Uniqlo looked to build relevance with “The Welcome Store,” a pop-up that tested Canadians reputation for being generous and inclusive. Having just arrived in Canada, Uniqlo wanted to see if the nation was made up of people who would give someone (in this case, an immigrant) the shirt off their back. The fashion retailer focused on one of its most popular garments (and Canada's unofficial uniform), a flannel shirt. Working with Rethink, the brand opened a completely empty store, and left Canadians to fill it up. Every visitor received a Uniqlo flannel shirt and one choice: they could keep the shirt, or hang it up on the wall for a new Canadian.
An impressive 97% of visitors decided to give up their shirt to be donated to a new immigrant, an experience that was filmed for a video online. Flannel shirts were also sent to local influencers, which helped add to the campaign’s tally of 14 million impressions and 1.4 million video views.