20 Jul Rack Room Launches Real People Project Campaign
Rack Room Shoes for more than a decade has featured real customers – instead of professional models – in all of its seasonal advertisements, selected through the retailer’s annual Models Wanted contest. The family footwear retailer plans to evolve the initiative with the launch of The Real People Project
The new content-driven campaign aims at celebrating the unique lives of Rack Room Shoes’ customers through authentic storytelling.
“Whether it’s one of adventure, heartbreak or simplicity, all of our customers have a special story to tell,” said Rack Room Shoes Senior Director of Marketing Jan Mauldin. “Like Models Wanted, The Real People Project places the customer at the heart of our business, but now, with an added dimension. We aren’t just featuring individuals and families – we are building a personal connection by exploring their remarkable everyday life stories in an authentic and personal way.”
Beginning in fall 2015, Rack Room Shoes began requesting its customers share images of themselves through the retailer’s online and social media channels. From a pool of thousands of entrants, the company conducted a series of interviews to uncover the ordinary and extraordinary events in the everyday lives of its customers. Rack Room Shoes has hand-selected four individuals for the 2016 campaign and will introduce the first Real People Project subject next week.
A production crew will travel to each person’s hometown to capture the essence of their story to share with the retailer’s online communities through a collection of images and videos. Rack Room Shoes will also award each winner with a tailored prize package, custom created to further each person’s unique passion or dream.
“The campaign is designed to create compelling and experiential content that celebrates the lives of the customer and encourages ongoing engagement with our online audiences,” said Mauldin. “We look forward to knowing and sharing the accomplishments and ambitions of the people who shop in our stores.”