Published: August 01, 2011
SKECHERS Announces Endorsement Deal with Former NYC Marathon Winner and Olympic Medalist Meb Keflezighi
MANHATTAN BEACH, Calif. - (BUSINESS WIRE) - SKECHERS
USA, Inc. (NYSE:SKX), a global leader in the footwear industry and
the number two athletic footwear brand in the United States*, today
announced that it has signed an agreement with distance runner Meb
Keflezighi to endorse SKECHERS
Fitness performance footwear and apparel in a worldwide multiple-medium
marketing campaign.
Keflezighi will be running in the World Marathon Majors (including the
2011 ING New York City Marathon), road races, and Olympic Trials through
August 2012 exclusively in SKECHERS
Fitness performance footwear featuring the Company's innovative
SmartShoe mid-foot strike technology for serious athletes and active
enthusiasts. Keflezighi will also be consulting on the development of
performance product and SKECHERS
expects to coordinate the launches of exciting new competition-ready
running lines with his professional racing appearances.
"SKECHERS' new performance shoes change the way I run for the better,"
said Keflezighi. "I've been a heel strike runner my entire life, but I
am now wearing SKECHERS to maximize the efficiency of my foot strike. My
shoes are my most essential piece of equipment and right now SKECHERS
has the footwear I need to succeed. I'm excited to be partnering with
this groundbreaking company."
"Meb is a rock star in the running world and the fact that he trusts our
revolutionary running product to carry him across the finish line is a
huge win for our position in the performance arena," added SKECHERS
president Michael Greenberg. "As an Olympian and professional athlete,
Meb brings real gravitas to SKECHERS performance footwear that will
inspire runners around the world to experience our mid-foot strike
technologies for themselves."
Meb Keflezighi gained international attention when he beat the odds to
win a silver medal in the marathon after a dramatic race at the 2004
Summer Olympics in Athens. Seventy days later, he placed second in the
prestigious 2004 ING New York City Marathon. Despite a potentially
career-ending injury during the 2008 Olympic Trials, Meb surprised the
track and field world again by winning the 2009 ING New York City
Marathon-the first American to do so in 27 years. Currently the most
decorated United States distance runner, Meb is the former American
record holder in the 10,000 meters, a 20-time national champion, and the
greatest distance runner in UCLA history.
In 2010, Meb released his inspiring autobiography, "Run To Overcome"
(Tyndale House Publishers). He's also the founder of the MEB
Foundation-an organization that promotes "Maintaining Excellent Balance"
through healthy action and positive lifestyle choices to school-aged
children.
SKECHERS Fitness' campaign with Meb Keflezighi is planned for a Holiday
2011 launch, and will include print, television, outdoor, in-store and
online marketing as well as event appearances for SKECHERS fitness
footwear and apparel.
The SKECHERS Fitness Group offers athletic footwear that features
numerous cutting-edge patented technologies for running, training and
walking. With a wide range of styles released under Resistance,
Shape-ups and Tone-ups lines, SKECHERS Fitness products meet the needs
of everyone from the casual enthusiast to the serious athlete. Currently
in development, the new performance running and training footwear will
debut for Holiday 2011. Men's and Women's SKECHERS Fitness lines are
available in sporting goods, department and specialty athletic stores
around the world.
ABOUT SKECHERS USA, Inc.
SKECHERS USA, Inc., based in Manhattan Beach, California, designs,
develops and markets a diverse range of footwear for men, women and
children under the SKECHERS name, as well as under several uniquely
branded names. SKECHERS footwear is available in the United States via
department and specialty stores, Company-owned SKECHERS retail stores
and its e-commerce website, and over 100 countries and territories
through the Company's global network of distributors and subsidiaries in
Canada, Brazil, Chile, and across Europe, as well as through joint
ventures in Asia. For more information, please visit www.skechers.com.
*Sporting Goods Intelligence, July 25, 2011
This announcement may contain forward-looking statements that are
made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities
Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include,
without limitation, any statement that may predict, forecast, indicate
or simply state future results, performance or achievements, and can be
identified by the use of forward looking language such as "believe,"
"anticipate," "expect," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "project," "will
be," "will continue," "will result," "could," "may," "might," or any
variations of such words with similar meanings. Any such statements are
subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those projected in forward-looking statements.
Factors that might cause or contribute to such differences include
international, national and local general economic, political and market
conditions including the global economic slowdown and market
instability; entry into the highly competitive performance footwear
market; sustaining, managing and forecasting costs and proper inventory
levels; losing any significant customers, decreased demand by industry
retailers and cancellation of order commitments due to the lack of
popularity of particular designs and/or categories of products;
maintaining brand image and intense competition among sellers of
footwear for consumers; anticipating, identifying, interpreting or
forecasting changes in fashion trends, consumer demand for the products
and the various market factors described above; sales levels during the
spring, back-to-school and holiday selling seasons; and other factors
referenced or incorporated by reference in the Company's annual report
on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2010 and the Company's
quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the three months ended March 31, 2011.
The risks included here are not exhaustive. The Company operates in a
very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks emerge from
time to time and the companies cannot predict all such risk factors, nor
can the companies assess the impact of all such risk factors on their
respective businesses or the extent to which any factor, or combination
of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those
contained in any forward-looking statements. Given these risks and
uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on forward-looking
statements as a prediction of actual results. Moreover, reported results
should not be considered an indication of future performance.

SKECHERS USA, Inc.
Jennifer Clay
310-937-1326
Copyright © 2012, Business Wire, Inc., All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2012, NewsBlaze,
Daily News