NEW YORK – The sneaker brand Keds announced what they called a “brand refresh” this week. The Keds shoe brand has an updated logo in a newer shade of blue, in a promotional push coming after DSW’s purchase of the rubber shoe pioneer from Wolverine Worldwide. “The brand refresh is rootedMORE HERE

Merrell Wolverine Gridway

ROCKFORD, Mich. – The shoemaker and outdoors brand Merrell is setting up a contest and awards contents for individuals or teams who have “shown perseverance at work in the unexpected, ever-changing outdoors.” “Merrell exists to share the simple power of the outdoors with everyone,” said Elizabeth Czachorski, brand marketing managerMORE HERE

A BrandlandUSA reader asked about the history of America’s Number One Heel. The heel brand was O’Sullivan; it was the invention of Humphrey O’Sullivan, of Lowell, Mass., in 1896. O’Sullivan attached pieces of rubber to his shoes to ease leg fatigue. From then on, consumers have sought tech solutions toMORE HERE

BROOMFIELD, Colo. – Crocs, Inc. (NADSAQ: CROX), the footwear company, said in a press release today that it had filed lawsuits against 21 companies alleging infringements of its registered trademarks. The lawsuits, filed in multiple U.S. District Courts, seek monetary damages for violations relating to Crocs’ three-dimensional trademark rights. Defendants namedMORE HERE

GOLETA, Calif. – The shoe brand Hoka One has hired two for key design positions. Evie Moe is the brand’s first senior director of apparel. Moe has 20 years of experience in apparel, ranging from performance running to lifestyle and swimwear and most recently served as the vice president of designMORE HERE

St. LOUIS – The walls of Cracker Barrel always have amusing signs, all real. One brand we saw along at one on I-95 in South Carolina were Alox Shoe Laces. Alox was founded by John Frier (1895-1974), who in 1919 invented a new way to make shoelaces by crimping aMORE HERE

BrandlandUSA reader, Bill O’Neill of the St. Louis firm of Senniger Powers LLP, alerted us to this image from a 1930’s Cat’s Paw package. It was the image that was filed with the USPTO when the trademark was renewed in 2006. Shoes are much better (and less slippery) when theyMORE HERE