
Times are tough; tough for consumers, tough for businesses, tough for the private sector and the public sector – it’s tough for everyone. Shops have shut, people have been laid off, profits are down and this year is likely to get tougher. As a brand consultancy we thrive on helping to keep businesses booming. So, to help businesses in these tough times we’re going to write a series of articles examining creative ways businesses have built their brands and thought out of the box to stay ahead of the game.
We’re working our way through 2011 and with nearly two months under our belt I thought I’d share with you that I made a new years resolution. I’ve decided to try and be a bit more socially responsible. Just a tad.
To set the scene, imagine a large double spread Guardian infographic. It shows a spectrum, one end displays someone buying a Pret A Manger King Prawn Avocado sandwich (the sandwiches are given to charity if unsold at the end of the day) and the other end selflessly giving up all your possessions to charity and quivering under a tree at night with nothing but the warm feeling of selflessness to heat yourself up. I’d be positioned just to the right of the Pret sandwich marker. So I’m not exactly the poster boy for giving, but I’m trying my best to change my ways.
Social Responsibility is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into your (or a company’s) actions ensuring active compliance with law, ethical standards and moral behaviour/attitudes. In addition it promotes public interest by encouraging the growth and development of society at large. This would involve avoiding activities that are socially harmful (pollution and human rights violations etc) and performing activities that have positive social goals (sharing profits and sustainability). I’m going to concentrate on the latter.
A recent consumer study showed that over half of the participants were unsure of the meaning of Corporate Social Responsibility. Which is understandable, as you can’t imagine a member of the public remarking in pure brand speak, that they prefer a certain brand because of “a tactical and well handled approach to social responsiblity by building interactive brand relationships”. Nevertheless, awareness of the issue really needs to be improved, as ultimately, without people giving up their own time and money, help would not reach people in need. This has in the recent past, been highlighted by programs such as Channel 4′s “The Secret Millionaire”. It is compulsive viewing, as everyone loves an inspiring, feel good story. It’s also great PR for the business owner concerned. The same idea can be applied to brands. In the current climate of government cut backs, brands have a real chance to propel themselves ahead of the competition. Generosity – where affordable – will gain an appreciative audience. They can gain the reputation of being the honest and up front businesses, making a positive impact amidst the doom and gloom.
Take for example Waitrose. They operate a monthly “Community Matters” scheme in which each store gives £1,000 to local charities/community groups. The customers nominate these themselves each month. Then store go-ers are given a token with each purchase, they then drop the token into any of three perspex tubes, each one being a charitable organisation. At the end of the month the tokens are weighed and the money distributed amongst the organisations proportionally. It’s a simple premise, but through generosity and showing that they care, Waitrose are forging a strong link between the local community and their brand. This is a cohesive strategy, showing Waitrose are in it for the long run, rather than just making a one-off gesture.
Innocent adopted a different approach with “The Big Knit” which began in 2007. Innocent bottles were topped with tiny knitted woolen hats (brilliantly fits in with their brand image), and with each purchased, 25p is provided to Age Concern. Age Concern run a winter campaign each year to help make winter warmer for thousands of older people across the UK. Earlier dark nights, bad weather and perilous pavements lead to increased social isolation for the elderly. With around 3.7 million elderly people living alone and 17% having less than weekly contact with family, friends and neighbours, it’s a big problem. It’s very morally just of Innocent helping out to support Age Concern. A great PR win for the brand. Not only this, but there is cleverness in the intergration of the social responsibility, alongside a fun interactive campaign. Instructions on the packaging then prompts the buyer into taking funny photos of the hat, and uploading it to the Innocent Big Knit Facebook page. The winner is announced at the end of December and is given a crate of their delicious smoothies. Not only are they being aware of social concerns, but they are also rewarding their customers for caring too!
So, what about us? At Projector we’re always trying to better ourselves and are happy to help charitable causes where we can. We’ve completed various pieces of work for charity – and had a near death experience up Snowdon too – over the years, right now we’re working on a project for CHUF, the Childrens Heart Unit Fund, and alongside our sister company Union Room we’re providing a full communications overhaul for Give Hope. Give Hope help communities in Africa and are in themselves part of a CSR policy for a Banana plantation, so you can see how the idea starts to snowball.
What does your brand have to say? Are there any causes which are particularly close to you, that you feel like you could help with and maximise the appeal of your brand? Using resources at your disposal can enrich the lives of many, as well as netting you positive brand recognition.
References
http://www.landor.com
http://www.waitrose.com
http://www.innocentdrinks.co.uk/thebigknit
http://www.adweek.com/aw/content_display/news/strategy/e3id9db7bed8e9402cbcc7cd65342f1cca4
Projector are currently: Hoping Union Room don’t have more semi-pro ringers in 5s next week.