers.
As consumers, we should
carefully evaluate advertising claims to avoid being misled.
Skechers meanwhile,
continues to defend its claims, saying it agreed to pay out only to avoid the
expensive and long legal process.
RESOURCES:
