TOMS Shoes pulling at consumers’ heart strings
Oct 6th, 2011 by sammiechan
Toms Shoes founder, Blake Mycoskie, personally putting on a pair of Toms on a child
Take a look around the UBC campus. How many girls (and sometimes guys) are wearing Toms? Numerous.
So why are people choosing to wear this certain type of light weight canvas footwear? The answer is simple: it’s stylish, comfortable, and charitable. Toms shoes , founded by Blake Mycoskie, is a for-profit organization with the principle of “One for One”. With every pair of shoes sold, the company donates a free pair for shoes to child in need. Although the company is for-profit, according to LA Times, the company has only turned a marginal profit. With corporate citizenship being a new business trend, Toms is smart in embracing this as a marketing tactic. Companies are now involved in charitable organizations one way or another, for example, Pepsi and it’s new Pepsi Refresh Project.
Although consumers can choose to purchase cheaper canvas shoes elsewhere, Toms has creatively positioned itself in the consumer’s mind. They have established their points of difference from their competition, making Toms unique from other footwear or social entrepreneurship companies. People are appealed by the idea that they can fit in with the trend, support a child’s need for shoes, and wear comfortable shoes all by purchasing a pair of Toms.
Article: http://www.latimes.com/features/lifestyle/la-ig-greentoms19-2009apr19,0,1059085.story
Official Store website: http://www.toms.com/
Picture: http://whereamiwearing.com/2011/04/06/toms-shoes/
I do agree with this marketing tactic, many companies now take on this social responsibility, for instance, moving away from simply child labour to becoming more environmental friendly.
Similarly, Coca-cola has recently introduced its new icon in protecting polar bears in northern Canada and Arctic. Although Coke is not any new product, but by positioning a stronger image – that by purchasing a can will be donating money to WWF, consumers are attracted by this notion and idea.