‘Business is the most powerful force on the planet and can be a positive instrument for change.’

Jay Coen Gilbert shares his vision to harness the power of business to solve society’s problems through B Corporations — a new standard labeling socially and environmentally responsible companies. B Corps helps corporations to be profitable while solving society’s problems.

Got this video via @karmakees

‘Happy? As in chocolate pudding happy? Tickle Me Elmo happy? Getting to the truth of long-term happiness, of doing real work that matters–that has to be at the heart of what we do every day. But if we fall for the false siren of short-term, selflish, marketing driven happy, we’re doomed. Bernie Madoff was happy for a while…’*

Long-term, prosocial, marketing driven happy is the key to be succesful.

First seen here.

Dirt is good

Children have an inbuilt desire to play and get dirty. An insight the Dutch detergent brand focuses on.

Key driver for business

Making dirty clothes clean.

Real brand value:

Live how you want to live, without the boundaries (so without worrying about getting dirty).

Societal insight

Playing outside is crucial for the physical, mental and social development of children. Research showed that children spent less than 20% less time playing outside than two years before. Parents either don’t realize it’s that important or they find it difficult to find opportunities for outside play.

The answer

The OMO Outside Play Foundation. A foundation that became officially part of NOC-NSF (Dutch Olympic Committee). It consisted of more than 40.000 clubs started by kids and their friends. Every year, the National Outside Play were held at the Olympic Stadium in Amsterdam.

My opinion

When I was a child, I used to play outside all day. And so was every kid in my neighborhood. It was a fundamental part of my childhood happiness. This needs to come back. Great initiative, with a lot of fun. Good for society. And, nevertheless, good for Omo. On a long term. With all the branded content, Omo gets her (fun) brand into the hearts of children at a very young age.

Earlier, I wrote about TOMS, a shoe brand that does things differently. The Belgian shoe brand JoJo takes meaningful footprints to another level. For every pair of Jojo shoes purchased, they plant one tree or provide one person with a year of clean drinking water. What makes them different is that they offer full transparency and allow customers to track the progress of their contribution well after the point of purchase.

1. Buy your shoes.
2. Choose to help plant trees or build water pomps.
3. Check what’s the difference you help make.

Ideas of becoming a social entrepreneur? Let the Jojo project inspire you!

Seth Godin argues the Internet has ended mass marketing and revived a human social unit from the distant past: tribes. Founded on shared ideas and values, tribes give ordinary people the power to lead and make big change. He urges us to do so.*

How to apply his brilliancy to your brand? Find what there is in the world that you are not happy about. Discover which group supports your idea. Tell the story. Lead the tribe.

First seen on Downsideup.

Hugo Boss started a collaboration with Unicef. Today. To help. Together. What do you think of this meaningful marketing initiative?

In 2006, American traveler Blake Mycoskie befriended children in Argentina and found they had no shoes to protect their feet. Wanting to help, he created TOMS Shoes, a company that would match every pair of shoes purchased with a pair of new shoes given to a child in need. One for One. Blake returned to Argentina with a group of family, friends and staff later that year with 10,000 pairs of shoes made possible by TOMS customers.

Thanks to supporters, TOMS gave the One Millionth pair of new shoes to a child in need in September 2010. TOMS now gives in over 20 countries and works with charitable partners in the field who incorporate shoes into their health, education, hygiene, and community development programs.

As for right now, TOMS is also providing eye-wear, with the matching good cause: sight. With every pair of glasses you purchase, TOMS will help give sight to a person in need. One for One.

They’ve recently started a partnership with The Row, the designer label founded by Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen.

Key driver for business

Providing protection for your feet.

Real brand value:

Helping those in need. One for one.

Societal insight

Many children in developing countries grow up barefoot. Whether at play, doing chores or going to school, these children are at risk:

The answer

For every pair of shoes sold, TOMS provides a pair of shoes for a person in need.

My opinion

TOMS’ mission is woven directly into the business. Although it’s a whole different world for many, TOMS is showing the results in brilliant short films, which makes it easier for people to see how they help making a difference.