Example of Successful Social Marketing - Innocent Drink’s Big Knit Campaign
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Innocent Drink is a UK based company which was founded by three Cambridgegraduates, Richard Reed, Adam Balon, and Jon Wright in 1999. Its productsinclude four sections, smoothies, juices, kids, and foods. Innocent’s smoothie product was one of the best-selling smoothies in Europe.
There’s an Interesting story about how they start the business. They brought their smoothies to a music festival, and put cans with “YES” and “No” signs in front of their smoothies. They asked people whether they should whether they should quit their job and make smoothies for living or not. Apparently the “YES” can was full.
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Purpose of Innocent Drink is to make natural, delicious food and drink that helps people live well and die old.
Research shows that 24,000 people die needlessly because of the cold every winter, especially those elders who live alone. That’s why Innocent Drink started “Innocent’s Big Knit Campaign” in 2003. Basically, Innocent Drink cooperates with organization like Age UK to help vulnerable older people.
How does it work? Well, people knit hats and Innocent Drink put little woollies on its products. For each bottle sold, 25 pence will be donated to Age UK. Age UK then use the money to take care of elders. For example, they would provide blankets, hot water bottles, hot meals, and organize social gatherings. Those who cannot knit can also participate via sending a text “knit” to donate 3 pounds.
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Innocent advertises the campaign in different social media, like TV commercial, websites, Facebook fan page.
This is Innocent’s commercial
In order to keep people’s interest in the campaign, Innocent designed different events to pair with the campaign.
2009 Innocent Big Knit Choir make relationship connection with people to remind them of their beloved grandmothers
2011 The Big Knit Hat Tag Game
upload photo - Innocent donates 10 pence every vote a photo get - Innocent donates 5 pence winners get coupons for Innocent products and Amazon gift card
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2012 Innocent Big Knit @Dublin
Innocent put woollies on statues in the city, soon becoming the topic of conversation.The event gained over 250,000 media impressions withing 72 hours.
So far, through “The Big Knit Campaign,” Innocent Drink received 4 millions hats and raised over £1.5 million.
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The reason why Innocent Drinks’s campaign succeed is that it uses ethics and trust to create customer engagement. Innocent has a clear purpose, and the ethic element certainly helps as well.