Goodwill International’s new “Donate Movement” is a model of online efficiency for consumer engagement.”Waste not, want not.”

They don’t doddle around trying to explain their differentiation over other important “green” causes and sustainability programs that compete for your attention. The “D Movement” website involves you immediately by enabling you to donate and recycle NOW!

Goodwill’s new “D Movement” is a partnership with Levi Strauss to make donating a more conscious decision. Their plan is to make the “D” the universal symbol for donating, like the recycling logo is to recycling. Would you really expect anything less from America’s first real recycler?

You always hear about “Search optimized” websites. Goodwill has “People optimized” this site.

For starters, you can quickly see the impact your donations have with Goodwill’s Donation Impact Calculator prominently featured on its homepage. The three pair of jeans I just donated to Goodwill of Central Arizona will support 34 minutes of on-the-job training. The two jackets I’m not going to need in our 112 degree weather just bought 1.2 hours of training. What do you think one lamp is worth in training? See for yourself.

Goodwill’s Thrifty Social Media Strategy Includes:

• Goodwill makes it easy to “Like” the Donation Impact Calculator by locating the Facebook “thumbs up” button as part of the calculator’s interface.
• The site uses Google maps to help you quickly find your nearest Goodwill donation center.
• A live Twitter feed captures on-going chatter about the campaign.
• A real-time digital counter tells you the poundage of usable items being saved from landfills.
• You’re encouraged to show your support by adding the donate button to your Twitter and Facebook profile photos through the use of Twibbon. They pay you back with immediate gratification as you pop up as a “Recent supporter” on their site. Great engagement tool that compounds the reach of their campaign. Smart!
• Goodwill invites you to join their blogger network. They request a post about why you donate, and ask that you include their donate button on your site. I’m joining, are you?
• “Make a commitment to de-clutter… and donate your gently used clothing and household items to Goodwill a few times this year,” is their last call-to-action in the support section on the Donate Movement site.

Goodwill & Levi’s Nifty WOM Promotion

All great green marketers know that a sustainable word-of-mouth marketing strategy happens both online and off. That’s why I love what Levis is doing with the campaign right in their britches.

They’ve created a care label that tells you how to have the least impact on the planet with the washing of your jeans. The final tip is to donate your Levi jeans to Goodwill when no longer needed.

What the “D Movement” means by the numbers:

1. Goodwill diverts some two billions pound of useful product from landfills each year.
2. The revenue generating through the resale of donated items helped 1.9 million people in a variety of industries in 2009.

What do you think? After touring their site, does it push your donate and recycle buttons, or does it push you away?

Photo by Dan Taylor, Creative Commons

How To Nurture Life-Long Customers

It’s not enough to just run ad campaigns anymore. Your customer has WAY more control over your brand story than ever before. And your brand story must mean more to your customer than “Low price leader.” It’s critical that your brand resonate emotionally and deliver physically to actually make their lives better.

If you’re really good, your brand will even promote change for the better in your customer.

To survive in today’s market, the person, product, company or cause that you’re marketing has to turn their advertising campaigns into movements. I asked the folks at Park&Co to recommend 10 organizations that are great examples of turning a brand into a movement that matters. At the core of these consumer brands are the drive to educate customers about healthier choices, while filling their needs with their products and offerings.

