- 28 July, 2026
July 28, 2026: You might think a footwear advertisement featuring a nun would appeal to only a very small audience. But Birkenstock has discovered that its connection with Catholic religious life is both longstanding and surprisingly popular online.
The German footwear brand recently joined the growing “Nun Girl Summer” trend with a playful social media campaign celebrating the humble sandal’s popularity among nuns, monks, priests and religious communities.
The campaign has quickly attracted attention from Catholic social media users, many of whom recognise the familiar sight of religious men and women wearing Birkenstocks as part of their everyday ministry.
In a video posted on Instagram on 11 July, Birkenstock features an animated, cheerful nun playing hopscotch. As she lifts her habit slightly, her Birkenstock sandals are revealed.
The company captioned the video with the line: “From hippies and punks to nuns and monks – some wear a habit, others make it one.”
The campaign was created in partnership with animator Alina Golovlova and draws inspiration from a Birkenstock newspaper advertisement from the 1980s. That earlier campaign featured smiling nuns walking together and used the memorable pun: “Get into the habit!”
The new advert cleverly brings that older idea into the age of social media.
The popularity of Birkenstocks among religious communities is not entirely surprising. Their simple appearance, practical design and durability make them well suited to religious life.
Many religious sisters and brothers spend long hours walking, working in schools, hospitals, parishes and community projects. Comfortable footwear is therefore more than a fashion choice; it can be a practical necessity.
The sandals also fit naturally with the simplicity associated with religious habits and communities committed to modest living.
For many Catholics, then, the advert was not simply a marketing gimmick. It was a humorous recognition of something they have seen in real life.
The advert quickly attracted enthusiastic responses from Catholic users, who shared their own stories about religious communities wearing Birkenstocks.
Some recalled encountering Benedictine and Cistercian sisters wearing the sandals, while others joked that their local monks and priests were already among the brand’s most loyal customers.
Religious women joined the conversation as well. One sister commented that she had been wearing Birkenstocks for decades, while another revealed that she wears them beneath her habit.
The campaign therefore succeeded in creating something increasingly valuable in social media marketing: genuine conversation based on people's own experiences.
The campaign became even more amusing when a nun decided to ask Birkenstock whether the company offered a discount for religious sisters.
Her request was met with a polite but rather predictable response: Birkenstock said it could not offer a coupon or discount code and instead directed her towards sales and promotions in her region.
That response prompted one social media user to joke: “It was good marketing until it wasn't.”
The exchange quickly became part of the fun surrounding the campaign.
Birkenstock's nun-inspired campaign works because it does not attempt to manufacture a connection that does not exist. It takes a familiar part of Catholic and religious culture and presents it with warmth and humour.
At a time when social media can often be dominated by controversy, the sight of a joyful animated nun playing hopscotch in Birkenstocks has offered something refreshingly wholesome.
For Catholics online, the campaign has also provided an opportunity to celebrate the ordinary, humorous and human side of religious life.
Perhaps Birkenstock has discovered an unexpected truth: nuns and Birks really might be a better duo than anyone expected.
Courtesy : Church Pop
Picture Courtesy : Screengrab from birkenstock (Instagram)
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