FEED YOUR SOLE.Kyle James & Maria Buitrago

CREATIVE BRIEFWHAT’S OUR TASK?We are communicating because Shoe’s Cup and Cork is looking to expand its consumer base and increase the number of people coming into the shop. Our assignment is to reach out to a new segment of customers in a unique edgy way.

WHO ARE WE TALKING TO?We are mainly talking to the “hipster” population in northern Virginia and Washington D.C. These people are the creatives amongst their peers and are always looking for the newest space with a great vibe.

WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?Our problem is that Shoe’s is starting to lose customers to the big coffee chains. The opportunity is to use the fact that chain coffee stores are popular now against them.

WHAT’S OUR GOAL?Our communication should cut through the clutter that exists in coffee house marketing right now and compete with the giant chains of the coffee industry. It will do this by focusing on the uniqueness of Shoe’s and with text-heavy advertisements that are countering the trend of image-based advertising.

What is the strategic idea?The strategic idea is to poke fun at the things that make the giant coffee chains who they are while positioning Shoe’s as an independent coffee shop where people can come in and feel welcomed.

How will we support it?• We will support this idea through some cheeky humor to make the coffee chains sound

ridiculous and Shoe’s sound like an obvious option.• We will also feature some things that makes Shoe’s stand out amongst its competitors

in the ads.• We will create a fun, eye-catching color scheme that sticks out amongst the subdued

color schemes some coffee chains use.

Must-do’sWemustuseeasilyidentifiableexamplestopokefunat.Wemustalsomakesureourpromotion of Shoe’s doesn’t get lost in the humor surrounding the coffee chains.

Creative considerationsChain coffee shops do so much to stand out… Isn’t it nice to have a coffee shop who does things simply and gets them right?

Deliverables & MEdiaThe deliverables are three print ads that will run in regional magazines that focus on the northern Virginia, Washington D.C. area. There will also be one social media activation that will run on Facebook, Twitter, and Vine.

PRINT PLACEMENT

Posh Seven MagazineRepresentative of the finest that Northern Virginia’s suburbs have to offer, Posh Seven (formerly I

Am Modern) can attract younger female readers to Shoe’s Cup and Cork, with a loyal blog following

and trusted reviews.

Northern Virginia Magazine

Northern Virginia Magazine reaches the widest and most diverse audience in the NoVa area, with extremely reliable dining reviews. Placement in Northern Virginia Magazine will help to launch Shoe’s in the public consciousness in an area where Starbucks and Caribou Coffee locations abound.

SOCIAL MEDIAWhat’s your ridiculous coffee order?What’s your ridiculous coffee order? A SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST

Love Shoe’s? Want a chance to win free coffee for a month? Tweet the most ridiculous coffee drink order you can come up with @shoescupncork with #shoesorlose for your chance!

PROCESS WORK

THE PITCH

Primary researchWe took a look inside Shoe’s itself, tasted its coffee and doughnuts (all for research, of course). We also consulted its online presence, including the website, Facebook, and Twitter pages. With these sources, we got a feel for the history and personality of Shoe’s Cup and Cork, and understood what kind of customers Shoe’s is looking for.

Secondary researchOur team also read through review sites like Yelp, read news articles from the opening of Shoe’s Cup and Cork, and read social media responses on Facebook and Twitter. We made sure to get all the details down before sitting down to brainstorm ideas.

target market profileDanny is a 26 year-old poet from Reston, VA. He lives in an apartment building in Reston Town Center with his two roommates, Mark and Roger, (a painter and a musician) and is constantly looking for a new, relaxing place to focus on writing new poems while enjoying a hot beverage and a tasty pastry. Danny is willing to travel to the place if the vibe is right and spend hours there crafting his poems until he is completely satisfied with them.

Goal and objectiveThe goal of the campaign is to increase the number of people who come to Shoe’s. The objective of this campaign is to target the alternative and creative crowd and persuade them to visit Shoe’s over the “mainstream” coffee shops.

START HERE

strategyHow do we plan to reach these young creative types? By poking fun at the coffee places they do know and simultaneously offering them something better, simpler.

The promiseWe promise that Shoe’s is more than a coffee shop—it’s a haven in the heart of Leesburg, with delicious coffees, fresh homemade pastries, and an atmosphere that makes you feel like more than just another coffee shop patron. Customers at Shoe’s are welcome, period.

the big ideaFeed Your Sole

Our big idea centers on the notion that Shoe’s offers more than just the coffee or quick pastry that will take you through your morning. Shoe’s is all about the details, from the homemade pastries to the footrests sourced from the original shoe repair shop that Shoe’s used to be. Shoe’s fulfills more than just utilitarian needs—it takes care of the soul.

CreativeOur creative choices reflect the tone and spirit of our message, namely that Shoe’s Cup and Cork feeds the soul. The pun in the tagline adds a bit of humor and interest, and the large text blocks as graphics catch the eye. The aesthetic of the ads reflects the hand-drawn, coffee-shop look of the interior of Shoe’s and gives readers a hint of its small-town charm. Our copy contains a little jab at big coffee chains while still remaining on-brief with the wholesome vibe of Shoe’s.

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