When expectant dad Caio Torres Instagrammed a photo of himself in his Thorogood boots in the hospital delivery room awaiting the birth of his second son this past February, the post gave birth to a unique idea by the Wisconsin-based work brand: Here was a heartfelt, genuine example of Thorogood product in a customer’s everyday life. Why not help that customer commemorate an event worth celebrating? To thank the family for making the brand’s work boots part of a milestone in their lives, Thorogood rewarded them with a free photoshoot.
For Torres, donning Thorogoods was no publicity stunt. The Massachusetts-based HVAC sheet metal mechanic, a foreman in the Sheet Metal Workers Union Local 17, has worn the boots for years, both on and off the job. So when his wife, Kelsey, started to have contractions early one winter morning, “I knew it was go time and grabbed all my necessities,” he recalls. “I naturally grabbed my Thorogood boots. It’s what I do every day, without thinking.”
When they reached the hospital, the couple sat in triage for a while before being moved to the delivery unit. “That’s when I posted a picture of my feet kicked up wearing my boots with a comment stating that baby number two was on the way,” Torres explains. “Not long after, our healthy baby, Kai, was born.”
He tagged the brand, and when Thorogood’s social media team and agency partners spied the post, they were instantly captivated.
“Honestly, it just made us smile. Here’s a guy in a hospital delivery room, about to become a father for the second time, and he’s wearing the same boots he laced up that morning for work,” says Bianca Boettcher, marketing director for Thorogood. “We loved that it was just a hardworking dad getting ready for the day, the same way he always does, only this time in the delivery room.
“We talk a lot as a brand about our product being part of people’s daily lives, and this was about as real an example as you’ll ever find,” Boettcher continues. “It felt right to simply recognize the moment and make sure his family had a way to hold onto it.”
So Thorogood reached out to congratulate Torres and to thank him for making them part of his life. To show their gratitude, they offered him a newborn/family photo shoot.
“The experience was amazing,” Torres says. “We never had one with our first son, Luca, so we were ecstatic. We are so grateful for what they did for us. A small gesture like paying for a family and newborn photoshoot really shows how much Thorogood cares about their consumers.”
Though the brand has sent boots, gear, and other product to tradespeople who show up every day and take pride in their craft, “We can definitely say this is the first time we’ve arranged a newborn shoot,” says Boettcher. “His story just happened to come with a moment that allowed us to do something a bit unexpected. With the family’s blessing, the brand plans to publish a profile of Caio Torres on its website as part of its Lacing Up With series and to share the story and images across Thorogood’s social channels.
“It confirmed something we already believed but don’t always get to see so clearly: Our boots aren’t just jobsite equipment, they’re part of how people move through their lives,” says Boettcher. “Caio didn’t set his work identity aside when it was time to go. He walked into that delivery room the same guy he is on the job, and his Thorogoods were right there with him. For us, the takeaway is simple. The best brand stories are the ones that already exist. You just have to be paying attention. And when you see one, your job is to honor it.”
Torres, whose specialty is installing ductwork for HVAC systems per specs and details designed by engineers, learned his trade as a teen. “I love what I do for a living,” he says. He finds Thorogood the perfect footwear for the job because of “how quickly the quality leather breaks into your feet.”
You can see Torres’ work on Instagram @sheetmetalHVAC.
The best brand stories are the ones that already exist. You just have to be paying attention. When you see one, your job is to honor it. —Bianca Boettcher, Thorogood
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