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21-SEP-2025 | Timberland’s “You can buy other shoes” Ad

Author

Dan Bogachek
September 21, 2025

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Timberland’s “You can buy other shoes” Ad

You can buy other shoes and pretend they’re made by Timberland.

You can also pretend your feet aren’t wet.

A little rain is all that’s needed to see the difference between these Timberland boots and shoes and those which only look the part. Because it’s unlikely you’ll find an imitation that is guaranteed waterproof. Timberland makes this promise because our original boot is infused with a waterproofing agent during the leather’s tanning process instead of after. A costly procedure not many shoemakers are willing to imitate. Likewise our Weatherbucks feature waterproof glove leather linings and latex sealed seams. Something you may not discover on the look-alikes. All of which makes it hard to imagine anything but real Timberland boots or shoes actually going outside. 🏁

  • 1-3 combo — jab, hook. Both starting with “you.” And the hook (the “feet aren’t wet" part) gets you straight into pain territory.

  • The rest of the copy spends its time in the “how.” Each line is a sign pointing to the core idea: “if you don’t buy Timberlands your feet will be wet, because no one else can guarantee waterproofing like us.”

  • Note how there’s a slight hint of “why” infused with “a costly procedure not many shoemakers are willing to imitate.” What is this really saying? “We’re willing to do it right even if it costs more because we hold ourselves to a certain standard.”

  • Note the regular comparison back-and-forth between Timberland and the other guys. The cuts to the other guys are punchier, and they don’t add imagery. They’re used almost as if they were punctuation.