TOMS, the groundbreaking social enterprise, had a new ownership partner in Bain Capital in 2015. Based on research by Boston Consulting Group (BCG), the brand discovered that while most people understood their how – their One for One model – few could explain the company’s why.
Through a series of leadership and brand council work sessions and visioning exercises that included the Bain Capital, BCG teams, brand council and TOMS founder, Blake Mycoskie, we defined a shared vision for the company under this new ownership structure: To create a world where we live for one, another.
To integrate this strategy work, the We First team embedded itself in TOMS HQ for three months to launch its purpose, serve as interim CMO, and roll out its largest, fully integrated, brand campaign to date. This campaign included its first national TV ad that broke on the finale of ‘So You Think You Can Dance’ and the ‘Country Music Awards,’ supported by a print, digital and social media campaign, ushering in new day and clarified purpose for the company, shoring up its internal culture, and reaffirming its impact leadership at a time of increased competition.
We First is that truly unique partner that is as passionate as we are about business as a force for good. Through an intense period of work and introspection where Simon served as interim CMO, their team helped us define the “why” behind what we do. This was critical to the business as we looked to expand our brand and the ‘One for One’ model on the global stage. Their strategic and creative muscle helped us get to an exciting new place for TOMS so it could deliver on its mission of improving lives.”
VSP Vision (formerly VSP Global) is a leader in eyecare that was looking to elevate growth, awareness, and impact on the strength of its role in the world as the nation’s first not-for-profit vision benefits company with impact across eyewear, optics, innovation, retail, and beyond.
