After having her lavish wedding [which cost a reported 14 million dollars] paid for by E! Kim K should jump on this settlement. Kim was once a spokesperson for Reebok's toning shoe but has since crossed over and now endorses Skechers. Smart move because Reebok was just ordered to pay $25 million in customer refunds to settle charges by the Federal Trade Commission that it falsely advertised that its "toning" shoes could measurably strengthen the muscles in the legs, thighs and butt.
It's the latest controversy surrounding so-called toning shoes, which are designed with a rounded or otherwise unstable sole. Shoemakers say the shoes force wearers to use more muscle to maintain balance and consumers clamored for them, turning toning shoes into a $1.1 billion market in just a few years.
Reebok marketed their toning shoes heavily with ads featuring women in short shorts and long lean legs. The issue was not the fact that the women featured in the ads clearly did not get butts and legs like that from walking in bubble shoes but, the claim its EasyTone footwear had been proven to lead to 28 percent more strength and tone in the gluteus [butt] muscles and 11 percent more strength and tone in hamstring and calf muscles than regular walking shoes.
All the major shoe brands, including Reebok, have funded studies and say they have anecdotal evidence that proves they are effective. Several experts have questioned their validity and the American Council on Exercise [ACE], a nonprofit fitness organization, conducted a study that found toning shoes failed to live up to the claims of shoe makers [really? shocking!]. However, the council said the shoes could be beneficial to one's health if they motivate people to get moving.
Whatever happened to the day when brands didn't have to make false claims? I mean Nike never really came right out and said if you buy the new Air Jordans your verticle will improve by 23% [see what I did there? 23, Jordan] No they let us believe that they would. Stop trying to tell us what the damn product can do for us and just show us...
That's better.
