The Sneaker Phone was popularized in the early 1990s through a Sports Illustrated promotion.
In 1991, Sports Illustrated began a television campaign where consumers subscribing to their magazine received a free Sneaker Phone.
Sneaker Phones have gone on to be parodied in pop culture.
NBA player Shaquille O'Neal showed off his shoe phone in the 2005 NBA All-Star Game.[1]
Maxwell Smart, a fictional character from the TV show Get Smart, has a shoe phone.