1. BeTrulyYou.com – They offer glass water bottles, and recently did a big campaign to encourage consumers to Fall in Love with Their Tap. All the packing products are made from recycled materials and are, themselves, recyclable and biodegradable. All their items are designed to inspire and contribute positively to the environment. They don’t have the leverage or impact of a Walmart, but sometimes it’s the small guys that I think are truly the mighty ones.
2. Method – Their sustainability philosophy starts with the brand mission to “Inspire a Happy, Healthy Home Revolution,” and is centered around using innovation to create positive change.
3. Terracycle – TerraCycle makes affordable, eco-friendly products from a wide range of different non-recyclable waste materials. With over 50 products available at major retailers like Walmart, Target, The Home Depot, OfficeMax, Petco and Whole Foods Market, TerraCycle is one of the fastest growing eco-friendly manufacturers in the world. Our hope is to eliminate the idea of waste by finding innovative, unique uses for materials others deem garbage.
4. SunChips – I’ve written many times about SunChips and how Frito-Lay has completely structured its business model around a healthier snack chip that strives to make the planet healthier through the use of renewable energy and the first biodegradable snack bag. They even incite their customers to adopt the SunChip brand of friendly consumer environmentalism: not the Birckenstock kind, the Vans skateborder shoe kind.
5. Pepsi is trying to turn their soda into a movement with their “Refresh Everything Project.” I mention it because it has the DNA of exactly what I’m talking about. They’ve taken a commodity product and are trying to make it stand for something bigger than colored sugar water. I’m just not sure how well it’s working for the big guy. What do you think? Can a soda save the world?
6. Volkswagen, on the other hand, is doing a better job of inciting change within its customers as an extension of its brand. Check out The Fun Theory, a site  dedicated to the thought that something as simple as fun is the easiest way to change people’s behavior for the better. I love the musical keyboard stairs to promote taking the stairs over an escalator for exercise as an example of how The Fun Theory is a brand movement.
7. Adelante Healthcare – We practice what we preach, as is seen in the sustainable healthcare movement we helped create when we rebranded Adelante Healthcare. The organization’s three pillars of sustainability include sustaining individual patient health, sustaining the availability of healthcare, and sustaining healthy households, communities and planet. Their brand has grown from a 30-year-old community clinic to a leader in sustainable healthcare: a movement their patients can actively participate in and benefit from.
8. Patagonia – The Tin Shed. Enough said.
9. Red – Our creative director, Luis, chimed in with Red. “Like a lot of people, when that campaign first emerged I dismissed it as a clever marketing ploy. But 4 or 5 years later, it’s still growing and making a difference. Talk about sustainability…”
10. So who or what would you name as #10? Tell us about your favorite sustainable brand that has made a movement out of a mole hill.
    

16-foot pyramid comprised of 136 one-gallon water jugs is a striking demonstration of how much water each Arizonan uses every day.

The best stories aren’t written. They’re experienced. And when you’re selling sustainability, sometimes you need to startle people, grab them by their lapels, and shake them awake.

One chapter in our Water – Use It Wisely campaign story about water conservation is a painfully true tale about water waste.

It’s told through this precarious 16-foot pyramid of 136 one-gallon milk jugs: the average amount of water used per person, EVERY DAY, in Arizona.

And what do you think is the first thing we hear every time a passer by passes by?

“…there’s NO WAY I use that much water everyday.”

Wanna bet?

The Water – Use It Wisely water pyramid travels to the city halls, libraries and community centers of the towns and cities that make up the campaign partnership. It’s a green marketer’s story about sustainability that you don’t read or watch. You stand under it, look up, and think, “No way!” And the experience always leads to the same question…

“How can I possibly use all that water in one day?”

The answer is found on the website when you take the home water challenge. That’s the other part of powerful storytelling that all good green marketers know: Involve your reader. In this case, captivate your customers and prod them to act.

Go to the Water – Use it Wisely website and see for yourself exactly where your water is used and wasted. What you find there will probably surprise you.

You don’t have to live in Arizona to benefit from the information. Because chances are, you’re using as much or more than 136 gallons of water per day in your own life. Don’t believe me? Take the home water challenge.

1. Brands Thrive on Passion

He asks, “Do you remember where you were when Obama did his inauguration speech and how it made you feel?” Obama became a brand overnight because of his action. It’s about excitement, drive, emotion, connection and relationships. It’s about the things we feel. As marketers, it’s what we need to tap into, but is difficult to quantify. “Infectious” is another way to view the passion surrounding a brand. Is your brand infectious?

