Nike Cuts Air Stab in response to Knife Violence
Posted by Matt Halfhill | Jul 18, 2008 Nike has had its fair share of “controversies” to deal with over the years with countless claims of exploited labor and working conditions, but one of its latest moves to skirt a potential PR crisis earns a Bonehead Award.
The city of London has recently experienced a series of unfortunate knife violence and stabbings. So far this year more than 5,000 victims have been stabbed across the UK and 53 individuals have been murdered by stabbings in London alone. Sadly last week one employee and two security staff were stabbed by teenage shoplifters attempting to flee. In response to this domestic crisis of violence, Nike has recalled the Air Stab which displays the sneaker’s name on the exterior of the shoe from their UK stores. The Times reported this story and while they briefly mentioned that the name was chosen nearly 20 years ago, reporter Hannah Fletcher conveniently omits that “STAB” stands for “Stability” rather than the violent action. This shoe, designed by none other than Tinker Hatfield, features a supportive footbridge to protect one from impact-related injuries that provided stability that the Air Max 1 did not. I can’t describe how shocked I am that Nike, who has taken on much larger PR battles in the past, ducked its tail, retreated, only letting the press have their way to show that this recall is a form of admitted guilt. The current climate of crime in UK is tragic, as is the coincidence of the name of the shoe, but I do not know how the retraction of this shoe will help the desperate situation. Info from FirstCuts. |
Jul 24, 2008 at 7:05 pm
wow this is ridiculous
im pretty positivie this will have no effect on the violence and that none of the families of the lost ones blamed the name of the shoe for the death of their loved ones
idiots
Jul 24, 2008 at 10:14 am
i guess they will recall
-air raids too so “ppl don’t raid other peoples houses”
-court force’s “for not putting more police on the floor during b-ball games
-flight 89 “causes terrorist to hi-jack airplains”
this campaigne is pure stupidity,i guess i can’t wear my air force 1’s because i didn’t join the air force after highschool [smh]
Jul 21, 2008 at 8:01 am
IF THEY RECALL THESE IN THE U.S IM GUNNA STAB 3 PPL….AND START WEARING STARBERRY’S LMAOOOO…….NASTY NAJ OVER AND OUT
Jul 21, 2008 at 3:36 am
look on the bright side - now they have done this, knife crime in the uk will fall to zero from now on….
ahem….
Jul 20, 2008 at 4:48 pm
somtimes in life its better to pick and choose your fights rather than always losing uinimportant and important conflicts
but in the case when your in the right and you surrender it is just a demerit to the credibility of the company to have a backbone to its product, responsibility to its customers and respect as a whole.
Jul 20, 2008 at 3:04 pm
wow…
Jul 20, 2008 at 12:33 pm
idiots
Jul 20, 2008 at 2:00 am
#
Its not like the shoes came with a toy knife or anything…smh
Has every toy store pulled all plastic swords and knives? No. Have the movie theaters stopped playing all movies that depict violence? No.
Rather than being c#nts on this Nike, why not use your power that you have to organize a benefit concert to raise concern and public voice to Stop The Violence.
Comment by Simon23 — July 18, 2008 @ 4:32 pm
i agree fully!!!
nike has the ability and power to organize a concert that will promote violence controll. nike should have been more of a voice and more a leader on this one.
Jul 19, 2008 at 10:00 pm
Um, Joe, your reading comprehension is TERRIBLE! I’ll just leave it at that.
Everyone else (I assume) understands/understood my point, seeing as though they didn’t jump at my comment, to try and prove myself wrong, much like yourself.
Re-read it, re-read your statement, then pick your face up off of the floor.
Thanks.
Jul 19, 2008 at 9:09 pm
Yeah, it’s crazy, but people get upset over stupid things nowadays. Press just likes to cause drama, it keeps people interested. I really doubt anyone honestly thinks Nike is even remotley responsible for the stabbings because they have this one 20 year old shoe design that has stab in the name.
Jul 19, 2008 at 8:50 pm
I just copped a pair of air stabs for mere shillings today in georgetown colors in size 13. My London blokes get at me!
Jul 19, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Looks like the worth for these sneakers may have tripled overseas… one thing that NIKE does know is that controversy sells. E.I. any Charles Barkley commercial from the 90’s
Jul 19, 2008 at 10:55 am
not a huge fan of them
and i dont live in u.k.
Jul 19, 2008 at 7:49 am
What a stupid idea. Recalling a shoe, just because it has a violent name? Sure that’s really gonna help cut down on violence. Maybe they’ll replace it with the Nike Air Hug, lol.
Jul 19, 2008 at 4:20 am
They were only recalled IN BRITAIN for people that don’t get that, like Darneezy
Jul 19, 2008 at 4:17 am
Seriously Darneezy, what the hell are you talking about?
Jul 18, 2008 at 9:54 pm
The Stabs aren’t cut for good. They were just pulled from stores in the UK.
Jul 18, 2008 at 9:48 pm
nike…smh
Jul 18, 2008 at 9:34 pm
hey um dis officially anounces wat we all new already
NIKE r a bunch of pussies that has gone all corporate on us
on a liter note
i agree wit the coment ontop of me LOL
at least i got air stabs before dey got CUT LOL
Jul 18, 2008 at 9:27 pm
that sucks there were some nice air stabs
Jul 18, 2008 at 9:09 pm
^ haha I couldn’t resist. Corny? maybe, but necessary? yes!
