News
The Future Is GOOD!
NFTs, the metaverse, AI, “the great resignation”, Betty White (oh, how Golden she was) and the pandemic (we can’t forget the pandemic). It’s that time of year when your inbox and social media feeds are inundated with prediction lists for the year ahead, retrospective lists from the year behind, top 10 lists, new buzzword lists, cultural shifts — so many lists. While they can be inspirational, entertaining and often insightful, how do they help modern marketers approach another unpredictable year?
How can you determine the best strategy and tactics to elevate your brand while feeling a personal sense of accomplishment, growth and fulfillment?
At Bader Rutter, we pride ourselves on creating unique and compelling solutions that connect brands to consumers in more authentic, more human and more meaningful ways. As we reflect on those common year-opening challenges of creating bigger brand impact and better consumer connections, we noticed an underlying theme of GOOD emerging, along with a desire to do better, together. We found it quite compelling how the meaning of good is evolving to solicit a wide range of definitions. For example, a food brand’s expression of good is more than just how it might taste: It’s the impact a brand can bestow on the community through volunteer programs or health initiatives; and it’s the connections made with local producers, farming communities or their own employees. Embracing issues like responsible ingredient sourcing, sustainable agriculture practices, food waste reduction or hunger relief are now regularly included in brand planning goals and tied to their vision and values. Be good, make good, do good — these brand strategies matter to people. They create a movement marketers can get behind and a movement their shareholders wholeheartedly approve.
How brands define
their ‘good.’
Regardless of industry, these positive, purpose-driven approaches to creating better connections and better communities to live in are very inspiring. Given our background in the agriculture and food advertising space at Bader Rutter, we’re in very close alignment with just how many brands have committed to the concept of good and how they’re building a loyal fan base in the process:
Dave’s Killer Bread believes in the power of reinvention. In fact, 1 in 3 employees have a criminal background. The company dedicates itself to helping people turn second chances into actionable change in addition to promoting sustainable agriculture and community service.
Cabot Creamery Co-operative returns all profits from its cheese and dairy products to farm family owners while developing and implementing sustainable practices, such as “cow power” — turning cow waste into energy on farms and creameries.
ORBIS Corporation (a Bader Rutter client) recently launched its “Ocean in Mind” packaging initiative, which focuses on recovering and repurposing single-use plastic waste found on coastlines and using it in supply chain packaging. This new stream of recycled content for reusable plastic packaging reduces waste, conserves natural coastlines and supports economies in developing communities.
Cargill, Inc. wrote sustainability into the company’s purpose. It recently outlined progress against critical supply chain sustainability goals, including aqua nutrition, cocoa, chocolate, palm, soy, ocean transportation and beef. Cargill focuses on advancing progress on land use, climate change, water, farmer prosperity and human rights that are in support of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
According to Harvard Business Review and countless recent studies, “consumers are voting with their dollars” and are willing to invest in products and brands that they know will contribute to a positive impact. One thing is certainly clear: Consumers believe and support brands that promote good in our society. And that is just plain GOOD for business.
So, how will you make your good known this year?
Contact our VP of Business Development, Liam Boyle, at lboyle@bader-rutter.com to discuss how Bader Rutter can help your brand define its good.
About the Author
Liam Boyle is a seasoned marketing and advertising executive, with a diverse background and skillset, having worked on campaigns across North America and around the globe over the last 20 years. Prior to arriving at Bader Rutter, Liam spent time at both boutique and large-scale agencies in the US and abroad where he developed relationships, built strong client portfolios and worked on award-winning campaigns for world-class clients like GM, Nestle, Kellogg’s/RXBAR, Anheuser-Busch, Unilever, Wrigley’s, Beam-Suntory, Converse and more. When you chat with Liam you will learn he believes in a human-centric, people first approach to marketing.