2. Brands Have Many Voices

He uses Comcast as an example. They are a classic technology infrastructure brand. All they used to talk about was their technology, bundled services and and price. Typical behavior for a commodity. But here is how they repackaged and repositioned their technology into emotions their customers can relate to and buy, and at a more expensive price than the commodity players.

3. Brands Create a Point of View and Express it Honestly

Who would you rather be next to a dinner party; a wallflower or a conversationalist? Target is a great example of a brand that has a point of view. They are consistent and loud, even if not everyone is on board with their point of view. Sustainability is a point of view that is ripe for the taking if companies would look at it as something more than just their CSR efforts. To own it – and few have done a great job at it – means creating something that is real.

4. Brands Are About Participation

Companies understand the value of bringing consumers into the conversation, but few brands do a good job of actually engaging the customer in participation. They’re still learning how to engage. There is an interesting study about the power struggle on Wikipedia that demonstrates consumer participation perhaps better than most, because you can see and measure the participation real time.

5. Brands Never Stop Evolving
No one likes change, but it’s such a positive attribute for a brand to have. It speaks of innovation, conversation, movement, learning, and many more positive attributes. It keeps you thinking about the possibilities of what you can be. IBM is a great example. They started with punch cards, then to copiers, then to increasing your business efficiency, and now to creating a “Smarter Planet.”

Can Sustainability Be Thought of as a Brand?

Branding sustainability is about what you do, and not about what you say. Here are five examples of companies that demonstrate their actions with sustainability as a brand attribute.

Sustainability Thrives on Passion = Starbucks: Through its “Shared Planet” initiative

Sustainability Has Many Voices = Honda Insight: While Prius sells it’s miles-per-gallon benefit, the Insight captures the emotion of being green in this spot.

Sustainability Has A Point of View and Expresses it Honestly = Muji Rushi: They sell by showing consumers all of the things they don’t need.

Sustainability is about Participation = Patagonia: The original tin shed where this outdoor retailer got its start is home to one of the most engaging sites on the web.

Sustainability Never Stops Evolving = Nike: The shoemaker began making Jordan 23’s 23 years ago, and have evolved the product line to demonstrate its sustainable manufacturing.

“Sustainable brands sing when they are delivered with passion, speak to their customers in an appropriate voice, when they embrace true participation, and they never stop evolving. If you think of sustainability as a brand, it will free you up to new possibilities.’

This all happened in Fort Worth, Texas. I was there last week running a social media workshop for the wonderful folks at the Tarrant Regional Water District, and the cities of Plano, Frisco and Denton.

We were online sharing websites that have been doing a good job of telling compelling stories about conservation and sustainable living. One of the attendees was excited to show us one of her favorite sites: IdealBite.com, “Advice from an eco-mom.” She gushed about how well written it was, and how she looked forward to receiving their down-to-earth and irreverent emails and blogs on all things green. Then it happened.

I typed in the URL and we were redirected to Disney.

Disney! Really?

She couldn’t believe her eyes that Eco-mom had sold out to DisneyFamily.com. Can you blame co-founder Jen Boulden? Think of the distribution. But at what cost? If you haven’t been a subscriber to their blog, here’s how they describe it’s appeal on LinkedIn:

“Far from eco-perfect themselves, the editors candidly share their humorous trials and tribulations in the blog. The secret sauce is a spoonful of “incremental environmentalism” with a keeping-it-real attitude… a perfect mix that empowers subscribers to align their values with everyday decisions.”

Will the vary voice that created the Eco-mom hit be recast to telling it the Disney way? Probably. And what becomes of her fans? Will they all feel as jilted as  the lady that was sitting to my left? If my focus group of one is any indication of the reaction to come from the rest of Eco-mom’s loyalists, Disney will have a difficult time maintaining the purity of this brand.

It seems an odd marriage, like Mary Poppins throws in with the pirate Jack Sparrow.

