The Coolest Converse Ads Of The Last Decade

While its wearers are all free, walking ads, the brand's advertising has done nothing to hurt their cred.

1. Japan, 2000.

Via coloribus.com

I know it's a massive cliche, but I'm old enough to have worn Converse before they were cool. High-top black Cons were my basketball shoe freshman year in high school — not because they were cool, but because there wasn't shit-all available shoe-wise for b-ballers back then. Think Hoosiers. Frankly, they sucked — no support, not very good traction. (Sophomore year I switched to a pair of Adidas Superstar high-tops, much better.)

Since then of course, they've become the one sneaker that anybody, from the biggest asshole jock to 90-year-old Great-Grandmothers — and everybody in between — can wear comfortably and proudly. That's why Nike smartly, and rather quietly, bought them.

Their advertising worldwide hasn't done anything to hurt that reputation.

Here's some of the cooler ads.

2. Thailand, 2001

Via coloribus.com

Nice. Take a product con, and turn it into a pro.

3. Denmark, 2001.

Via coloribus.com

4. Japan, 2001.

Via coloribus.com

Worldwide culture leader Japan has done some of the strangest ads.

Here, they take a bit of a Benetton approach, with disturbing illustrations of a laughing soldier and an elephant killed by poachers over a product line shot.

5. Japan, 2003.

Via coloribus.com

Sexy, wild.

6. United States, 2005.

Via blog.karenhurleydesign.com

Gorgeous ads, great concept.

7. United States, 2007.

Converse ran these silent anti-ad ads on MTV.

Second spot below.

8. United States, 2007.

9. Poland, 2007.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Con Women. Very cool.

10. Poland, 2007.

Via adsoftheworld.com

With these shoes, I thee wed.

Very nice spread ad.

The day my wife and I got married at the NYC clerk's office, an Asian wedding party came in. All the men were wearing grey tuxedos and new red high-top Cons. They looked fantastic.

11. United States, 2009.

Via coloribus.com

To launch their customizable Converse One line, the brand created these "mutant" animal posters and put them up on city streets.

12. Poland, 2007.

Via adsoftheworld.com

Polish creatives decided the shoes would make cool-looking masks. And they do.

13. Worldwide, 2008.

Via coloribus.com

The "Connectivity" ads ran as spreads in magazines and outdoors.

The spot-your-favorite-music-star execution was very popular.

Below is their new campaign for Summer 2013, via the United States.

While the ads are nicely designed and photograph, the concept leaves one wanting.

The line feels like it's fresh out of the mouth of a very uncool Marketing Director.

14.

Magdalena Wosinska / webberrepresents.com / Via adsoftheworld.com