Toms Shoes Uses Cause Marketing to Grow its Brand

Blake Mycoskie, the founder of Toms Shoes, has hit on the perfect fund-raising pitch for his shoe-giving charity. The idea has soulful simplicity: For every pair of rubber-soled "alpargatas" shoes Mr. Mycoskie sells to the affluent, he gives away a pair to someone who needs it. When it comes to "cause marketing," — the pairing of a product or brand with a social mission — Mr. Mycoskie is a pace-setter.