Eco-mom and Disney would be wise to follow the lead of an obscure drugstore in Manhattan called, “Kiehl’s Since 1851.” The curious store features a special kind of skin cream and lots of oddities. These include a Ducati motorcycle and a tiny stunt airplane hanging above hundred-year old rough-hewn floors. The well-trained staff, not what you’d expect in a drugstore, are the extension of product labels on items that are “lovingly displayed,” according to Seth Godin in his book, “All Marketers Tell Stories.” Godin writes, “The message was loud and clear: This is the work of a person, a unique individual, not a corporation.”

Kiehl’s Since 1851 is a cult brand that is doing millions of dollars in sales through service-oriented shops around the world. The real shocker comes when you learn that this quixotic brand is owned by industry giant L’Oréal. They purchased it several years ago, and they were smart to capitalize on the brand by NOT messing with the idiosyncratic character that created its mystique in the first place.

Disney bought IdealBite.com for $20 million, then ceased its publication and folded it into the “Go Green” section on its site. Hence the redirect.

Can a green brand built on an authentic individual remain sustainable in the Magic Kingdom?

Are you truly embracing your market?

Dr. Sam Ham called me a, “Weirdo.” He’s a professor at the University of Idaho who has developed an interesting approach to storytelling to provoke behavior change.

I first learned of Dr. Ham from a green marketer in Queensland, Australia. Greg Bruce is the Executive Manager of Integrated Sustainability Services for the Townsville City Regional Council down under.

He sent me a note after reading my blog, and said: “I found much of your text and content “thematically” written and thought provoking. So one conclusion is that either you have done “thematic interpretation/communication” with Dr Sam Ham… or you are intuitively as a social marketer tapping into thematic communication styles – which are opposite of the way most people (and marketers too) are taught, think, act and communicate – and I know as I deal with a lot of them (and they are not thematic communicators).”

Wow, do you think I was intrigued? So I started doing some digging on Dr. Ham. What I found is another body of work that backs up the theory that “Stories sell!”

In this case, it’s how you successfully promote behavior change in sustainable and environmental causes through the use of what the good doctor has coined, “Thematic Communication.”

In fact, I’ll let Dr. Ham do most of the explaining. Over the course of the next several articles here, you will meet Dr. Ham and learn ways to apply his approach of “Thematic Communication” in your campaigns.

Let’s start with my first question:

What is the number one mistake people make when trying to communicate or promote a particular behavior change?

Dr. Sam Ham: Professor of Communication Psychology, Dept. of Conservation Social Sciences, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho

Dr. Sam Ham: “The biggest, by far, is that we assume we’re representative of the people whose behavior we want to influence.  This leads us to intuit messages out of the blue and to make arbitrary choices about communication appeals based on what we think would be “influential” to us.  Research and much practical experience tells us that people like us are usually very different from our audiences in how we think and feel about things related to the behaviors we promote.

Even a moment’s reflection should convince us that if all those other people really thought and reasoned like we do, there would be little need to persuade them of anything.  They’d already be behaving like us.

A further caveat here is that since “all those other people” outnumber us, that by definition makes them “normal.”  So we have to face the reality that we weirdos (in the statistical sense) have taken it upon ourselves to make normal people more like us.  Just a thought in the name of ethical humility.”

A good example of this communication deficit between the “Weirdos” and “Normal” people is seen the 1968 movie, “Planet of the Apes.” Charlton Heston’s character, Ulysse, crash lands his space ship on a far flung planet that greatly resembles Earth. Ulysse, in the world he came from, is of course the dominant species. However, he discovers in the upside-down world he now inhabits that humans have been reduced to ape-like beings, while the apes run the place. Ulysse, according to my loose interpretation of Dr. Ham’s thesis above, represents the green marketer. The apes are the market. It’s not until Chuck gets in the heads of his ape captors-soon-to-be-patrons, that his survival is assured.

I suppose the same holds true for any marketing effort.

As marketers, we often think we have all of the answers – we’re the normal ones – even as we haven’t taken the time to hear the important questions posed by our customers. We become bloated with industry jargon and tech speak, when what we really need is a good tale that reveals the truth about our cause and why people need to act. Only then, through understanding that comes with thematic communication, will we be effective and sustainable.

