In a pre-internet world marketing was a little bit simpler. There were no multi-million pound video campaigns to promote the latest football boots. No sponsored social media campaigns, viral clips and live broadcasted launch events. Just Steve McMahon and a half page spread in the local paper. Job done.
Purer times indeed. You had to work for your Christmas list. Cutting a picture of a Dunlop advert out of a magazine required skill and effort. Far more challenging that emailing a bunch of links to your parents. Here, we jump on the Throwback Express to pick out a selection of the best retro football boot adverts. Simple fonts, one photo, one price, in the pub and three pints down by lunch. Sorted. Marketing departments had it easy. Then this little old thing called the 'internet' came along and caught on pretty well. Scroll away...
Before Andrew Cole decided he'd had enough of being called Andy. Behold, the ultimate lightweight boot. 'No ball games allowed' signs cover 'Planet Reebok' these days.
Still based in Warrington. Phone number still works. No answer though. Shame, wanted a pair of size 8 length and size 5 wide.
"Lads, everyone's down the pub already. Let's smash through this ad. Copy and paste that logo and come up with a no-nonsense tag line. Sorted. Should we have a list of stores? No time for that, taxi's outside."
"World class players like Dean Saunders." Sure.
1973/74 season. Go on PUMA.
Dem gloves. For when you're saving penalties at 3:30pm but need to plant some daffodils in your six yard box at half time.
Gary still buys his by cheque in the post.
You wore Hi-Tec at school in the 2000's and you got 9,999 minutes of vocal abuse, and quite often a good battering.
You'd still wear these now and you know it. How do we add to our basket?
That bit of yellow and green was enough to be labelled as a flash bastard.
Three Stripes. The approval mark of football cool.
Can't wait for the Mondiali 90 Collection to hit stores, especially that sweatshirt and rain-jacket combo. Coming soon. Patience friends, patience.
Still one of the best looking football boots of all time.
BUY MITRE. Or else.
Italian style, Brazilian flair, Japanese made, available in Britain. Got it? Nothing says all of those things better than getting Gary Pallister to wear 'em.
