Following shortly on the unveiling of Nike’s Converse Chuck Taylor II All-Stars last week, Anomaly has debuted the first two ads for the brand extension.
For the first of the two spots, Anomaly teamed up with VFX company Framestore to give the Chuck Taylor II All-Stars an explosive introduction. As the shoes unravel in slow-motion, the camera zooms in on just what exactly sets the new version apart from its bare-bones (which once upon a time had the price to match) predecessor before the shoe magically re-assembles: Lunaron sockliner, padded non-slip tongue, micro-suede lining and premium canvas. It’s a stylish, attention-grabbing and memorable way to introduce the sneaker, letting viewers know why they might want to upgrade their old Chucks.
A second ad, the 30-second “Ready For More,” is far less effective. The spot almost feels like a parody of a stereotypical anthem ad, with fast cuts of musicians and skateboarders over lines like “You know what we need? More of that thing you’re into” and “More good stuff. More bad stuff. More your stuff.” The vague appeals to youth culture come across as completely without substance, an attempt to cash in on the hipster cache of the original Converse Chuck Taylor brand that unfortunately seems to give an indication of where the campaign is heading.