This is the story of a little company that could. The folks at Method,
an environmentally friendly cleaning products manufacturer, just wanted
to create a cleaner friendlier world and have harnessed the power of
social media to get it done.
This is the story of a little company that could. The folks at Method, an environmentally friendly cleaning products manufacturer, just wanted to create a cleaner friendlier world and have harnessed the power of social media to get it done.
Adam Lowry and Eric Ryan co-founded Method – People Against Dirty after graduating from university. They recognized that the hottest segment of consumer interest combined being green with good design, so they made sure their products looked as good as they performed. One of the strengths that the partners have brought to the table is the ability to see their business through the customer’s eyes. Method’s strategy for product development is to find “dirty little secrets” in the category they are interested in and solve them. When talking about laundry detergent they discovered that most detergents are primarily water, which means bigger jugs that need to be transported, stored and disposed of; that North Americans tend to use too much of everything; and, finally, that laundry rooms everywhere have those scummy little soap drips on washers, counters and floors. Method Laundry Detergent was born. A small hand-held bottle of laundry soap that can clean a whole load with just four pumps of the dripless bottle. Brilliant.
Even more brilliant is the handling of the company’s marketing, or brand experience, as they prefer to call it. Recognizing that they had a small-team/small-budget reality, Method knew that they had to get out from under the shadow of mass media and create sustainable behaviour through meaningful, emotional connections with people. Naturally, they built a product website, established a community for their enthusiasts – People Against Dirty – created a Facebook site, joined Twitter and started using YouTube for informal commercials.
“As the little guy we use our agility and our high tolerance for risk and disruption to break through on a very small budget. In doing this we have seen an incredible response from the New Affluents and the media that love them. If we can create a compelling conversation around cleaning products, you and your business certainly can,” says Matthew Lloyd, vice-president brand experience for Method.
Every florist I have ever talked to faces the same small-team-/small-budget reality when it comes to brand experience or marketing. Can you step back from your business and say, “I don’t sell flowers, I set the perfect table, I comfort the bereaved, I adorn beautiful brides, and I celebrate life?” Even better – can you get your fans to say it for you on their social networks?
The floral business should be the original “good design & green” product segment, but the truth is we have our own “dirty little secrets.” The majority of flowers sold in this country have travelled many miles, we use a lot of packaging to keep the flowers safe and fresh, and not all flowers are grown by responsible growers who practise sustainable growing and treat their workers fairly. What can you do in your shop to expose and solve these secrets? How can you improve your buying and designing habits to turn out more environmentally friendly and better-looking products that enhance your customer’s brand experience?
P.S. – The folks at Method have recently began a battle against cleaning giant Clorox. The company feels that they have a copyright on the use of the daisy as it relates to green cleaning products. Of course it came in the form of a stern legal letter from Clorox telling Method that they should cease and desist from using the image of a daisy. Social media darlings that they are, Method launched a You Tube video on Earth Day asking the public to decide who owns the daisy: Clorox, Method or Mother Nature? The only answer and the one they encourage you to choose is Mother Nature of course, which enhances their brand perception. So far over 11,000 people have voted. Go to www.votedaisy.com to watch the video and vote for Mother Nature and her daisies.
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