Name Game #13: Name That Brand

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The Name Game has stumped even the savviest brand experts. See if you can guess the famous company or product name described in each game below.

5 clues. 1 famous brand name. 0 shame in defeat.

Game #13: Name That Brand

  • They’re sneaky
  • Canvas the area
  • Off on the wrong foot
  • The right strides
  • Women and children first
  • Click through for the answer…

    Answer #13: Keds

    Keds classic white sneakers (Clue #1) have been an American staple for almost a century. From the beginning, rubber-soled shoes with canvas uppers (Clue #2) filled a distinct consumer need. The brand bowed in the latter half of the 1910s when the U.S. Rubber Company opted to consolidate its 30 footwear brands under a single umbrella. When the company’s first-choice name – Peds, Latin for “foot” (Clue #3) – proved unavailable, Veds and Keds were selected as runners-up, with Keds winning out due to its stronger “K” sound. The brand lost ground in the 1970s, when running took off and sneakers segmented into individual sports, and Keds was sold to Stride Rite (Clue #4) in 1979. The brand marked a stunning turnaround in the mid-1980s, credited to its repositioning as a shoe for women and children (Clue #5). Today, the Keds line encompasses sneakers, casual shoes, sandals, boots, and more.

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