Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Toronto

Challenge
In October 2009, The White Ribbon Campaign (WRC) hosted Toronto’s inaugural Walk A Mile In Her Shoes® event. While this fundraising event is popular in other North American cities, it had never before been executed by the WRC and so required an overarching marketing strategy for its Toronto debut. The event, targeted at men and boys, and asked participants to literally walk a mile in the downtown core while wearing ladies’ high heel shoes. Espresso was selected by the WRC as the Walk A Mile In Her Shoes® Agency of Record.

Strategic Approach
The WRC wanted a brand identity that was strong, compelling, and classic. Espresso developed an identity that pulled together the WRC’s existing colour scheme with iconic elements from the event. The strength of the Walk A Mile logo came from its use of a modified shoe, which depicts a silhouette of a man in the cut-out line between heel and sole. This logo communicates both the mechanics of the Walk A Mile event and its target audience.

Execution
Espresso produced two versions of a PSA advertisement for the Walk A Mile campaign. The 15- and 30-second spots depict a man working out—with the final scene revealing he is prepping himself to walk in heels at the Walk A Mile event. The PSA aired in Yonge and Dundas Square and in TTC stations across the city. Stills from the PSA were also used in print posters—again showcasing the Walk A Mile actor mid-high heeled work out.

Online, the Walk A Mile website was simple and sharp, informing visitors about the event while also showcasing the PSA and photos from other Walk A Mile events across the world. It allowed participants to register for the event and donate to The White Ribbon Campaign.

Results
The Walk A Mile event raised $83,000 for The White Ribbon Campaign and was covered by all of Toronto’s mainstream media outlets, including special segments on Breakfast Television and CosmoTV.