Contact Information: For additional information contact: The Walking Company Sean Toren Marketing Manager 121 Gray Ave. Santa Barbara, CA 93101 805-963-8727 ext. 1350 Seant@thewalkingcompany.com www.thewalkingcompany.com smart USA Ken Kettenbeil Director, Communications 1765 Telegraph Rd. Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302 248.648.2582 www.smartusa.com Simple Shoes Greg Nielsen Simple Shoes Marketing Manager 495-A S. Fairview Ave Goleta, CA 93117 805-967-7611 x592 www.SimpleShoes.com Sierra Club Johanna O'Kelley Licensing Director 85 Second Street San Francisco, CA 94105-3441 Phone: (415) 977-5631 www.sierraclub.org
Win One of Four Smart Vehicles -- The Walking Company and Simple Shoes to Give Away Popular Cars During Eco-Friendly Promotion
Leading Retailer of Comfort Footwear Partners With smart USA and the Sierra Club for Exclusive Launch of Eco-Friendly PlanetWalkers(TM) by Simple Shoes
| Source: The Walking Company, Inc.
SANTA BARBARA, CA--(Marketwire - June 10, 2008) - The Walking Company (NASDAQ : WALK ), the world's largest specialty retailer of comfort footwear, today
announced partnerships with smart USA (NYSE : PAG ) and the Sierra Club for
this summer's "Think Smart, Be Planet Friendly" promotion which will also
feature the exclusive launch of Simple Shoes' (NASDAQ : DECK ) new
eco-friendly line of comfort footwear -- PlanetWalkers. Simple's new
PlanetWalkers will be exclusively available at The Walking Company during
the promotion running from mid-July through the end of August. The
partnerships with smart USA, distributors of the smart line of vehicles,
and the Sierra Club, America's largest grassroots environmental
organization, are geared to bring attention to environmental stewardship
issues among consumers and generate excitement by offering a chance to win
a new fuel efficient car every week during the month of August.
"We've always believed that comfort footwear is a smart choice and we're
proud to offer our customers the best comfort brands from around the
world," said Andrew Feshbach, CEO of The Walking Company. "When we can do
that and offer the same quality with eco-friendly products we want to make
a very big deal of it. That's what the 'Think Smart, Be Planet Friendly'
event is all about."
The Walking Company has partnered with smart USA to give customers a chance
to win one of four smart fortwo vehicles during the month of August. From
its initial conceptualization to today's manufacturing, smart has adhered
to strict Daimler AG (stock exchange abbreviation DAI) environmental
guidelines in an effort to protect the environment, reduce energy
consumption and innovatively preserve natural resources. "Think Smart, Be
Planet Friendly" will heighten awareness of the benefits of the ultra-low
emission vehicle and encourage more planet friendly transportation
decisions.
PlanetWalkers, the most comfortable and eco-friendly shoes on the planet,
maximize the use of environmentally sensitive materials while providing
premium comfort benefits. All PlanetWalkers are made with leather from
ISO14001 and British Leather Consortium (BLC) certified tanneries that have
made a commitment to sustainable improvements in their processes. Removable
footbeds with molded arch support are made with Ortholite and recycled
ground car tire. Innovative use of eco-friendly materials like recycled car
tires, bamboo fabric, cork, recycled compression molded EVA, and recycled
metal alloys make PlanetWalkers the leader in sustainability in comfort
footwear.
"PlanetWalkers are for those who want to tread lightly on the planet
without compromising comfort and style," said Angel Martinez, CEO of
Deckers Outdoor Corp. "The Walking Company is the ultimate venue for
premium comfort footwear and we're very pleased that their 200 stores and
online presence will serve as the launch vehicle for this exciting new line
of planet friendly comfort shoes."
The Walking Company proudly supports the Sierra Club's efforts to preserve
and protect the planet. "Our club has a century-old commitment to
exploring nature on foot and planet friendly comfort footwear is an
important step in lessening the impact on the environment," said Johanna
O'Kelley, director of licensing for the Sierra Club. "We appreciate the
support The Walking Company has provided our organization and we are
excited for the opportunity to help educate consumers on great ways to
explore, enjoy and protect the planet."
About The Walking Company
The Walking Company, Inc. is the world's largest specialty retailer of high
quality comfort shoes and accessories and is dedicated to bringing
customers the best brands from around the world, featuring premium brands
such as
ECCO, Mephisto,
Dansko, and UGG
among many others. The Walking Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of
The Walking Company Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ : WALK ), sells its products
through 200 stores in premium malls across the country as well as The
Walking Company catalog and Web site. More information is available at
www.thewalkingcompany.com.