Konichiwa, bitches. It's the MFCEO Kenneth Powers.
July 15, 2011 5:10 PM   Subscribe

Former baseball player and legend in his own mind becomes the new CEO of K-Swiss and takes it to a whole nubba lebel. (YT; NSFW)

"Before you say anything, prepare to STFU."
posted by fuse theorem (40 comments total) 9 users marked this as a favorite
 
That just happened. My brain.

ow.
posted by andreaazure at 5:42 PM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


DALLAS

TUBES







[shoe mascot]
posted by infinitewindow at 5:45 PM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


Has any company ever gone this blue before w/ an ad campaign? It's funny, but I'd guess a lot of people did some serious profiling of their existing market and their target market before they pulled the trigger on this one.
posted by Lukenlogs at 6:02 PM on July 15, 2011


I enjoyed this, because I like profanity, overweening arrogance, and sports.

But I am not moved to buy new sneakers.
posted by BitterOldPunk at 6:05 PM on July 15, 2011


Hey dog, I killed you.
posted by The Whelk at 6:25 PM on July 15, 2011 [5 favorites]


Man, in the 1980s at my high school K-Swiss were for the rich preps. Those fancy, minimalist all white leather shoes. Then K-Swiss sort of disappeared. Guess this is one way to jump start the band.
posted by punkfloyd at 6:40 PM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


Well, here's to hoping this backfires.

The site for the shoe (warning: audio) isn't much better. It's kind of interesting to see the other businesses involved: Videos and links pushing Foot Locker, Best Buy, and a contest using Microsoft Tag 2D barcodes.
posted by SemiSophos at 6:53 PM on July 15, 2011


Someone jealous of Old Spice much?
posted by Chichibio at 7:02 PM on July 15, 2011


Danny McBride is the next generation Steve Buscemi. He's ugly. He can't act. He's absolutely not a comedian, but cast often in comedic roles.

But I can't get enough of him. He's fascinating and fun to watch, and knows how to deliver lines with timing and aplomb and attitude. The minute, the very minute he's cast in a serious lead role, the lid will come off, completely. The guy knows how to live in his role, how to simply be the character, and knows it instinctively.

It's too late to cast him as Stannis, and he'd never pull it off with that accent, but he'd make a kick-ass Vargo Hoat.
posted by Slap*Happy at 7:10 PM on July 15, 2011 [1 favorite]


Mmmm... Interesting idea.

I'm not at all a fan of the breast-shaped play buttons etc. How to alienate 50% of your audience on the spot.

We looked into signup buttons like their site some time ago :)
posted by greenhornet at 7:12 PM on July 15, 2011


He's absolutely not a comedian

He's fascinating and fun to watch, and knows how to deliver lines with timing and aplomb and attitude.


So....he's a comedian?
posted by gcbv at 7:37 PM on July 15, 2011 [3 favorites]


Man, in the 1980s at my high school K-Swiss were for the rich preps.

I still have my K-Swiss shoes from high school in the 1980s - they're in good shape.
Not the tennis shoes, these are more of a light walking shoe. They were great for hacky sack.
posted by Flashman at 7:39 PM on July 15, 2011


You want something interesting from a REAL former ballplayer? Read this interview with legendary outfielder Dale Murphy as he talks music at Aquarium Drunkard.
posted by jonmc at 8:08 PM on July 15, 2011


So....he's a comedian?

This is a very good point - nowadays, we have neat little cubbyholes for our comedians. They are either from a carefully vetted improv tradition, with time spent with top-tier improv groups and sketch-comedy television, or they are successful standup comics, with megabuck tour engagements to back them up.

A guy, who just reads his lines and is good at getting an audience reaction for it? Character actor, nothing more...

Danny McBride is in there with Steve Buscemi and Paul Giamatti, the moment he decides on a serious role, either in television or movies.

As Matthew Broderick proves, stage doesn't count.
posted by Slap*Happy at 8:13 PM on July 15, 2011


Fuck these dudes. How edgy is that?
posted by BeerFilter at 8:21 PM on July 15, 2011


Mildly.
posted by jonmc at 8:22 PM on July 15, 2011


I'm not a sports guy and have never watched the show this character comes from, but this was *hilarious*, if grating in a couple spots.
posted by mrbill at 8:23 PM on July 15, 2011


Normally I hate force-mime 'viral' videos, but this was pure distilled awesome sauce
posted by delmoi at 8:42 PM on July 15, 2011


Yeah, I enjoyed pretty much every moment of that, and that's 25% due to writing and 95% due to Danny McBride, because he give 110% and then takes it up a notch.
posted by maryr at 8:51 PM on July 15, 2011 [4 favorites]


Hmm. Well. Ok. I'll say it doesn't work for me.

I like sports. I watch sports. This ad campaign is offensive to me. It offends me that someone thought this arraignment of sound and moving pictures would make me want to by a particular brand of shoe. This is the advertising equivalent of a barbarian kicking in my door, throwing gasoline on me and my family, and setting the house on fire. I honestly can not understand what value people find in this. I'd love for someone to explain what they think is so superb about this. To me it's literally "Look at the mean man holler the loud angry words, desperately hoping I'll be cowed (bulled? bullied?) into thinking this is cool."

