Footwear brand Toms is building up hype for its annual One Day Without Shoes campaign with a mobile application for iPhone and Android devices.

The Toms app is aimed at creating a digital hub of content that users can download to learn more about the April 10 event. The app is available for free download in Apple?s App Store and Google?s Android Market.

?Mobile apps offer variation to the message distribution strategy, and work especially well when there is a location-based component to the campaign,? said Marlon Rodrigues, director of marketing at Polar Mobile, Toronto.

?In this case, there are specific sites that Tom?s is highlighting so the app becomes a utility when fans are away from their large-screen computer,? he said.

Mr. Rodrigues is not affiliated with Toms. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Toms did not respond to press inquiries.

Toms is a retailer known for its canvas shoes and the mission of giving one pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair sold.

If the shoe fits
The Toms One Day Without Shoes app aggregates digital content about the campaign.

When users open the app, they are prompted to watch a video that explains the one-day campaign to users. The video features Toms founder Blake Mycoskie, who serves as the main public figure of the brand.

On April 10, Toms is encouraging consumers to not wear shoes for the day as part of a bigger call to action to educate the public on how many children in the world do not have the resources to wear shoes.

By aggregating all the information in one place, the app creates a community for passionate Toms users.

Users can download a digital tool kit via the app to promote the campaign in their local communities. Participants can also find events happening across the United States on the day of the campaign.

Consumers can also upload their own pictures of themselves in support for the cause.

Digital toolkit
Toms has an active social media following with more than one million Facebook ?Likes? and Twitter followers on each platform. Therefore, the app is loaded with opportunities for users to share content via social media.

Users can spread the word about the campaign by sending status updates via Facebook and Twitter directly through the app. Additionally, the news section of the app includes tweets with the hashtag #WithoutShoes.

The goal of the app is to equip supporters of the campaign with the digital tools they need to prepare and spread the word about the One Day Without Shoes event.

The campaign also has a dedicated microsite - http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/ - and by combining content from the site into the app, Toms is able to promote the cause across two digital screens.

A single-purpose app such as the Toms app can be an effective way for a company to build brand awareness as long as it gives users value.

?One-offs are a low risk way of testing out how a brand?s mobile-specific value proposition will work, while most that have seen success in the medium are working on building a more persistent mobile app and mobile web presence,? Mr. Rodrigues said.

Final Take
Lauren Johnson is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York