Ok, so Dr. Ham didn’t call me a “Weirdo” directly to my face. But I’ve been guilty of the “Know-it-all” marketing syndrome he references above.  Have you?

In my next post in this series, we will unveil the character of thematic communication through the eyes of Dr. Ham with great examples of how it works.

I don’t mean just “green.” By sustainable, I’m talking about life or death.

When we ask if your marketing is sustainable, we’re asking if it gives you an unfair advantage in the marketplace, while bolstering your triple bottom line of people, planet and profit?

There are many antagonists to creating a sustainable strategy. These include realistic marketing investment levels, available personnel resources, management commitment, and sound brand positioning. Perhaps, the most important of all: Have you created a sustainable marketing campaign that is bigger than yourself, your shareholders, and your organization?

It’s no longer enough to simply measure your business success by how much money you make. With progressive companies, ROI has expanded to mean much more.

Thriving companies are paying attention to the social, cultural, and, of course, economic impacts they are having on the communities they serve.

Clorox, the longtime maker of bleach, has launched all-natural Green Works cleaning products that has both the EPA and Sierra Club endorsements.  Wal-Mart is flexing its retailing muscle to demand more environmentally and culturally friendly products. Toms Shoes gives away a free pair of shoes to needy kids with every pair you buy. Ben and Jerry’s is legendary for building sustainability into the purchase of every pint of ice cream.

What difference are you and your company truly making in the world, and how is it reflected in your brand position?

Sustainable marketing is responsible marketing, and being “green” is but one root to stabilize and grow your brand.

Now the question: Is your brand a sapling or a Redwood? Either way, are you doing what it takes to sustain its growth?

Click on the image to read the entire article and issue.

(The above article was written for the current edition of “Impact Magazine,” published by the Phoenix Chamber of Commerce. Park Howell is president of Park&Co, a Phoenix-based full-service sustainable marketing firm that has given its clients an unfair advantage since 1995.)

Recycled-Fashions Designer, Nancy Judd, in her Aluminum Dress

You just got to love people with passion for what they do. I have an even greater appreciation for those who enthusiastically pursue their gift after reading Steven Pressfield’s, “The War of Art.” But that’s another post.

Today I want to introduce you to Nancy Judd, an eco-ista turned fashion designer. Nancy is turning heads with the likes of the Wall Street Journal, Toyota and Target, The showstoppers are outfits she’s designing and making out of, well, trash.

Environmental education is at the heart of Nancy’s mission. She has created an elegant way to promote conservation and recycling through her “Eco Trash Couture” collection.

Dress made for Target

We had a chance encounter over the phone when she called our agency about her coming exhibit at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. After spending 30 minutes on the phone with Nancy, while also exploring her website RecycleRunway.com, I asked if she would mind writing a guest post on how she has found herself creating $30,000 ensembles from recyclable materials.

Heeeeer’s Nancy:

Why spend 500 hours gluing 12,000 pieces of recycled glass to a dress, you might wonder? For me it is both an artist expression and environmental education!

Recycle Runway started in 1998 when I was the Recycling Coordinator for Santa Fe, NM. I began creating fashion from trash to promote a recycled fashion contest.

My garments are now commissioned by organizations including Toyota, Coke and Target, and one piece was recently accepted into the permanent collection of the Smithsonian and featured on the front page of in the Wall Street Journal!

My goal is to change the way people live on the earth and I exhibit my trash-fashions in airports because I can reach millions of people. Recycle Runway will be in the Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in February for 6 months and in the Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Airport for a year. Twenty million people will see the Collection over this time.

I also give workshops to youth nationwide, using the garments to discuss environmental stewardship in a fun and positive way.

I fund my work through sponsorships. I provide millions of quality impressions in airports, with youth, and through international media exposure!

Please visit www.RecycleRunway.com to see the full Collection and for details on how to participate. I can be reached at 505-577-9712 or nancy@recyclerunway.com.

