Cara Delevingne Fronts Campaign for the PUMA Muse Echo
Anyone paying attention to output of late must have picked up on their pretty obvious marketing strategy. It goes like this: the Big Cat pounces on hot celebrities, gets them to 'introduce' a new silhouette (whether through a formal campaign or a 'candid' on-foot pap shot), then hands them a signature shoe. Just this year, we've seen the likes of Selena Gomez, Jay-Z, The Weeknd and A$AP Ferg promoting or creating PUMA models.
The German brand has obviously learned from the astronomical success of their Rihanna line — the company's stock has risen significantly this year. Continuing to make money moves, PUMA's now recruited top model Cara Delevingne to debut the new PUMA Muse Echo. The release of the Muse Echo is tied in with the brand's 'Do You' campaign; an initiative which aims to empower women and encourages them to embrace their own style.
That being said, it's somewhat unclear how the Muse Echo fits into this campaign. We can't deny that the sharply angled black and gold high top looks pretty nice in these 70s style promo shots. But, really, it looks like PUMA's just taken a off the factory line, rejigged the sole unit, added a caged lacing system, and called it a day. The same can also be said of Selena Gomez's new , which also bears a striking similarity to the Fierce.
Perhaps a range of high top PUMAs with low-cut sides and a shiny sock-like uppers is the solution to women's empowerment that we've been overlooking all this time!
In any case, the name 'Muse Echo' hardly inspires confidence in women. In creative circles, women have historically been relegated to the role of a muse who's expected to 'echo' the opinions of a male artist. Plus, passing off revamped Fierces as new silhouettes may not be the best way to promote individuality...
The whole release makes for a pretty big faux pas by the Big Cat. If this drop had more hype surrounding it, it might've played out like Cara's friend Kendall Jenner's Pepsi ad saga.
Politics aside, the Muse Echo is a sweet shoe. And unfortunately, sometimes us girls have to overlook some dubious advertising for the sake of looking good. They're available now over at retailers like .