This is awesome like a troubled 16-year-old atheist brought up in a Christian family might find drawing a picture of Satan fucking Jesus is in the ass is awesome. "Look how edgy and irreverant I can be!" I find it ever more appalling that apparently lots of people think this ad campaign is pretty cool.

I guess I am just not the target of this, because I hate this ad so much that unless I am struck with amnesia I will never in my life buy the associated product and will take every opportunity to badmouth the brand when presented.

So pretend I'm an alien from outer space. Explain to me what amuses you about this. Please.
posted by BeerFilter at 9:22 PM on July 15, 2011


Ah, this is some sort of TV show thing. That explains a lot.
posted by BeerFilter at 9:27 PM on July 15, 2011


Beerfilter, if you don't think Satan fucking Jesus in the ass is awesome, I don't know what to tell you.
posted by kingv at 9:38 PM on July 15, 2011 [15 favorites]


I liked the tan lines on the mug. Nice touch.
posted by tmt at 9:50 PM on July 15, 2011


man beerfilter it's only an ad for some shoes
posted by serif at 10:02 PM on July 15, 2011


Sorry everyone, I'm just a little tense sometimes. That was uncalled for.
posted by BeerFilter at 10:06 PM on July 15, 2011


Rey Mysterio, head of security. Worth it for that alone.
posted by ShutterBun at 11:18 PM on July 15, 2011


I liked the gun rack on the golf cart.
posted by bonefish at 12:08 AM on July 16, 2011


So pretend I'm an alien from outer space. Explain to me what amuses you about this. Please.

Mwooorp-voozh ishingoooop. Erverslotts moooshunbeeeeed, twuuup veeedle! Kooogishpoon veeedle! Bwee bwee! Oosk. Ozzzzzonkie-bwooo. Mahooosk.

Mahooooosk! Bweee bweee bweee bweee!

Oooofle-dop?
posted by flapjax at midnite at 12:51 AM on July 16, 2011 [3 favorites]


Ah, this is some sort of TV show thing. That explains a lot.

Yes. (NSFW)
posted by The Hamms Bear at 12:56 AM on July 16, 2011


I would watch a whole show based just on the Rey Mysterio character. I'm seeing it as a cross between the old Terry Tate: Office Linebacker commercials, Buster Keaton silents, and the family-drama parts of The Wrestler.
posted by penduluum at 1:06 AM on July 16, 2011


This stuff always cracks me up. What did we do before fucking youtube, anyway?
posted by ph00dz at 1:06 AM on July 16, 2011


Metafilter: If you don't think Satan fucking Jesus in the ass is awesome, I don't know what to tell you.
posted by dancestoblue at 1:42 AM on July 16, 2011 [1 favorite]


Konichiwa, bitches.

Just for future reference, that word is correctly romanized with two Ns, not just one. This reflects the actual pronunciation: you do linger just a bit on the N sound when you say the word.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:40 AM on July 16, 2011


Oop, I forget: when you say the word, bitches.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:57 AM on July 16, 2011 [2 favorites]


If you haven't seen Eastbound and Down, you should because it's actually a really brilliant show. I'm not saying it's for everyone as the humor tends to be crude but the subtext underlying the narrative is well thought out. Kenny Powers is the main protagonist and narrator; and is a buffoonish hero molded in the fashion of Don Quixote except with a much smaller differential gear of sympathy. He builds mountains out of mole hills and will often tilt at windmills, but he does these things with a conviction that is built upon being outwardly narcissistic and obtuse. His narration is often littered with lines like "Fuck you, I'm Kenny Powers!" that are directed straight at you, the viewer. It might not sound like I'm making much of a case for the show here, and maybe it's Kenny Power's delusional belief in himself, or it's his grandiose ability to tell his story, but the show is alluring to watch as much as subverted hero's journey with an unreliable narrator can be.
posted by P.o.B. at 6:41 AM on July 16, 2011


I'll admit it: I laughed when they threw the football at the man texting during the meeting.
posted by .kobayashi. at 7:55 AM on July 16, 2011


Anyone else surprised that they were able to convince Matt Cassel (and his handlers) to be involved in this project? Maybe it's because of the NFL lockout, but it's a little surprising to see a player from one of the 'big three' leagues in a commercial like this.

(Then again, I was shocked that the Tampa Bay Rays let them use their likeness in the show, so what do I know?)
posted by graphnerd at 2:06 PM on July 16, 2011


NonsequiturFilter: They covered pretty much all aspects of the shoe, short of visiting the manufacturing facilities. But, I guess there's just not much comedy in that, so let's stick to the infinitely regressive marketing of marketing of footwear, and bygone hairstyles while we're at it.
posted by obscurator at 11:12 PM on July 16, 2011


(Patrick Willis plays in the NFL too.)
posted by The Hamms Bear at 2:32 PM on July 17, 2011


kingv: "Beerfilter, if you don't think Satan fucking Jesus in the ass is awesome, I don't know what to tell you."

Jesus Fucking Christ!*

*NSFW, and please God don't send me to Hell.

posted by bwg at 5:29 PM on July 19, 2011


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