It's gotta be the shoes

A Sarasota firm with U.S. distribution rights for Blackstone shoes, a popular canvas-style brand in Europe, found some unusual partners for its latest marketing initiative: Retired basketball superstar Shaquille O'Neal and the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.

O'Neal and Friedman's Shoes, an 85-year-old store in downtown Atlanta, gave away vouchers for a free pair of Blackstone shoes to 1,000 fans at two recent Hawks games. “We are so excited to be a part of this amazing giveaway in partnership with Shaq, the Atlanta Hawks and Friedman's Shoes and hope that the winners enjoy the whole Blackstone experience,” says Peter Cochran, who runs Blackstone USA, in a release.

Blackstone shoes were created in the Netherlands in 1992. The firm says its handcrafted shoes and boots are made to last for years. There are lines for men and women, and prices range from $100 to $300.

Cochran and his wife, Susan Cochran, signed a deal with Blackstone in 2006 to sell the shoes in the United States. In an interview with the Business Observer in early 2012, Cochran said the firm, with about $500,000 in annual sales, faced a challenge that confronts many entrepreneurs: To find the perfect fit customer without going too niche or too mass market.

The deal with O'Neal, to use a celebrity for quick-marketing hits, looks like a step in the right direction.