diff --git a/examples/helpers/mail_example.py b/examples/helpers/mail_example.py
index f6905787..f52719e3 100644
--- a/examples/helpers/mail_example.py
+++ b/examples/helpers/mail_example.py
@@ -316,7 +316,8 @@ def build_kitchen_sink():
     mail_settings = MailSettings()
     mail_settings.bcc_settings = BccSettings(False, BccSettingsTo("bcc@twilio.com"))
     mail_settings.bypass_list_management = BypassListManagement(False)
-    mail_settings.footer_settings = FooterSettings(True, FooterText("w00t"), FooterHtml("<string>w00t!<strong>"))
+    # Footer text and HTML also accept strings directly.
+    mail_settings.footer_settings = FooterSettings(True, "w00t", "<strong>w00t!</strong>")
     mail_settings.sandbox_mode = SandBoxMode(True)
     mail_settings.spam_check = SpamCheck(True, SpamThreshold(5), SpamUrl("https://example.com"))
     message.mail_settings = mail_settings
diff --git a/sendgrid/helpers/mail/footer_settings.py b/sendgrid/helpers/mail/footer_settings.py
index 1b0efeb1..cfbaadb0 100644
--- a/sendgrid/helpers/mail/footer_settings.py
+++ b/sendgrid/helpers/mail/footer_settings.py
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+from .footer_html import FooterHtml
+from .footer_text import FooterText
+
+
 class FooterSettings(object):
     """The default footer that you would like included on every email."""
 
@@ -7,9 +11,9 @@ def __init__(self, enable=None, text=None, html=None):
         :param enable: Whether this footer should be applied.
         :type enable: boolean, optional
         :param text: Text content of this footer
-        :type text: FooterText, optional
+        :type text: FooterText or string, optional
         :param html: HTML content of this footer
-        :type html: FooterHtml, optional
+        :type html: FooterHtml or string, optional
         """
         self._enable = None
         self._text = None
@@ -45,7 +49,7 @@ def enable(self, value):
     def text(self):
         """The plain text content of your footer.
 
-        :rtype: string
+        :rtype: FooterText
         """
         return self._text
 
@@ -54,15 +58,16 @@ def text(self, value):
         """The plain text content of your footer.
 
         :param value: The plain text content of your footer.
-        :type value: string
+        :type value: FooterText or string
         """
-        self._text = value
+        self._text = (value if value is None or isinstance(value, FooterText)
+                      else FooterText(value))
 
     @property
     def html(self):
         """The HTML content of your footer.
 
-        :rtype: string
+        :rtype: FooterHtml
         """
         return self._html
 
@@ -71,9 +76,10 @@ def html(self, value):
         """The HTML content of your footer.
 
         :param value: The HTML content of your footer.
-        :type value: string
+        :type value: FooterHtml or string
         """
-        self._html = value
+        self._html = (value if value is None or isinstance(value, FooterHtml)
+                      else FooterHtml(value))
 
     def get(self):
         """
diff --git a/test/unit/test_footer_settings.py b/test/unit/test_footer_settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1e6bfc1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/unit/test_footer_settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+import unittest
+
+from sendgrid.helpers.mail import FooterHtml, FooterSettings, FooterText
+
+
+class FooterSettingsTests(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_string_constructor_arguments(self):
+        footer = FooterSettings(True, 'footer', '<p>footer</p>')
+        self.assertEqual(footer.get(), {
+            'enable': True, 'text': 'footer', 'html': '<p>footer</p>'})
+
+    def test_string_property_assignment(self):
+        footer = FooterSettings()
+        footer.text = 'footer'
+        footer.html = '<p>footer</p>'
+        self.assertEqual(footer.get(), {
+            'text': 'footer', 'html': '<p>footer</p>'})
+
+    def test_empty_strings_are_preserved(self):
+        footer = FooterSettings(False, '', '')
+        self.assertEqual(footer.get(), {
+            'enable': False, 'text': '', 'html': ''})
+
+    def test_wrapped_values_are_preserved(self):
+        text = FooterText('footer')
+        html = FooterHtml('<p>footer</p>')
+        footer = FooterSettings(text=text, html=html)
+        self.assertIs(footer.text, text)
+        self.assertIs(footer.html, html)
+        self.assertEqual(footer.get(), {
+            'text': 'footer', 'html': '<p>footer</p>'})
+
+    def test_none_clears_properties(self):
+        footer = FooterSettings(text=FooterText('footer'),
+                                html=FooterHtml('<p>footer</p>'))
+        footer.text = None
+        footer.html = None
+        self.assertEqual(footer.get(), {})