Who ?

Toms shoes, a recent company founded in 2006 by Blake Mycoskie, a young American entrepreneur. Find more about the company on its website and on their Facebook, YouTube or Twitter.

What’s the utility ?

For any pair of Toms shoes you buy, the company offers one to a child in need.

Here is the first “one for one” example we see on this blog but it appears to be more and more commun. To reduce the risks of having podoconiosis for children, a serious disease that can be avoided by the simple fact of wearing shoes, Toms shoes give a pair to a child in need. In 2010, 4 years after the creation of the company, Toms shoes declared they had given more than 600,000 pairs of shoes to children in need in countries such as South Africa, Argentina, Ethiopa and even in the United States.

Even if the company produces its shoes in developing countries (Argentina, China and Ethiopa) to reduce their production costs, they respect the “local labor standards”. That seems very coherent of course but worth to mention.

This example shows clearly that brands can do their best in social and environmental challenges. This is another essential part of brand utility. The one for one model looks very efficient and offers new ways for brands to be useful in the future. By acting that way, these companies will engage the final consumers as well. The responsabilities are shared and the consumers have the opportunity to act well.

It could be useful for your friends

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Tagged: brand purpose, brand utility, one for one model, social mission, Toms shoes