So often, I like to highlight a particularly creative campaign that I feel can be a paradigm for marketers in any industry.
Last week iconic sneaker brand Converse launched its “Made by You” campaign, which celebrated 100 years of Chuck Taylor All-Star shoes. Once worn by an estimated 90% of NBA players on the courts, the favored sneaker enjoys great popularity today, with everyone from cash-strapped millennials to mainstream hip-hop artists touting the cultured kicks.
I’m drawn to this campaign because it’s a great example of how to entangle customers’ personal stories into the brand narrative. Rather than simply creating a promotion that solely honors the sneaker’s centennial, the Nike-owned company instead crafted a campaign with several moving parts: Chuck Taylor murals and art displays across the globe, video ads, and perhaps the most prolific prong, the #ChuckTaylor hashtag, which brand lovers can use to share their personal Chuck stories. Everyone from small-town, underground bands to popular artists are posting Chucks with their individual stories and thoughts, in effect creating a sort of social consortium of Chuck Taylor images.
The campaign has no official end date and allows Chuck lovers to extend the brand’s story with their own. Here you’ll find just few of those fun tweets that I’ve culled from Twitter. They’re personal and poignant, and some are downright quirky and mysterious.
Really proud to be part of this great @Converse campaign #madebyyou pic.twitter.com/1WfhgCA2ZV
— Cavan Mccarthy (@cavanNG) March 2, 2015
“I live life like an adventure.” #chucktaylor made by Rosa Linda Medina pic.twitter.com/ql71SfFw49
— Converse (@Converse) March 5, 2015
“Never conform and never stop searching.” #chucktaylor made by Logan Zilmer pic.twitter.com/L968j6aW0h
— Converse (@Converse) March 5, 2015
“Lil rebellious flower…” #chucktaylor made by @supreme_phi pic.twitter.com/XVwJW9cfNq
— Converse (@Converse) March 4, 2015
“Seek the way by retreating within.” #chucktaylor made by @samaritan_press pic.twitter.com/Zs8rGLCUqI
— Converse (@Converse) March 4, 2015
“I’m the answer to unasked questions.” #chucktaylor made by @ronenglishart pic.twitter.com/M5foNbjxF9
— Converse (@Converse) March 3, 2015
“Doodling is my rock and roll.” #chucktaylor made by @BeckyOfWeltonia pic.twitter.com/G2UMm8jdHP
— Converse (@Converse) March 2, 2015
“Presented the future in the past.” #chucktaylor made by @JeremyDThreat pic.twitter.com/Wh3cUlM4Xc
— Converse (@Converse) March 4, 2015
“I see myself in the movies.” #chucktaylor made by Michel Arluk pic.twitter.com/hOENTm0TAk
— Converse (@Converse) March 4, 2015