Social + Viral Marketing: TOMS

Check out TOMS Shoes' holiday season project:



Companies are finding that doing good is good for business. This is definitely not a new concept. There is something compelling about a company that is engaging in service for customers--it makes the customers look good when they buy from the company. Everyone wins. Posting a video about it is also genius--it's the best way to spread the word (hey, that's what I'm doing right now!) and it's already gotten 66,000 views. Though I have to say that 66k views isn't very much nowadays, when we're talking about a couple million within a week...yep our standards are much too high now sadly.

Look at all the advocacy that's present from the comments on the page:

"heck just buying a pair to help someone who needs a pair is worth it enough! Please support this company :)"
"GOOD JOB YAY WHOEVR STARTED THIS"
"YES!!!! I LOVE TOMS!!! this is awesome!"

For several pages, all the comments are similar. For once (in a lifetime it feels like) YouTube users haven't posted snarky, douchey, dirty comments on a video. Yay! We're improving!!!1111one!!!

In all seriousness though, TOMS has it down. They aren't a ding dong ditch company as their goal is sustainable donations. They're not just doing this promotion as a holiday gimmick but have run donation campaigns all year round with their motto "buy one, donate one" to groups such as Katrina victims, children in Argentina, and other countries.