Folks Can Digg Shoes For Needy Kids

from the looooots-of-shoes dept

Tue, Nov 17th 2009 5:29pm — Michael Ho

With an offer that reminds me of the OLPC "give 1, get 1" promotion (but hopefully without the delivery complaints), Digg is selling a Digg-branded shoe, made by TOMS Shoes. For those who haven't seen its commercials, TOMS Shoes has the catchy promise (called One for One) that for every pair of shoes it sells, it gives away a pair of new shoes to needy kids in developing countries.

This bit of marketing is brilliant because it ties together a nice "reason to buy" story with a physical good (the shoes), and the whole story promotes both Digg and TOMS Shoes. Eventually, I assume Digg and TOMS could also easily create a Threadless-like store for more custom shoes (instead of T-shirt designs). The current shoe design was created by a Digg employee, but it seems possible that Digg users could submit shoe designs of their own. And apparently, TOMS shoes sells T-shirts, too, so Digg users may get to Digg/Bury some T-Shirt designs someday as well.

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Filed Under: branding, marketing, reason to buy, shoes
Companies: digg, toms

5 Comments

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IrishDaze (profile), 18 Nov 2009 @ 10:38am

Help Here, @ Home
I am truly, truly exhausted with "developing country" charities. We have plenty of people here who need food, family planning, shoes, and myriad other such necessities.

Can we please crowdsource the improvement of American lives for a change?

Please?

--insert sound of crickets--

Damn.
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Nastybutler77 (profile), 18 Nov 2009 @ 10:54am

They forgot something
It might have helped their cause if they had actually designed an apealing shoe. That thing is more hideous than a burnt turd. Good luck with that. I'd rather just make a donation to the charity than be saddled with those old man slippers. They can give BOTH pairs to the needy kids.
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Mandy Pandy (profile), 5 Feb 2010 @ 10:26am

inspiring movement
TOMS has inspired people world wide to purchase shoes in order to help the less fortunate. Yes the idea was created when Blake Mycoskie visited third world and developing countries, but the main reason I was so intrigued was because the three main places Shoe Drops focused on, basically when they give the shoes to the children, was Argentina, South Africa AND UNITED STATES. This is a solution to a problem in our own backyard. How can you not want to help? The shoes are also some of the most comfortable things I have ever slipped on my feet, and they are unique and distinguishable so that people all over the world can recognize them and ask you about the TOMS Story and what you have done to help. It is also the greatest feeling in the world when you get your order confirmation online knowing you just sent a pair of shoes to a child and ultimately probably saved their lives.
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Shoesense, 14 Sep 2013 @ 6:17am

One for one
I fully appreciate that there are developing countries and small kids that they need our help. Everyone can contribute to this by his position even a small amount of help. On the other hand, there are some stakes that try to exploit the situation on their behalf. Where is the real truth?
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Dan C, 16 Apr 2014 @ 4:22am

Shoes
We donate shoes to Africa every year. I also noticed that you can get great athletic shoes for about $ 10 at Walmart (Starter) I even bought a pair of Elevator Shoes this year, so I can look taller. https://www.7shoes.com
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