TOMS: Design Making a Difference
Design. Can it make a difference? Can it be used to do more that propagate commercialism and corporate identity? I think it can.
Design is for people, ultimately. Toms, a shoe company created to make a difference, takes this basic tenant and gives flesh to it. Not only do they design great looking shoes that are comfortable to wear (design is for people); not only do they communicate very clearly through their graphics, type, and media (design is for people); but they have also made a commitment since their origin to give one shoe—to those without—for every one shoe sold (design is for people, after all). 1 for 1 is their slogan, mission and brand message. Here is an excerpt from their website:
In 2006 an American traveler, Blake Mycoskie, befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by caring TOMS customers.
Since our beginning, TOMS has given over 150,000* pairs of shoes to children in need through the One for One model. Because of your support, TOMS plans to give over 300,000 pairs of shoes to children in need around the world in 2009.
Is it a message that is needed? Well, according to Glamor, 35% of American females own 20-40 pairs of shoes. While nearly 40% of the rest of the world own 0 (zero). How many are in your closet? I counted mine and I have 12 pair sitting in my closet (ok, more accurately on the floor in my bedroom). As a family, that number would probably skyrocket to about 50-60 pairs.
Needless to say, I think Toms message, which is in part communicated graphically, is making an impact. At lease it is in my life. So much so that, when possible, they will have my shoe business from now on because of it. Thanks Tom (or Blake). Right on ya!
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