Agency Little BIG Engine Revels in Opportunity to Use Humor in Creating New Brand Character
With almost 900 shoe brands in the U.S.—and a lot more across the globe—it’s safe to say that footwear sales is one of the most competitive categories on the planet. Consequently, shoe brands need to pull out all the stops to keep from drowning in a sea of competition. Fortunately, KURU Footwear not only has a powerful unique differentiation, but they also now have an agency helping them get noticed—Little BIG Engine—and a hilarious new character at the center of their most recent brand performance initiative.
KURU’s mission is to free the world from foot pain, and they believe health starts with the heel. Their patented technology gives them bragging rights to claim theirs are the Healthiest Shoes on Earth so you can Heel Better™ thanks to KURU’s revolutionary heel-hugging KURUSOLE technology.
KURUGURU Foot Tease
KURUGURU Text-A-Pic
KURUGURU Fashionable Foot Pain Relief
KURUGURU Diabolical Caller
KURUGURU Meet The Guru
“KURU’s patented heel design puts them in a category of their own,” agency Executive Creative Director/Founder Patrick Maravilla points out. “They’re fashionable athletic foot-pain relief.”
Founded in 2008, KURU is frequently noted as one of the best and fastest growing online shops as well as a pioneer in eliminating foot pain.
“We needed to get a younger generation suffering from active foot pain to know about KURU and like the content enough to learn more. This led to creating the KURU GURU, a woman so blown away by the pain relief of KURU, she wants the world to know about them. Creating the KURU GURU has been one of those rare opportunities in advertising in which you get to create a brand character that’s fun, honest and irreverent. Can’t wait to see what people think of her,” says Preston Van Dyke, KURU CMO.
This is the first major initiative for the agency, and they have been charged with building KURU to dramatically break through in culture beyond user-generated content and social ads. The campaign launches throughout the U.S. in mid-February and will run indefinitely. Creative includes five OOH and a :60 introduction of KURU GURU with :60, :30, and :15 spots to follow. It will appear in online ads, CTV, YouTube, Hulu, website integration and texts.
Maravilla realizes that online shoe brands are everywhere, noting, “We needed to break through to help people see KURU isn’t just a shoe brand but a patented pain relief that looks great and feels amazing.”
KURU CEO Bret Resmussen is proud of the campaign. “Working with Little Big Engine on this campaign has been an incredible experience. We set out to create something memorable—an ad that doesn’t just showcase KURU shoes but sparks a conversation about a superior way to foot health and sells shoes! We can’t wait for people to see it.”
About KURU Footwear
KURU Footwear is the inventor of heel-first footwear, built on the belief that health begins with the heel. Every pair is designed to fight the flat world we walk, run, play and live on. Their patented KURUSOLE technology, which dynamically flexes to hug and protect the natural shape of your heel—serves as the foundation for both pain prevention and relief. Since launching in 2008, KURU has grown from a bold vision to a leader in foot health, selling more than two million pairs of shoes that put your heels first. With an expanding lineup of pain-relieving footwear for men and women, KURU continues to redefine comfort and innovation in footwear. For more information, visit www.kurufootwear.com.
About Little Big Engine
Little Big Engine is a Salt Lake City hybrid creative agency and production company that specializes in helping brands make brand creative they can hold accountable for business results. www.LittleBigEngine.com
- Client: KURU
- Campaign Title: THE KURU GURU
- Execution Title:
- Agency: Little Big Engine
- Creative Director Copy: Patrick Maravilla
Creative Director Art: Brandt Lewis - 3D Visual Effects Lead: Kevin Brown
- 3D Motion Designer: Craig Bishop
- Production Company & City: Monarch, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Director: Little Big Engine
- Executive Producers (production co): Nik Hill, Scott James
- Director of Photography: Munn Powell
- Post Production & City: Monarch, Salt Lake City, Utah
- Editorial Company & City: Monarch, Salt Lake City, Utah
Kuru Credits:
CEO: Bret Rasmussen
CMO: Preston Van Dyke
Brand Director: Bryce Allen
