Sunday, May 22, 2011

TOMS: What's Next?

TOMS Shoes' new campaign, Next Chapter, puts a fresh spin on the classic social media campaign model where brands ask their fans to create content. The company that donates a pair of shoes for every purchased pair is about to unveil the next chapter in its history. As it is gearing up for the big announcement, it is asking its fans what they want from the future and how they are contributing to making a difference in the world. 

Anyone who's set up one of these campaigns asking for photo and video submissions knows that content creators are far and few in between and it's a lot to ask consumers to go film something, post it and tell all their friends about it. These campaigns need inspiration. They also need a system that makes it easy for consumers to create and submit content. 

TOMS is speaking to a certain type of idealist consumer. Folks who choose their brand not just as a fashion statement, but also as a social business. These people are likely to have something to say about the future. They have hope. They have ideals. They want to make a difference. Most importantly, they believe they can make a difference. 

For this audience, telling and sharing their story would not be enough. It's ordinary. It's not that exciting. But TOMS is tapping into their ideals and giving nature by asking them to think about the future. 

Given the audience's mindset and TOMS' motivating messages, I hope we see many submissions. 

Posted via email from dotwom's posterous

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