Jacquie Ottman's
Green Marketing Blog
How to Turn Passive Consumers into Brand Advocates
March 30, 2010 by Jacquelyn Ottman
Consumers have been traditionally viewed as a lesser species with only the power to buy or not buy. (Are readers old enough to remember David Ogilvy’s famous line, “The consumer is not an idiot, she’s your wife.”) In contrast, Method has created a network of brand advocates and pseudo-marketing consultants by engaging their consumers effectively and by tapping into a green culture. How has Method been able to turn their consumers into brand advocates, and what is the advantage of doing so?
Method uses no paid media. Instead, they use social media -and primarily an innovative “People Against Dirty” campaign to harness the popular appeal of their products. In the process, they have unleashed a whole swarm of influential and outspoken “advocates” onto the market. Because of the strength of the relationship they have cultivated, their consumer advocates freely offer advice and express their ideas on improving the brand’s products, in addition to influencing their peers.
Method advocates are for the most part, hip, young people who genuinely feel good about their purchases and, as promised, have a little more fun when cleaning ‚in other words, they are actually engaged by the cleaning experience that Method sells. It’s a product that feels fancy and fun, giving the sense that the consumer is being good to himself. But it’s not just a gimmick. Through and through, Method is authentic in terms of its sustainability practice. Their offices and production facilities are carbon neutral and wastewater free. Product ingredients are transparent and carry the EPA’s Design for Environment label. Method’s brand advocates share an appreciation of their best practice in sustainability- it is part of why they love the product.
Outlook: expect this youthful, growing green culture that takes pleasure in being both loyal and influential to continue to help drive Method’s fast growth in the future.
This post excerpted from Jacquie Ottman’s new book on green marketing, due out in Fall 2010.
Jonathan Rabunski contributed to this post.
ShareThis
