My teenage son introduced me to TOMS shoes.  While the styling and comfort were appealing, the thing that really made these shoes desirable to Bradley and his friends was the fact that for each pair purchased, TOMS would give a new pair to a child in need of them.  From it’s inception, TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie, had a vision not for a Brand but for a movement.  It is working, since it’s beginning in 2006, TOMS has given away over one million pairs of shoes.

TOMS clearly understands how to leverage the digital space to it’s advantage.  TOMS Facebook page connects its followers not with dry corporate-speak advertising but with thousands of follower-generated photos and stories.  Just one tab away, I am able to join the movement by purchasing a new pair of TOMS shoes.  On the TOMS website, my ability to share with my social network is at every level of the site, all the way down to an individual pair of shoes.

By integrating the Facebook “Like” button at the product level, I am able to highlight my involvement with the TOMS movement and encourage my friends to do the same.

Finally, the simplicity of the shoes, invites the individual to make them their own by embellishing with paint, pens, thread, etc. further connecting the consumer to the Brand.