Nike sneaker ad labeled ‘misleading’ for marketing $35 kids’ shoes to adults

A “misleading” online advertisement for $35 Nike sneakers has been banned in Britain for failing to make clear that the product was actually targeted at children and therefore the offer didn’t represent a true discount for adults.

A “misleading” online advertisement for $35 Nike sneakers has been banned in Britain for failing to make clear that the product was actually targeted at children and therefore the offer didn’t represent a true discount for adults. The ad featured a pair of sneakers next to the caption: “Now just £26 at Nike!” and exploding head and black heart emojis, according to the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA). The ad appeared on the X account of The Sole Supplier, an online marketplace selling footwear and clothing from several major brands, in December 2023, the regulator said in its ruling Wednesday. When consumers clicked on the ad, it took them to a page on Nike’s website displaying a pair of sneakers tagged as an “older kids’ shoe” available in UK sizes 3 to 6 — which translates to US sizes 3.5 to 6.5 for men, and 5 to 8 for women. Shoe sizing in the United Kingdom is often unisex. “There was nothing in the ad to indicate to consumers that the trainers were intended for older children or that they were available in limited adult sizing,” the ASA said, adding that “the ad was likely to be misleading by omission.” The majority of Nike lifestyle sneakers were at the time available up to UK size 9.5 for women (a woman’s 12 in the United States) and up to size 14 for men (a man’s 15 in the US), the agency said.