Giving is the Brand

This past Friday I went to a preview event; Collaborative World previewed their first line of t-shirts that is set to launch later this month, on Thursday, November 18, 2010. (Full disclosure: I am personal friends with the co-founders.) It was a small event intended for friends, mentors, and some press.

There were t-shirts on display and next to all of them were statements about the company values that each shirt represents.  I had seen most of the designs already, but my friend who was with me, was very impressed with the designs. They look good from an unbiased perspective. I’m not a t-shirt guy, aside from my collection of plain black tees, but as a marketing guy, I appreciate nice designs when I see them =)

After a bit of mingling, meeting some of the artists and models, the co-founders did a little presentation about their story and what Collaborative World is all about. This is what caught my attention.

I can’t do just to everything they talked about, so you’ll just have to go to their launch event on the 18th, but it became clear that they are a “giving company.” One of their values is the “50/50 Rule,” where they made it clear that 50% of all their profits goes back out to charitable causes. They announced two partners that they will be giving to, and promised to announce two more at the launch.

My favorite t-shirt was the “Giving is the Brand” design, and from knowing the Dave and Tyler and hearing their mission and vision of what they want to accomplish, I am impressed that for Collaborative World, giving really is the brand, and the product is just the marketing.

Collaborative World is just one many locally based companies that are using their product to do good in the world. Some others I’ve come across and would love to bring to your attention are Krochet Kids, 31 bits, and even TOMS Shoes. Even larger companies participate in programs like (RED).

This is not meant to be an op-ed about my friends’ new project. Nor is it meant to be an excuse for me to market how Ramada Maingate at the Park is committed to being charitable. (For that, you can see some of the organizations we partner with on the About Us page.)

This post is meant to be a personal reflection. How am I impacting the world I live in? What am I doing today to make here better tomorrow? Whose lives have I touched? Whose lives do I want to touch? The questions are endless

For Collaborative World, giving is the brand, not just the marketing. For others giving is the marketing, and I think that’s ok too. As for on an individual level, giving might start as just the marketing, something to make me feel better about myself; but the hope is it becomes the brand, something to make me feel better about the world I live in.

Update 11/12/10: Collaborative World Follow Up