Recycle Runway's Airport Exhibit

We added something new this year. We asked Goodwill to drop off four large, blue donation bins. Everyone got to play Santa by heaping the bins full of great stuff, just in time for the Holidays.

A Goodwill Neighborhood Christmas Party from ParkHowell.com on Vimeo.

Your Stuff is Another Person’s Treasure

The economy has been a bit Grinchy for great organizations like Goodwill. Donations are down. Sales are up. And they need good people like you to expand their inventory. You’re stuff is doing more than just stocking Goodwill shelves. You’re helping put people back to work through Goodwill’s mission of workforce development.  Many people think Goodwill basically employs folks to fix toasters in the back of their stores. Actually, Goodwill helps train and place thousands of people into the Arizona workforce. You can be proud that 100% of the dollars raised from your donation stay with the Goodwill organization.

There’s a Scrooge Lurking Too

I know those unmarked donation bins dotting dusty street corners and vacant lots look like pretty convenient places to drop your stuff. But did you know that if you’re not careful, your stuff will go directly to a FOR PROFIT thrift operation? No one but the owners benefit from your donations. Or, if they have “Big hearts,” they may give a small percentage of the proceeds to a charity. So it’s worth repeating: When you donate to Goodwill – at any of the 40+ stores in central Arizona, or at a donation center – ONE HUNDRED PERCENT of the revenue from your donation remains with Goodwill to help put people back to work.

Donate to Goodwill for Your 2009 Taxes

If giving the gift of your stuff isn’t already a big enough incentive, how about a tax break? Remember, you have now until the end of the year to donate to Goodwill and enjoy that write-off.

Any Season is a Great Time for a Neighborhood Donation Party

Why doesn’t Goodwill pick-up in your neighborhood? Well, it simply doesn’t work in their business model. By encouraging its shoppers and friends to drop their stuff by a store or donation center, Goodwill is able to use more of the revenue for workforce development and less on operations. So if you’re considering having a large neighborhood gathering, call Goodwill about dropping off some donation bins. One truck full of donations leaving your community is certainly worth the effort.

So please help make a happy and prosperous New Year for all by donating your stuff to Goodwill.

Cheers!

This is not the actual Staples truck that almost clobbered me yesterday. It's added here for visual impact.

An attorney once told me, “You better get it in writing in case you get run over by a beer truck tomorrow, just so your heirs know what the deal is.”

Well, I almost got run over by a Staples truck yesterday. And then a funny thing happened.

I was walking from our agency to the UPS store carrying Christmas gifts like chord wood destined for Seattle. All of a sudden, this large Staples truck comes nearly careening around the corner and onto the parking lot access road I was just stepping into. I heard him before I saw him and stopped in my wing tipped tracks. The clean cut driver deftly pumped his breaks. The bright, shiny delivery truck hissed to a stop. With an apologetic smile, he waved me across the street.

But the funny thing was, as soon as I looked up and saw the Staples’ logo on the gleaming truck, I knew he wasn’t going to run me down. There was a very basal emotion of calm that arose inside me, and it was directly associated with their brand.

Where do you think that calm came from?

From their advertising campaign, website, and the easy shopping experiences I’ve enjoyed in their stores. Like the ad guy I am, I immediately appreciated the power of the brand, even as it almost clobbered me outside my own agency.

Then I asked myself, “Would I have reacted the same way if it were just a big ‘ol nondescript white van, a  Shucks Autoparts truck, or a delivery guy for Schlitz Beer?” Probably not. I instinctively knew everything was cool, even as I stood in the cross hairs of the Staples van’s hood ornament. Kind of creepy stuff.

I guess their brand pushed my “Easy Button.” Does yours?

• Powerful brands always deliver on their promises
• Powerful brands should resonate even outside of their comfort zones
• Powerful brands can ask for forgiveness and get it
• Powerful brands make life comfortable
• Powerful brands care

What’s your brand story?