In 2022, Birkenstock experienced record sales, partly attributed to the pandemic-induced lockdown and surge in popularity of “ugly” shoes. Despite high consumer awareness, the brand’s true purpose wasn’t being communicated or understood by consumers.

Birkenstock faced a significant challenge in shifting its brand perception from being solely a shoe company to a recognized leader in foot health. Despite its inventing the footbed, an insole that was a milestone in podiatry and the foundation of modern footwear, the brand was often known more for fashion than its unique approach to functional footwear.

To address this challenge, Birkenstock launched its first global paid media campaign to raise awareness about foot health and emphasize its commitment to designing shoes aligned with the foot’s natural anatomy. The aim was to educate consumers on the connection between foot health, overall well-being, and issues caused by ill-fitting shoes.

Recognizing the need for the right partner to solve this challenge, Birkenstock strategically partnered with The New York Times, not only because of our journalistic expertise but also our ability to provide an investigative lens to culturally relevant and engaging topics. This can be seen in our editorial work exploring the intersection of science, culture, and lighthearted subjects, such as coverage of viral phenomena like “The Dress,” which sparked debates about color perception, or the “Yanny vs. Laurel” auditory illusion, showing an ability to take a playful approach to underexplored, scientific topics like foot health.

Overall, our partnership presented an opportunity to weave these narratives together, leveraging Birkenstock’s popularity as an “ugly” shoe and reframing it as an engaging and educational campaign that promotes foot health, and draws on The New York Times’ expertise in exploring the connections between science, culture, and public understanding.

Our creative approach to this campaign came in the context of the rise in popularity of conventionally unattractive shoes, such as ‘Dad Shoes,’ Crocs and Balenciaga’s unconventional sneakers. Global pandemic-induced lockdowns accelerated the functional footwear trend, as people sought comfort while staying at home. This ignited a cultural moment that Birkenstock, a shoe brand that champions foot health, could take advantage of in a post-lockdown world.

Our campaign showed that Birkenstock was not just another brand capitalizing on the “ugly” shoe trend. Rather, Birkenstock had a higher purpose behind its design; it is “Ugly for a Reason.” This message resonated with consumers, especially those prioritizing health and wellness in a post-lockdown world.

“Ugly for a Reason” was a way to reposition the brand as beneficial to people’s well-being. It is Birkenstock’s first-ever global brand campaign that tackles the importance of foot health by bringing it to the forefront of public consciousness and revealing the critical role Birkenstock plays in maintaining it.

Through a three-part video series, newspaper cover wraps, audio spots, digital ad takeovers and social extensions, the campaign educated audiences on the importance of footwear in maintaining foot health. Grounded in Birkenstock’s ethos that footwear should be designed for functionality not fashion, the ad campaign demonstrated how its shoes are designed for a higher purpose – to complement human anatomy. With striking visuals and insights from distinguished scientists, orthopedic experts and historians, the investigative video series explored the importance of feet in human evolution, how we can all protect the health of our feet and the story of how Birkenstock disrupted the entire footwear industry.

The campaign utilized documentary storytelling techniques to feature scientific experts and cultural figures from the realms of fashion, sport, and entertainment to reveal the truth behind Birkenstock’s seemingly “ugly” appearance.

By linking Birkenstock’s product to a larger cultural conversation around health, and timing it with the rise of ugly looking shoes, our campaign successfully communicated the importance of foot health to consumers linking it back to this iconic brand. As a result, it helped Birkenstock connect with a wider audience who valued both style and foot health, improving their brand perception and making it well-received among consumers.