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How to Build Creativity and Self-Expression with Your Community

Authors: Jessica Gioglio Jessica Gioglio
Posted Under: Social Media
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What do your shoes say about you?

If those shoes happen to be Chuck Taylor All Stars, chances are they tell quite a story. In celebration of 100 years of its iconic Chuck Taylor All Star Shoes, Converse recently debuted the “Made By You” campaign, which pays homage to the artistic spirit of the people who wear them.

Converse - Made By You
Image via Converse

This sentiment is brought to life in a video, where Converse tells the story of how Chuck Taylors are an extension of its customers and what makes them unique, noting, “Every scuff, stain and doodle all help shape their story.”

The campaign is reportedly Converse’s biggest campaign to date and follows a 71 percent rise in sales over the past five years. The campaign is running across the company’s social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr with a series of curated images and quotes showcasing personalized Chuck Taylor All Stars. The examples include a range of average joes and famous fans, such as Andy Warhol and Patti Smith, all with the goal of celebrating the many individuals around the globe who wear—and personalize—their Chuck Taylors with pride.

Fans are also encouraged to participate by submitting their shoes for a chance to have them featured on the brand’s social media channels. For Twitter, fans can submit with #chucktaylor, and Converse’s Tumblr has a dedicated submission form.

Converse
Image via Converse

Milestones Aren’t Just About Your Brand

It’s tempting to focus on your company when celebrating a milestone, but Converse understands that a 100-year milestone wouldn’t be possible without its passionate supporters. The key here is to deeply understand your community, tap into their passion points, and invite them to join the celebration in a way that adds value.

Leverage Your Community to Tell Your Story

It’s one thing to celebrate a major milestone, but pairing the moment with a customer-generated storytelling initiative is both smart and inspiring. With “Made By You,” seeing how people style and decorate their Chucks translates into a powerful story. Fans can share ideas and learn from one another, all while deepening their connection with the brand. Asking fans for a description and sharing their words in quote form with each image also adds to the storytelling experience.

Not All Good Campaigns Have to Come to an End

My co-author of The Power of Visual Storytelling, Ekaterina Walter, wisely said, “Don’t just create marketing campaigns, build tribes! Inspire movements!” Fight the urge to get sucked into a campaign mentality and prioritize creating remarkable experiences. If fans love sharing and seeing creative examples of how people decorate and style their shoes, why should this have an end date? According to Ian Stewart, VP of global marketing at Converse, it won’t. In an interview with Digiday, Stewart said, “This campaign isn’t going away anytime soon and doesn’t really have an official end date. This is just the beginning, and we expect that Chucks will continue to be ‘Made By You’ for some time to come.”

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