Social marketing is more of a philosophy than a brand strategy. Such marketing manifests itself in various forms: from direct advertising, which consumers can believe, to building strong relationships with the audience based on a standard set of values. Companies focusing on social marketing evaluate their decisions from the point of view of business prospects and a moral point of view. The focus is on the benefits of a product or service for the consumer and the positive impact on society and the environment.
For the TOMS shoe brand, corporate charity is not just a single PR campaign that should attract the audience’s attention; it is a critical component of its policy. Blake Mikoski founded TOMS in 2006, after his trip to Argentina (Mu, 2021). During the journey, the entrepreneur saw firsthand how people living in poor regions have to walk without shoes. This experience became the inspiration for Maikoski when creating a business.
Since 2006, TOMS has donated more than 100 million pairs of shoes to children in need worldwide. The brand’s optics division donated 400,000 pairs of glasses to people with vision problems who cannot see an ophthalmologist (Mu, 2021). The company has other areas of activity. So, their coffee business is involved in implementing initiatives related to access to clean water. In addition, the brand, which is also engaged in the production of bags, supports projects aimed at expanding the access of obstetricians and women from developing countries to delivery kits. At the moment, TOMS has helped more than 25,000 women.
Almost every element of the TOMS branding speaks about the social and environmental significance of the business. The company manages to tell potential consumers about its mission immediately and maintain the constancy of the brand values broadcast. The charity mission of the brand is repeatedly fixed both on the pages of the website and in various marketing materials. As a result, it is tough to think of TOMS as a shoe brand without remembering all its social initiatives.
Reference
Mu, Z. (2021). Research on the Marketing Strategy of Social Enterprises in the United States to Promote Development: The Case of TOMS in the American Market. 7th International Conference on E-Business and Applications. 193–198. Web.