Expensive brands are often touted as being higher quality, trendier, and all around better than their discounted counterparts. But, Payless is here to shatter that belief. Their latest advertising campaign features fashion experts praising shoes from the discount retailer. Here’s the hilarious catch: they had no idea they were promoting the brand. Payless decked out a store in all the tell-tale signs of a luxury brand: bright lights illuminating products, unnecessary statues, and a ridiculous name. Through this, they became Palessi and invited fashion experts to their grand opening. Check out what went down.
The unsuspecting shoppers paid up to $600 for a pair of shoes that sell at Payless for less than $30. The store sold $3,000 worth of shoes before coming clean to their invitees who were shocked! They were able to keep the shoes and get their money back. It makes for a really great ad!
Does this say something bigger about why we value certain products? Does a flashy storefront and a high price tag automatically make consumers think a product is worth it? Let us know what you think in the comments!