What's the point of a B Corp?

I read recently that Cafédirect is the UK’s first B Corp, and it reminded me that it was also the UK’s first fair trade coffee company - I know this because I was part of the team that launched it back when not a soul had heard of fair trade!

(In fact, we didn’t really launch a brand, we launched a movement because it’s all very well being first, but that often means selling the whole idea of a new category before you can sell the brand, and so we had to introduce the idea of fair trade before we could start to build the Cafédirect brand.)

In the intervening years, I have worked closely with some of the world’s most progressive trading organisations including the World Trade Organisation, Equal Exchange, Just Us Coffee, Ten Thousand Villages, and Deans Beans.

In my experience, the biggest brand challenge with all alternative traders and B Corps is to stay true to their purpose but to present that purpose in a way that is:

o Relevant to customers

o Understandable to the brand team

o Differentiating from the competition

Not always easy, especially when the messaging can be complex and resources to drive that messaging are scarce.

All the more reason to be 100% sure that how the brand is expressed, delivered, and experienced is 100% right.

Interestingly, these challenges are not new, and finding solutions to them has shaped my approach to developing the Brand Arrow® framework, that is featured in my award winning book.

So, I am putting together a series of four brand strategy taster workshops solely for B Corp and progressive traders.

In this complimentary workshop delegates will:

o Understand the role brand strategy can play in maximising resources.

o Use the different elements of a brand strategy to create a sharp focus for the organisation.

o Uncover the (often) hidden advantage B Corps have over conventional businesses.

o Use a framework that will transform complexity into relevant benefit-led messaging.

o Through case studies, learn from the pioneers of B Corps in the US, the UK, and in between!

In short, to be able to answer, what’s the point of a B Corp and why should a customer care?

The 2 hour online workshop will be a mix of a presentation, case studies, group discussion, and interactive exercises, and as well as equipping delegates with key tools, will be stimulating and fun!

To sign up and select a date, please click here, places are limited to 4 organisations per workshop so don’t delay!

If you want a one on one with me instead, I will be holding meetings in London, Tuesday March 7th, and New York, Tuesday April 4th. To book a slot drop me an email here.

I regularly speak at conferences, business schools and facilitate workshops on the subject of brand strategy. I’m also the author of the award-winning book ‘What’s Your Point?’ which can be purchased from Amazon.

For more brand adventures and useful insights into brand strategy follow my Instagram account @thebrandarrow_