Can you help us find Mike Myers?
That鈥檚 the question Baggins Shoes, a Victoria staple since 1969, is asking in their bold new social media campaign. The team is hoping to send a custom pair of Converse sneakers to the famed Canadian actor after his appearance on Saturday Night Live (SNL) in early March. Myers wore a shirt that read 鈥淐anada鈥檚 Not For Sale,鈥� and the phrase quickly went viral.
But Baggins wanted to do more than just create another piece of merchandise. They focused on creating one-of-a-kind sneakers with a clear, fun message: 'Elbows Up'.
鈥淚t was a phrase we felt had energy, and something we could actually do something cool with,鈥� said Tara Savrtka, owner of Baggins Shoes. 鈥淲hen we saw the response after Mike鈥檚 appearance on SNL, we knew we had an opportunity to do something special. Elbows Up isn鈥檛 just a slogan. It鈥檚 part of our Canadian identity, something people can really rally behind.鈥�
The phrase Elbows Up comes from Canadian hockey legend Gordie Howe, who is famously remembered for his resilient and gritty play. He would head into the corners with his raised elblows a focal point to fend off any opponents.
This served as a symbol of strength, resilience, and the Canadian spirit 鈥� something Baggins felt perfectly captured the message they wanted to send with their shoes.
But it wasn鈥檛 just about making shoes; it was about getting them to Myers.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 want to just send him a pair of shoes and hope for the best,鈥� Savrtka explained. 鈥淲e wanted to create a fun, grassroots campaign."
Baggins made the strategic decision to leverage social media to amplify their message. While it would have been easy to just tag Mike Myers directly, they wanted to make it more interactive and get people involved.
The shoes are custom Converse sneakers with the Elbows Up phrase printed boldly across the side. They also feature a maple leaf, a clear nod to the Canadian pride that drives the campaign. As for the T-shirts, the team decided to do something a little different there, too. They printed the phrase Elbows Up on the elbows of the shirts, a design choice that Savrtka herself is particularly excited about.
鈥淚 really love the shirt. We haven鈥檛 seen anyone else put Elbows Up on the elbows, and it just feels like a fun way to embrace the spirit of it,鈥� Savrtka said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e definitely printing some for ourselves. It鈥檚 something I鈥檓 personally really excited about.鈥�
The campaign has resonated with Canadians and Myers fans alike, but it鈥檚 also a way for Baggins to make a statement.
鈥淎s a Canadian company, we鈥檙e proud of our heritage,鈥� Savrtka said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been in business for 56 years now, and we want people to know we鈥檙e Canadian first.鈥�
This campaign has a deeper meaning for Baggins, and it鈥檚 one they hope will inspire others to take pride in their roots.
鈥淭here鈥檚 been a lot of well-known Canadian celebrities who have chosen to stay silent or fade into the background,鈥� Savrtka added. 鈥淏ut it鈥檚 refreshing to see someone like Mike Myers use his platform to show his support for Canada. It鈥檚 important for all of us to stand up for what we believe in.鈥�
Beyond the campaign itself, the company is also navigating its own transition from a downtown storefront to an online-only business.
鈥淲e鈥檝e been online for over 20 years now, so it wasn鈥檛 a huge shift for us," Savrtka noted about their move from an in-person store to just online.
For those looking to purchase their own Elbows Up Converse, Baggins is offering them on their website. The shoes take about 10 days to create, while the T-shirts will be available in a few weeks.
Savrtka is hoping the shoes make it to Myers soon, but she鈥檚 also excited to see the reaction from Canadians who are rallying behind the campaign.
鈥淲e鈥檝e already seen a great response, with a lot of people sharing our video and engaging with the posts. It鈥檚 been really fun to see it take off. Now, we鈥檙e just hoping that with a little more push, we can get the shoes to Mike and see him rocking them,鈥� Savrtka said. 鈥淎t the end of the day, it鈥檚 all about showing support for Canada and having fun with it.鈥�
And if Mike Myers happens to see the campaign? 鈥淎 photo would be great,鈥� Savrtka laughed. 鈥淏ut a video of him with the shoes would be even better.鈥�
