TOMS Shoes has, in recent years, become a popular franchise with its trendy footwear and slogan “One for One”, meaning that for every pair of shoes they sell, they will donate a free pair to a needy child living without shoes. This slogan is TOMS Shoes’s outstanding point of difference that launched the brand into the category of a social enterprise.
In April 2012, TOMS Shoes launched a campaign called “One Day without Shoes” which was to spread awareness of all the children in the world who live without shoes. Their video was received with much critique, and rightly so. “One Day without Shoes 2012” though it raises awareness, promotes no action that should be taken other than not wearing shoes for one day. With the power and influence that the company has, shouldn’t they do more than just raise awareness? In addition to that, TOMS Shoes also disrupts the local market by giving free goods and stealing the sales of the local residents who sell shoes, making poverty even more prominent and rendering them more desperate for donations. In other words, should poor countries be taught how to be self-sustaining or forced to rely on outside aid forever?
In my opinion, TOMS Shoes provides a great service with a good intention, but perhaps they may be going about it the wrong way, and can use some new ideas building on their concept of just giving. Then, I would consider TOMS as an effective social enterprise.
