by Inga Seidler
WHAT’S HAPPENING
- Atheist Shoes may sound like a peculiar idea, but godless shoe lovers seem willing to spend €120 on Bauhaus-inspired, 1930s-style footwear that proclaims their lack of belief (VentureVillage.eu, April 2012).
- Atheist Shoes are made from calfskin, with the phrases “Ich bin Atheist” (“I’m an atheist”) or “Darwin Loves” carved into the soles in reflective writing.
- After the Berlin-based shoemaker David Bonney posted his idea for atheist footwear on Reddit in January 2012, 1,000 pairs of Atheist Shoes were pre-ordered within the first 24 hours.
- Bonney launched a Kickstarter project to manufacture the shoes, which hit the funding goal on 7 April, 2012, almost doubling the initial $30,000 goal. He is now going into final stages of production.
WHAT THIS MEANS TO BUSINESS
- Religion is becoming less popular, especially among German teenagers and young adults. Due to the scandals surfacing from churches nationwide and almost on a regular basis, many older Germans are also turning away from the institution.
- Clever and creative possibilities for expressing their views in daily life meet the need for self-display among young consumers. The connection of a brand or product to a certain view leads to stronger identification with the consumer.
RESOURCES
