Marketing with Purpose
General Mills Canada made a bold marketing move earlier this week. Beloved cereal icon Buzz the Bee has temporarily been removed from all boxes of Honey Nut Cheerios (in Canada) in an effort to shed some light on diminishing bee populations. It’s all part of their #BringBackTheBees campaign… General Mills has teamed up with Veseys Seeds to give out wildflower seeds. The goal is to plant one flower for every Canadian citizen, which will (hopefully, over time) promote a bumper crop of bees. Bees are vital to the agriculture industry (all food production, not just honey), so the issue (and this campaign) is drawing quite a bit of attention. #BringBackTheBees is informative, good for the environment, good for the global economy and pure marketing genius! What’s not to love?
Purpose-based marketing (commonly referred to as cause marketing) is gaining popularity among national brands attempting to reach millennials (a group that tends to gravitate toward socially conscious causes). But small businesses can be a force for good too! And millennials aren't the only ones seeking to conduct business "purposefully." We love cause marketing for a few reasons:
- It's Relevant - Your brand can participate in timely conversations about newsworthy topics that your customers care about.
- It's Engaging - Cause marketing gives you an opportunity to connect with other brands. Through collaboration you can reach a new or larger audience.
- It's Credible - Traditional advertising and promotional strategies feel like a sales pitch, and no one really likes being sold to. Cause marketing feels more sincere, especially if your cause is directly related to your brand and target customer.
- It's Fulfilling - Your business can and should give you a sense of purpose, but creating positive change in the world can make that feeling all the more fulfilling.
Bee the Change You wish to See
Like General Mills, we all have the power to be the change we wish to see. Need help creating or executing your purpose-based campaign? Entrepreneur.com has some great tips, and our team would love to get involved. Email Kendall@RootedID.com to schedule a complimentary consultation.
Learn More about Local Bees & Honey Production
Diminishing bee populations aren’t just affecting Canada; the problem is pandemic. South Carolina's honey production and commercial beekeeping industry has suffered as a result. Read more about the impact of diminishing bee populations on agriculture here, and click below to learn more about local honey production and bee initiatives...
Photo from thebeecause.org
- Attend the Honey & Bee Expo hosted by the Charleston Area Beekeepers Association.
- Educate young people about the importance of honey bees by donating to The Bee Cause.
- Buy Charleston honey and honey based products from Savannah Bee Company on King.
- Buy bees and raw honey from Organic Bee Farm.
- Buy raw honey from Charleston Bees and Honey.
Know of another local bee initiative that deserves some attention? Comment below or email Kendall@RootedID.com to be added to the list.