• by Sarah Mahoney  @mahoney_sarah, August 14, 2024

In the latest move to show how easily it walks in the footsteps of America’s favorite people, Skechers has signed Howie Mandel as a brand ambassador. The comedian is best known for his role as the host of “America’s Got Talent,” and as with any reality-show personality, there’s a bit of back story.

Mandel was shopping in a Los Angeles-area Skechers store and got caught trying to score a discount by claiming he was a Skechers ambassador—when he wasn’t. A helpful clerk, sure there was some kind of mistake, took a photo, only to find that, nope, Mandel wasn’t on the list. But it got the brand’s attention, and the LA-based company signed him up and made an ad about the story.

“America’s got Skechers—and now Skechers has Howie Mandel! The way we found him buying our new Skechers Hands Free Slip-ins was so funny, we’re making it his inaugural Skechers campaign,” says Skechers CEO Robert Greenberg in its press announcement. Greenberg, who was on the receiving end of the clerk’s photo, says that while Mandel is known for his magnetic personality, it’s also nice to know he appreciates comfortable shoes.

Skechers continues to find ways to partner with a wide range of celebs, from Snoop, Martha Stewart, Mr. T and Tony Romo to musician Dojo Cat, art phenom Vexx, and multiple partnerships with athletes, including NBA basketball players Joel Embiid, Julius Randle and Terance Mann.

The marketing approach continues to pay off for Skechers, which reported a 7.2% jump in second-quarter sales last month, rising to $2.16 billion. Net earnings were $346.9 million, and diluted earnings per share were $2.24, an increase of 12.0% over the prior year. It has raised its forecast for the full year and expects to see sales of between $8.88 billion and $8.97 billion.

That comes at a time when many other apparel companies, including footwear giant Nike, are wrestling with declining sales in key markets.

“All in, we note that Skechers has displayed a tendency to buck the industry trends and drive consistent results, owing to the company's focus on comfort and value, which we believe is an isolating factor amidst the highly competitive footwear market,” writes Krisztina Katai, an analyst who follows the company for Deutsche Bank. “We are raising our estimates to account for improving back-half trends and continue to believe that the market underappreciates the strength of the Skechers brand and the company's long-term revenue and earnings potential.”