Following the successful launch of EasyTone last year, Reebok continues to take bold steps forward in the toning shoe market with its stylish new SS10 collection.
Featuring a new balance pod system invented by a former NASA engineer, Reebok EasyTone has broken online sales records since the launch in February 2009.
Independent university lab tests proved that by wearing EasyTone, a woman could generate up to 28% more butt muscle activation compared to an ordinary sneaker. An added benefit for women is that EasyTone does all of that whilst retaining the good looks and style expected from a Reebok womens shoe.
The shoe generates these results thanks to proprietary technology invented by former NASA engineer, Bill McInnis. McInnis, who now heads up the Advanced Innovation division at Reebok, spent 18 months perfecting the balance pod system in the sole of the shoe that creates natural instability with each step. This not only resulted in dramatic improvements when tested in the lab but the design was such that it could be worked into a shoe without compromising the look and style of it.
Amongst the first to experience the EasyTone effect were women in the US where the shoe has been walking off the shelves in key retailers and breaking records as the fastest selling shoe on Reebok.com. Says Head of Women’s at Reebok, Katrin Ley: “We believe every woman has the right to a nice butt and for busy women, trying to fit this into their hectic lives is not an option. Reebok EasyTone however, allows them to tone as they go about their everyday business. The combination of the balance pod technology and great styling means it’s a shoe that doesn’t compromise on style.”
How it works
Reebok EasyTone helps tone key leg and butt muscles by using advanced balance pods built into the shoe. The balance pods are designed to create natural instability with every step that a woman takes. This micro-instability forces muscles to adapt and in doing so they work harder.
How EasyTone is tested
McInnis and his team used a technique called Electromyography, which involves sensory electrodes being attached to key muscles. These sensors measure the levels of muscle activation as a woman walks. By comparing the changes in muscle activation between different types of shoes, it is possible to determine which shoes are working the muscles hardest. Over a period of several months, a cross section of women tested the shoe in this lab environment.
In these tests, EasyTone was compared with an ordinary performance sneaker. The figures to the left show the maximum increased muscle activation when using EasyTone compared to the other sneaker. Says McInnis: “The results are better than anything Reebok could have expected. I believe this is a moment we will look back on in years to come as the creation of a whole new technical category for toning footwear that not only looks good on but physically makes you look good too.”
In SS10 EasyTones are available in four styles to cover all types of activity and preference, from fitness enthusiast to casual wearer. They will be on sale at top retailers worldwide in select markets through Reebok.com.
EasyTone will be supported by a global integrated marketing campaign that will run online, outdoor, in store and in print in key markets worldwide.
EasyTone available at Reebok Shops, Selected The Athlete’s Foot, Selected Planet Sports and selected Sports Station.
