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And/Or's film for TOMS tells the story of how the world's first 'one for one' company has evolved

New York production studio And/Or has created a short film for TOMS shoes that explains how the company has evolved and its dedication to social good.

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Based on TOMS' 2019 Impact report, it balances playful yet serious tones. It also uses a mix of techniques including live-action, tabletop, portraiture, design and animation, And/Or has delivered a video that feels like a cohesive, authentic part of the brand.

While many explainer videos can feel flat, generic, or overly serious, And/Or's approach proves how a vital message can be delivered in a creative way that doesn't compromise a brand's personality or the importance of its message.

As the Original 'One for One' company, TOMS mission has always been to use business to improve lives. In the beginning, that meant for every pair of shoes sold; they'd give a pair away. TOMS is now evolving its giving model to include shoes and impact grants, which enables them to develop lasting partnerships with the organisations they support, creating a more flexible and sustainable way of giving. Now, for every $3 they make, they give $1 away.

TOMS approached And/Or to help them communicate their new model. The resulting work uses a mix of archival content, newly shot material – which exclusively features TOMS employees – and bold design and animation.

And/Or's Kelli Miller, who directed the film, says: "A good explainer video doesn't just clue audiences into the facts, it offers them a chance to get to know the company they're interacting with on an emotional level, too. That balance of tone between personable and serious is something we really focused on."

Using ephemera, meaningful objects, authentic portraits and helpful hands of TOMS employees, And/Or communicated that this giving model was a group effort over time, and ensured that the change in the TOMS 'giving' structure was a clear takeaway.

"More than anything, we wanted our work to reflect the ethos and culture of TOMS giving, to keep partners and real TOMS employees front and centre, and to convey the work real employees put in every day to make giving happen," adds Miller. "We also created a visually consistent 'graphically evolved' look and feel that could find playful moments among the serious message and feel unique and ownable to TOMS voice.

Flat lay of TOMS branded items and social cause badges on a beige background, including a staff lanyard, peace hand pins, "No Bully" speech bubble and "United Voices of Peace" sticker.
Six TOMS employees smiling at the camera against a bright blue background for the TOMS Giving Team
A child wearing a bandage over one eye smiles while an adult adjusts the bandage, with another person visible in the background against a brick wall
TOMS employee gesturing expressively upwards against a colourful abstract mural backdrop in the explainer film
Hand holding a slide showing the Karuna Trust organisation amongst other charity and project slides laid out on a white surface
Group of cyclists riding down an urban street with their arms raised in celebration, wearing TOMS branded clothing
Woman and child holding a bicycle decorated with ribbons at a community event outside a brick building
Two people embrace at an outdoor community event, with cyclists and crowds visible in the background
Group of schoolchildren wearing white TOMS shirts and black skirts standing outdoors in a line
Two people arrange letter tiles spelling "BETTER TOMORRO" on a lightbox against a blue background
Burgundy TOMS slip-on shoe with ribbed fabric upper and cream-coloured sole, displayed against a neutral beige background
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