No longer expected to simply perform as a mechanism for the consumer market place, marketers are now tasked to produce a message that satisfies the public’s growing demand for a company that not only provides value in a product/service offerings, but one that does so in a socially responsible manner (Kotler & Keller, 2012). Even more so, simple acts of socially responsible behavior do not guarantee a positive reception by the public. In many cases, attempts to convey the results of a company’s social efforts have often been met with criticism and reserved skeptical acceptance (2012). TOMS and People Water are two examples of for-profit businesses that have constructed socially responsible practices as the very framework of their business DNA.
Founded in 2006, TOMS was created by Blake Mycoskie in response to his interaction with impoverished children in Argentina. During his participation in the television reality show, The Amazing Race, Blake became aware of the fact that large segments of the world’s adolescent population do not have access to shoes to protect their feet. In an attempt to address the monumental need, Blake developed TOM’s One-for-One business strategy that provides one free pair of shoes to a child in need with every consumer purchase. Further developing the brand through efforts in cause marketing, “any type of marketing effort for social and/or charitable causes, including in-house marketing efforts by non-profit organizations” (Tribby, 2014), TOMS quickly established itself as not only a successful shoe design/manufacturer, but a company motivated and directed by a desire to improve the lives of all people. Since its inception, TOMS has given more than 35 million pairs of shoes to children, and has expanded its product line to include eyewear (TOMS, 2014). To counter consumer skepticism and encourage continued consumer confidence