Let’s go back, way way back, to when you were 14, sitting in a blazer and an ugly school tie at a bench in the chemistry lab, learning about acids and alkalis. Remember how the teacher got that information into your reluctant, stubborn brain? Chances are, he or she made you get out a set of equipment to find out for yourself. It was a clever manoeuvre: we absorb more when we get actively involved in the learning process than when we simply passively listen or read.
From a customer’s point of view, being given first-hand experience of what a brand and the organisation behind it stands for is much more memorable and effective than the manufactured and simplistic storytelling we’re used to from conventional advertising. Being involved encourages us to think about what the company does and how, together, we can make it better. Belu water achieves this by asking for customers’ help to make their packaging more sustainable. And the deeper that customers become involved in being part of the solution, the more they have a vested interest in seeing the company thrive and prosper.
Companies that involve customers in their sustainability journey also create stronger loyalty and advocacy. Ecover, for example, encourages its customers to refill their packages in specialist ‘filling stations’, lowering the company’s impact even further through the actions of its customers. It’s this commitment to introduce sustainable choices at every possible point that has helped Ecover go from strength to strength. Shopping is no longer just about passive consumption, it’s about actively solving problems.
Ultimately, involving customers in sustainability isn’t soft, it’s smart. By tuning into such a rapidly growing demand to let people make a positive difference, businesses can increase their relevance, revenues and profits. As you will see from the rest of the articles in this issue, getting customers and employees on board helps brands get ahead.
© Daylesford
© Kirin
| No comments have been made so far – why not add one yourself? |
|
