Non-profit Soles4Souls asks North Americans to walk in its recipients’ shoes
The national awareness campaign from FUSE Create shows how a simple pair of shoes can open the door to opportunity, hope, education, and a future
As anyone who has ever walked into a room wearing a cool pair of kicks can attest, a good pair of shoes can help a person feel not only comfortable, but confident and ready to take on the world.
However, the sobering fact is that nearly three-quarters of North American children say that shoes are their biggest need, and not owning a good pair of shoes has been proven to negatively impact school attendance.
To promote the idea of equitable footwear for everyone, Nashville non-profit Soles4Souls is hoping to promote awareness and donations with its first-ever North American campaign. Developed by Toronto agency FUSE Create, “Doors of Opportunity” is built around the shopworn store saying “No shoes. No shirt. No service,” and demonstrates the transformative power of providing footwear and clothing for those in need.
Anchored by a 60-second video, the campaign demonstrates how proper shoes and clothing helps turn “No” into “Yes,” while opening the door to opportunity, hope, education and a future for vulnerable children, youth, and adults.
The spot opens on a young girl waking up and going through her morning routine, with subtle but unmistakable signs that her family is struggling financially. There are shots of her meagre collection of torn and frayed shirts and the nearly empty fridge. The spot then cuts to her putting on a threadbare pair of sneakers. As she prepares to leave her house, she is stopped by a sign on her door that reads “No shirt. No shoes. No opportunity,” a spin on the signs commonly seen at businesses.
As she hesitates at the threshold, a super appears on screen: “Proper shoes and clothing can increase school attendance by 97%,” and urges viewers to “Help turn no into yes and give kids in need a brighter future.” The spot concludes with a close-up shot of the girl confidently stepping outside in a new pair of sneakers, accompanied by a request for donations at Soles4Souls.org.
“We know that a new pair of shoes can have a profound impact on a child’s life, especially as they prepare to return to school,” says Buddy Teaster, CEO and President of Soles4Souls. “It may seem simple, but the power of a pair of shoes is a step towards a brighter future for someone in need.”
The first phase of the campaign, which debuted on July 22, uses a media mix that includes a robust social media buy, digital, OOH and influencer partnerships. Campaign elements will also be leveraged at donation drives in Canada and the US this summer. A second phase of the campaign will launch later in the year.
“In North America, 72% of children report that shoes are their greatest need, and when they receive a new pair, school attendance increases by 97%. That’s powerful,” said Steve Miller, ECD at FUSE Create. “Through this campaign we turned a well-known business sign on its head to highlight the issue, bring it close to home and demonstrate the dramatic impact proper shoes and clothing can have on people’s lives.”
About Soles4Souls
Soles4Souls turns shoes and clothing into educational and economic opportunities. Our programs, 4Opportunity, 4Relief, 4EveryKid and 4ThePlanet, aim to make a positive difference on the planet and in people’s economic, educational, physical, and psychosocial well-being. Since 2006, more than 94 million pairs of shoes and pieces of clothing have helped create opportunities for people across 137 countries. Soles4Souls is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, with Regional Donation Centers and warehouse locations around the world. Visit soles4souls.org for more information.
About FUSE Create
Based in Toronto, Canada, FUSE Create (fusecreate.com) is a full-service independent creative agency that believes when you fuse smarts + imagination, whether in a campaign, a culture, a process, or a person, everything is possible. And that belief creates, invents, and permeates throughout the agency and the award-winning work, that aims to do one thing; Turn Heads. FUSE Create earned the #3 Small Agency spot in Canada in 2021 and is a member of Worldwide Partners (worldwidepartners.com), one of the world’s largest networks of independent advertising agencies.
Credits:
Campaign Title: Doors of Opportunity
Client: Soles4Souls
Chief Marketing Officer: Rod Arnold
Vice President, Strategic Communications: Jamie Ellis
Creative Director: Jessica Ortiz-Lang
Agency: FUSE Create
Executive Creative Director: Steve Miller
Copywriter: Mike Furlong
Art Director: Patrick Carter
Director, Strategy and Brand Innovation: Lanny Geffen
Director, Creative Strategy: Jacquie Kostuk
Creative Strategist: Madison Rogers
Group Account Director: Jade Kleinman
Account Supervisor: Aya Darwiche
Account Director: Ashley Sommerville
Group Media Director: Rita Steinberg
Junior Planner: Lenore Cohen
Digital Media Manager: Alex Lu,
Manager, Marketing & PR: Vanessa Francone
PR Coordinator: Erin Quick
Director of Production: Anthony Mayes
Integrated Producer: Terra Stephen
Production Company: Skin & Bones
Executive Producer: Joan Bell
Director: David Quinn
Photographer: Jake Killorn
Music and Sound Design: TA2
Executive Producer: Dana Gadsden
Producer: Drew Thomas
Audio Engineer: Oliver Wickham
Editorial Company: Married to Giants
Executive Producer: Amanda Henry
Editor: Mallory Robbins
Assistant Editor: Korben Lirette
Colour Transfer: Alter Ego
Colourist: Lily Henry
Producer: Spencer Butt
Online Edits: Jonny Ames, Wingman
Post Production: Wingman
Online Editor: Jonny Ames
Producer: Airees Angellakis
Photographer: Jake Killorn
Audio Design: TA2
Executive Producer: Dana Gadsden
Producer: Drew Thomas
Audio Engineer: Oliver Wickham
Media Agency: FUSE Create
Media Agency: Legends
SVP Digital: Heather Klein
Director, Digital: Nick Falk
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