It’s not every day you launch a business with a waitlist of 40,000 customers eager to get their hands on your product. But for the Brooklyn-based shoe company, Atoms, that’s exactly what happened when they opened shop this past May. Founded by Waqas Ali and Sidra Qasim, Atoms offers a unique value prop: minimalist shoes that actually fit. “Atoms are the world’s first shoes to come in quarter sizes,” explains co-founder Waqas Ali. “Since 60 percent of people have one foot that’s bigger than the other, Atoms also allows customers to buy different sizes for their left and right foot.” So how did Atoms spread the word about their shoes? Through powerful storytelling, and of course, video. We spoke to Waqas Ali to learn more.
How important is video for you in spreading your message?
At Atoms, we’re really focused on storytelling. It starts by telling the story about our products. We also want to go beyond that and share stories about what people are doing in their Atoms. Video plays an important part in that approach. It allows us to create rich experiences that are visually and intellectually stimulating — and fun.What are some of your goals for the videos you make?
In the same way that we obsess about every detail in our shoes, we obsess about every detail of our videos. Our number one objective is to create the highest quality content that people genuinely find interesting, whether that’s highlighting some of the unique features in our shoes or showcasing emerging creatives. We set really high standards for all of our creative output, then do our best to exceed those expectations.How are you measuring success for your videos?
Quantitatively, we pay attention to traditional metrics, such as views, likes, and comments. We’re also concerned with qualitative measurements: how do we as a team feel about it? How do people in our community, whose opinions we respect tremendously, feel about it? We’re building a brand that can stand the test of time, and that’s reflected in the way we create our content.
Do you use any Vimeo tools to help make, distribute, host, or measure your videos?
Atoms and Vimeo have a similar commitment to quality and good taste. The Vimeo player is top-notch, and the password protection tools allow us to securely send links to team members while videos are still a work in progress. We also use collaboration tools to securely get feedback from all the important stakeholders in our video projects. Collectively, these features help us make sure that every detail of our videos is considered before they’re publicly released.
