Stride Rite + Melissa & Doug.
A co-branded sweepstakes built around the moment every parent waits for — baby's first steps — turned into 11,544 entries and zero paid media spend.
entries in 18 days
national retail brands
paid media spend
One milestone, two brands, zero shared audience data.
Stride Rite needed to reach parents at the exact moment their toddler starts walking — the single highest-intent moment to buy a first pair of shoes. Melissa & Doug wanted the same parents, without competing for the same ad dollars.
Built the #walking101 sweepstakes around a shared moment, not a shared product.
We paired Stride Rite's Soft Motion shoes with a Melissa & Doug walking toy in a single co-branded prize, then built one entry mechanic — share a photo of your toddler's new moves — cross-promoted through both brands' owned social and email channels. No media buy required.
11,544 entries in 18 days, entirely organic.
The mechanic gave parents something they already wanted to share — their kid's first steps — which meant the entry itself was the marketing. Both brands walked away with a warmer list and a template for their next collaboration.
The Creative
One photo prompt, two brands, first steps.
The #walking101 entry mechanic asked parents for the thing they already wanted to share — a video of their toddler’s first steps — pairing Stride Rite’s Soft Motion shoes with a Melissa & Doug walking toy in the prize itself.