While its wearers are all free, walking ads, the brand’s advertising has done nothing to hurt their cred.

Japan, 2000.

I know it's a massive cliche, but I'm old enough to have worn Converse before they were cool. High-top black Cons were my basketball shoe freshman year in high school — not because they were cool, but because there wasn't shit-all available shoe-wise for b-ballers back then. Think Hoosiers. Frankly, they sucked — no support, not very good traction. (Sophomore year I switched to a pair of Adidas Superstar high-tops, much better.)

Since then of course, they've become the one sneaker that anybody, from the biggest asshole jock to 90-year-old Great-Grandmothers — and everybody in between — can wear comfortably and proudly. That's why Nike smartly, and rather quietly, bought them.

Their advertising worldwide hasn't done anything to hurt that reputation.
Here's some of the cooler ads.