MomKhana
Stoda, VP of Marketing for Famous Footwear, took some time to answer our questions about the new ad, how the viral video agency Shareability approached her with the concept and how women inspire her.
What gave you the idea to make the Momkhana video?
Our goal was to create a video that would be really engaging and cut through the huge amount of video content that's out on YouTube every day. We wanted to get the attention of people who might not be familiar with Famous Footwear and give them something fun to watch and hopefully share... and perhaps change their perception of Famous Footwear. We approached Shareability, knowing that they have a great track record in this area, and they came up with the idea of Momkhana — a female spin on the popular Gymkhana videos. They presented the idea to us and we embraced it.
How did your own mom inspire you growing up?
My mom was a great role model. She was completely devoted to her family and also was a highly respected nurse with a career she was passionate about — and this was at a time when "working moms" were not the norm! In addition, my father passed away when I was 14, so my mom had an even tougher job of "doing it all." She really defined independence, strength, determination, courage and compassion for me, values that I try to live by every day.
What was the most challenging aspect of the filming?
The concept for this video was so unlike anything we'd ever done before. In addition to the obvious physical challenges of the shoot — getting a minivan to do things a minivan is not intended to do — the biggest challenge was really taking that giant leap of faith and being willing to do something very different for our brand. We had to change our perspective from the more traditional, shoe-focused work we've done in the past and embrace the idea of something very different like Momkhana. We're thrilled with how it turned out!
How are you inspired by women?
I'm a pretty outspoken, passionate feminist who is inspired by women every day. For me, being a feminist means having equal opportunities and equal choices — choices to work or be a stay-at-home mom, choices to have a child or not, choices in how you dress, how you look and who you love. Women who stand up for themselves and other women, who are empowered and empower others, inspire me.
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