Berliners brave the cold for Adidas ticket bargain

HUNDREDS of people braved subzero temperatures to camp out overnight in Berlin, in the hopes of buying a pair of Adidas sneakers that also offer free subway travel.

Retailing at ß180 (R2 700), the limited edition shoes bearing the design of seat covers on Berlin’s U-Bahn trains, are also fitted with an annual ticket normally costing ß761 (R10 000) sewn into the tongue of the shoe, a key draw for commuters seeking a deal.

“I came from Leipzig on Saturday and am 73rd in the queue,” Andreas Leu, who was wrapped up in a big red sleeping bag, said

“What’s most interesting is the ticket and there are only 500 pairs.”

Julian Kienst, who was standing next to Leu, said: “It helps me save quite a lot of money that I can use for other things, particularly since I don’t earn that much.”

Berlin’s public transport operator BVG produced the shoes in partnership with the German sportswear giant for the train network’s 90th birthday.

Celebrating the sneakers’ popularity in its typical ironic fashion the BVG tweeted: “Letting people wait -it’s one of our superpowers.”

The BVG’s marketing stunt, however, came under fire, with Die Welt daily calling the hype over the sneakers absurd. The conservative newspaper noted that few pairs of the shoes would likely end up on commuters’ feet as they would be more valuable if kept in mint condition as collectors’ items.

Barely minutes after the sneakers went on sale some were being offered online at up to ß1 150 (R17 200) – about six times their original price. – AFP