Jul 18, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I “lol’d” at Nike cuts Air Stab too! -haha!
Jul 18, 2008 at 8:52 pm
It’s official, Nike is spineless.
Okay, tragic, indeed, but to PULL A SNEAKER all due to STABbings, thousands of miles away, NON-Nike related is beyond me.
I could see if these kids went on a rampage and given themselves a name such as “The Nike Air STABbers” or something of the sort, but get real Nike… grow a backbone.
And I why in the HELL are we caring so much, what goes on in OTHER COUNTRIES?! I mean, you take care of home first, THEN other issues. We have enough problems OVER HERE, to focus on as is.
Jul 18, 2008 at 8:01 pm
who really cares?
Jul 18, 2008 at 8:01 pm
This could have all been planned and perhaps they only used the London stabbings as a scapegoat. Imagine how much the Stab’s sales are going to increase after this incident. I definately know that i’m gonna go get a pair
Jul 18, 2008 at 7:37 pm
lol that photo has me cracking up. Please tell me you didn’t actually stab the shoes for that shot.
Jul 18, 2008 at 7:35 pm
^ I hear what you are saying there, but bullets kill people. The Stab stands for STABility - that changes things a whole bunch in my book.
If Nike called it the Stab and it was released in a series of shoes that had other criminal innuendos such as assault, assailant, sling blade, knife, then I could understand. But, it’s a coincidence and nothing more than that.
For the few pairs recalled (in the grand scheme of things) in the UK, Nike is getting a TON of free press out of this. LoL you can’t deny that!
Jul 18, 2008 at 7:25 pm
I give nike some cool points on this, i remember when the NBA Washington Bullets changed the team to the Wizards because of all the Gun violence in D.C. but it’s like any other crime in any part of this world people who decide to make the wrong decision for whatever reasons but i doubt because the name of a shoes makes people commit crimes but it’s cool they decided to do it still.
Jul 18, 2008 at 7:04 pm
that was dumb…. Way to make a stand NIKE!?
Jul 18, 2008 at 6:53 pm
AIR STAB !!!!!!
OOOHH!!!
THAT MAKES ME WANT TO GO STAB SOMEONE!!!!!!LOL
Jul 18, 2008 at 6:49 pm
Thats is retarded. but Nike does have to watch themselves cuz people sue over the dumbest things.
Jul 18, 2008 at 6:42 pm
This makes no sense at all. I highly doubt the name of a sneaker will influence you to stab somebody. Why would Nike recall a sneaker if they want stabbings to stop. Why not stop all the TV shows with violence, or movies, and video games.
I hope this recall only pertains to the UK.
Jul 18, 2008 at 6:38 pm
I wore those in the picture today.
Ha.
…and stabbed someone while wearing them.
….in London.
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:41 pm
Does the recall pertain to the US? I would doubt it.
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:27 pm
LOL , the world is coming to an end
ima make a pair of sneakers called KillEm
and we will see if people will start killing
oH wait! people are killing already , did any one think
that stabbing incidents have happend way before the sneaker
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:22 pm
WTF? like anyone was thinking of that. i dont know what nikes agenda is behind this. yes, it’s sad. very sad that those people are getting stabbed, but what do you expect people to use when they dont have guns? even the police dont have guns. whats next? im just eaiting for them to recall the nike shox bombers, you know, the war in iraq? with those roadside bombs and what not, what about the nike Air Assault? in these times of war, those terrorist have those shoulder rockets to shoot down planes n all right? why not take the force out of nikeair force one? you know, with all the people who are being forced into doing bad things and all that stuff? lmao. what a joke
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:20 pm
Hell na about 5,000 people get stabed in my hood every month LOL!!!
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:18 pm
This story came from First Cuts huh?
Jul 18, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I’m not a big fan of the air stab so this does not concern me.
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:46 pm
They use knives cause no one is allowed to use guns over their. You should kinda expect all these stabbings in a place where the only weapon you can use is a knife.
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:46 pm
haha next the Hyperdunk will be pulled for exploiting those with ADHD
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:44 pm
Are they REALLY serious???
What’s next, they’re gonna cut the Air Raid due to riots and robbery? Or discontinue Zoom Air due to how speeding causes multiple deaths every year? That’s how outlandish this action is.
What type of idiocy is going on with Nike? This is so unnecessary.
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:41 pm
yea its tragic but thats is dumb 2 recall them…so what does that mean? ebayers will hike the price of air stabs because they have the name on the side
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Dangggg
thats pretty crazy.
dont like the decision,i wonder if this will make the originalls harder to find??
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:34 pm
oh my goodness…
I don’t even know what to say. Like you said Matt, “The current climate of crime in UK is tragic, as is the coincidence…”
Nike could have made a much better play that to do this..smh…
This is the brand that happily paid fines to be bad asses!
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:32 pm
Its not like the shoes came with a toy knife or anything…smh
Has every toy store pulled all plastic swords and knives? No. Have the movie theaters stopped playing all movies that depict violence? No.
Rather than being c#nts on this Nike, why not use your power that you have to organize a benefit concert to raise concern and public voice to Stop The Violence.
Jul 18, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Are you KIDDING me?!?!?!?
So part of what we pay at the store for our shoes will go to offsetting the cost of this? Nike, sprout some balls and embarrass any press that come at you for this.
The name of this shoe has nothing to do with violence. By pulling this shoe, it makes the public believe the BS on the street that you named it after that.
Be like Snoop and tell that b*tch to “drop it like its hoooot”