No good can come from defying the laws of shoes equipped with hands-free technology, as the e-commerce footwear company Kizik shows in its first brand campaign. Built with “Hands-Free Technology in mind so the shoe design and technology work together seamlessly,” the brand’s sneakers provide an easy way for you to put them on — which means that no hands are needed.
For the “Hands Off” campaign, Kizik, together with the Little Big Engine agency, used a humorous approach to outline the weird things that happen to a guy when trying to put his Kiziks on while using hands. The spot depicts the desperate man stuck into a “hand ambush,” after having ignored the “hands-free” caption on the shoe box. Sitting down on the sofa, the man keeps using his arms in an attempt to get the shoes on. In doing this, he unconsciously triggers the anger of some random arms, which start slapping and hitting him over and over again.
The fight suddenly stops as the protagonist accidentally (and correctly) steps into one of his Kiziks, thus learning that there’s no need for additional support to get the sneakers on. The hands-free technology does all the work.
“We wanted to push Kizik into a bigger brand space without sacrificing sales. So, we partnered with Little Big Engine to create a campaign that does both,” says Alex McArthur, Chief Marketing Officer of Kizik.
According to the agency, the campaign was developed to “disrupt the startup shoe brand category on social platforms” and help educate consumers about hands-free technology and how this can be the future of footwear. The work, which was created by Little Big Engine after having won the assignment after a review, puts this idea into the spotlight by using comedy, showing the learning curve a man experiences when trying to put his Kizik shoes on while using his hands. The campaign is planned to run across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, CTV, and TV and includes direct-response (DR) advertising.
“Everyone has a learning curve when it comes to embracing new technology. When it comes to hands-free technology for shoes, we decided to take that cultural truth to a ridiculously hilarious next level,” adds Blake Brown, VP of Brand and Creative at Kizik.
“Most direct-response ads take a ‘Big Bang Theory’ approach to humor. We wanted to elevate the humor to be more like ‘The Office’,” continues Brandt Lewis, Founder and Executive Creative Director, Little Big Engine. “We developed a brand story that was funny and could still sell shoes — versus simply cracking jokes to sell shoes or putting shoes on unapproachable, gorgeous supermodels.”
The direct response film shows the protagonist being questioned by the police as part of an investigation to find out what happened to him. This is definitely something that will put a huge smile on your face; so grab some popcorn, make yourself comfortable, and hit play on the video below!
Credits:
Client: Kizik
CEO: Monte Deere
CMO: Alex McArthur
Head of Brand: Blake Brown
Director of Marketing: Brett Swensen
Head of Content: Levi Lindsay
Videographer: Matt Newey
Agency: Little Big Engine
Art Director: Brandt Lewis
Copywriter: Patrick Maravilla
Integrated Head of Video: Duff Rich
Production Company: Little Big Engine
Director: Little Big Engine
Producer: Little Big Engine
Director of Photography: Munn Powell
Post Production: Cosmic Pictures
Editorial Company: Dan Aronin