Founder & CSO @ First The Trousers | Author of "Brand Positioning Workbook" | Trainer & Speaker #marketing #brand positioning #brandassociations #branding #author
It's interesting that when you buy something on Bestbuy.com, the company solicits you to donate to St Jude Children's Research Hospital at check-out. They even suggest different price points. What is the connection to BestBuy? I get it when Petsmarts asks you to donate to a pet shelter at check-out. I get it when McDo lets you drop the change you get back in a donation box. But what is the link here? Why do they place the burden on consumers? They don't offer a matching program ("we'll match every $$ donated up to ..."), so it's all about getting $$ donations out of their consumers without any effort or contribution of their own. Is there a positive rub-off on BB or the creation of a positive brand association for BB (BB supports St Jude)? Maybe for inattentive shoppers, but I doubt it. To me, it is more comparable to Oprah and The Rock asking for donations to support Hawaii without committing any of their assets. Or a clerk asking for a tip even though no service was provided. Maybe I am too critical here, but this feels like green-washing, or virtue-signaling, or whatever you want to call it, to me. What do you think?
Agree it’s a bit odd, but hard to fault someone for helping a good cause. That being said, it would feel a bit better/more authentic if they had some skin in the game, like matching donations.
There should be a better "because" here. Best Buy should leverage their equity in technology and gifting somehow. Maybe Best Buy could help donate to technology innovation, or provide product gift baskets. Would definitely increase donations instead of seeming like a disingenuous afterthought.
Executive Strategy Director - Pagés BBDO
1yI was telling the same to my team last week! This is wrong! And embarrassing too, when in the shop, the cashier asks you: “do you want to donate?”. I always answer: “Yes, if the company will donate too!”