DANA POINT, CA: TOMS, a "movement-driven business" active in sectors from shoes to eyewear and coffee, has progressed in these various categories thanks, in large part, to fostering a sense of community online.
Zita Cassizzi, chief digital officer at TOMS, discussed this theme while presenting at the Association of National Advertisers' (ANA) Digital & Social Media Conference.
TOMS' rise to prominence was aided by its distinct "One for One" model: every time a customer in a nation like the US purchased a pair of shoes, another pair was donated to someone living in an emerging market.
"We're a movement-based business," said Cassizzi. (For more, including other tips for connecting with millennials, read Warc's exclusive report: TOMS Shoes: five basic best practices for purpose-driven marketing.)
As a result of the company's core positioning, she continued, "community takes on a special meaning. Who are these guys? They're our customers; they're our potential future customers.
"They're leading this omni-channel and omni-connected world. They're 82m strong, between 18-to-24, and we know them well because they really have spread [information] about TOMS with a word-of-mouth [effort]."
According to TOMS' analysis, more than 80% of this demographic in America now utilise a smartphone and three-quarters make daily posts on social media.
To reflect the manner in which their mobile and social media habits are today effectively intertwined, Cassizzi's team has coined a new term: "mocial".
"We want to be social in our mobile, and mobile in the way we socially connect … and we do it early and do it fast," she said.
"These customers are expecting for you to be where they are … the moment that they want [to engage]. They're expecting this connection from you right away."
While TOMS has been able to stand out in a crowded marketplace, Cassizzi also warned the conference delegates that building a genuine sense of community is no simple task.
"Today, with lots of noise and distraction, this is very, very difficult to do," she said.
Zita Cassizzi, chief digital officer at TOMS, discussed this theme while presenting at the Association of National Advertisers' (ANA) Digital & Social Media Conference.
TOMS' rise to prominence was aided by its distinct "One for One" model: every time a customer in a nation like the US purchased a pair of shoes, another pair was donated to someone living in an emerging market.
"We're a movement-based business," said Cassizzi. (For more, including other tips for connecting with millennials, read Warc's exclusive report: TOMS Shoes: five basic best practices for purpose-driven marketing.)
As a result of the company's core positioning, she continued, "community takes on a special meaning. Who are these guys? They're our customers; they're our potential future customers.
"They're leading this omni-channel and omni-connected world. They're 82m strong, between 18-to-24, and we know them well because they really have spread [information] about TOMS with a word-of-mouth [effort]."
According to TOMS' analysis, more than 80% of this demographic in America now utilise a smartphone and three-quarters make daily posts on social media.
To reflect the manner in which their mobile and social media habits are today effectively intertwined, Cassizzi's team has coined a new term: "mocial".
"We want to be social in our mobile, and mobile in the way we socially connect … and we do it early and do it fast," she said.
"These customers are expecting for you to be where they are … the moment that they want [to engage]. They're expecting this connection from you right away."
While TOMS has been able to stand out in a crowded marketplace, Cassizzi also warned the conference delegates that building a genuine sense of community is no simple task.
"Today, with lots of noise and distraction, this is very, very difficult to do," she said.
Data sourced from Warc