I can see where this man’s head is – right next to that Confederate flag he is carrying. After all, he was attending a rally in support of that flying symbol and wearing a KKK (Ku Klux Klan) tattoo on his arm.
But where are his feet?
FUBU’s Black Market
Apparently, this Georgia man’s feet are arguing with his head and winning. They are sporting spotless FUBU (For Us By Us) shoes, a logo created two decades ago by black entrepreneur’s Daymond John and three friends (J. Alexander Martin, Keith Perrin and Carlton Brown). Their goal was to encourage black Americans to buy from black American businesses.
John certainly did not design his shoes to take this man to this rally. When journalist George Chidi encountered the unidentified man, he immediately saw the contradiction in messages.
Southern Attire
The man was proudly decked out in colors matching his Confederate flag: red, white and blue. His white socks were immaculate. His red shirt was clean and manufactured sleeveless – not a ripped modification. I guess he thought the FUBU shoes, which are red, white, and black, provided the final touch in his attire.
Close Encounter
Chidi, Neon Flag writer, spoke to the unidentified man:
“I just wanted to mention, I didn’t know if you were aware, I know you came here with the Ku Klux Klan or whatever (the man interrupted Chidi and attempts to leave, but the journalist continued)… The only thing that I wanted to mention is that the shoes that you’re wearing.”
The self-identified “southern man“ replied:
“What’s the matter with the shoes I’m wearing? They’re red and black and white.”
Chidi tried to enlighten the man, telling him the shoe manufacturer’s purpose was to empower black people:
“The brand FUBU, it stands for ‘For us, by us.’”
The Confederate flag bearer shot back:
“Them shoes that you probably wore was designed by a white man back in the 1920s. But does that make you stop wearing them shoes because the white man designed them? I don’t care if a black man designed my shoes.”
John Leads In Marketing
John is one of the most successful fashion icons and branding experts in the fashion industry:
“FUBU… represents a lifestyle that was neglected by other clothing companies. (John and his partners)… created a distinctive logo and began sewing the FUBU logo on all sorts of apparel, including hockey jerseys, sweatshirts and t-shirts. The brand hit a tipping point when Daymond convinced Hollis native and Hip-Hop superstar, LL Cool J, to wear FUBU for a promotional campaign.”
John now appears as a panelist on the ABC show “Shark Tank.” The southern man still wears his FUBU shoes and continues with his Confederate flag, unaware. Watch his show:
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