This is a message from Lee Metters, client partner – brand partnerships at Awin, which is a Green Retail World partner.
Despite the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, many UK consumers continue to prioritise sustainability when shopping. They are actively examining the entire journey of products, from production to transportation and packaging, and are conscious of the environmental impact.
As readers of Green Retail World well know, sustainability is no longer considered a passing trend in the retail world. According to American Express, 65% of UK shoppers now take into account the environmental impact of the items they purchase. Moreover, 91% of consumers believe that sustainable packaging, social responsibility, and a brand’s ethical reputation are crucial factors when deciding where to make their purchases.
Due to this heightened consumer awareness and demand, retailers are holding themselves accountable. One way they’re achieving their sustainability goals is by forming more sustainability-led partnerships. However, marketers face the challenge of authentically conveying their brand’s sustainability message without it appearing as a mere PR stunt or the dreaded greenwashing.
Great minds think green
Awin, the leading partnership network in the UK, played a crucial role in facilitating a brand-to-brand collaboration between Myvegan and Grubby. Both brands are committed to promoting veganism and sustainability. First, they set clear and simple objectives for a joint green campaign; aiming to increase their brand awareness and attract new customers while keeping sustainability at the core of their partnership.
Awin was tasked with finding the perfect brand partner for Myvegan. We identified Grubby as an ideal match due to their strong alignment with British produce and suppliers, as well as their accreditation as a B Corp, using 100% recyclable, compostable, and UK-produced packaging.
Through their partnership, both brands successfully reached new customer audiences. They collaborated on a social giveaway that reached over 120,000 customers and gained 1,500 post engagements.
Leo Fisher, head of marketing at Grubby, said it provided “an optimal platform for Grubby to drive incremental revenue growth and increase brand awareness to a wider, yet aligned, audience”.
The success of the campaign was largely attributed to the strong alignment between the two brands. Fisher emphasised the effectiveness of launching the campaign during World Vegan Month, allowing them to “convey powerful and topical brand messaging”.
The added inclusion of a Myvegan discount in Grubby’s food boxes also added extra value for their existing customer base.
Rewarding customers supporting sustainable brands
In their collaborative campaign with Grubby, Myvegan offered a free gift with a customer’s purchase. This technology provides their customers with a value-added reward during the order process.
Here’s how it worked:
- Customers purchasing from Myvegan were offered an attractive deal of 60% off their first Grubby food box and a 30% discount on all other boxes for the first month
- This strategy effectively encouraged customers to complete their purchase, leveraging the power of a free gift to drive conversions
- Beyond this, the partnership with Grubby, which shared the same sustainability values, allowed Myvegan to reinforce its sustainability message to its customer base.
Another successful campaign facilitated by Awin provided a recipe for success for Wild, the natural and sustainable deodorant brand.
Wild teamed up with food box retailer SimplyCook and sustainable household cleaning brand smol. As part of this partnership, Wild integrated a gift with purchase reward system into their checkout process, offering their customers additional value.
At the basket, customers had the opportunity to redeem a free SimplyCook recipe box and a pack of washing capsules from smol. The results from this collaboration were impressive.
- Wild referred over 500 of their customers to SimplyCook, with a conversion rate of 26% for the free recipe box offer
- In return, Wild earned significant commission payments at a rate of £2.55 earnings per click
- Simultaneously, Wild experienced an increase in basket completions thanks to the appeal of a free gift, leading to additional revenue through increased sales of their deodorant products.
These examples demonstrate how partnerships and gift-with-purchase incentives can be effective strategies for driving sales, enhancing customer experiences, and promoting shared values in sustainability among like-minded brands.
Harnessing the power of partnerships
Brand partnerships can be a powerful tool for celebrating combined sustainability commitments and reaching hyper-relevant, niche customer audiences that align with a brand’s sustainability efforts. These collaborations allow marketers to tap into new markets and leverage the strengths and values of both brands to create a more impactful message.
If you’re interested in exploring brand partnerships and integrating gift-with-purchase rewards into your checkout funnel, you can reach out to Awin’s brand partnerships team. They can provide more information and guidance on how to create successful and mutually beneficial campaigns that resonate with your target audience and drive meaningful results.
For more information on how to set up a brand partnerships campaign on Awin, speak to a member of the team or access this free guide.
Lee Metters is client partner – brand partnerships at Awin, which is a Green Retail World partner.
[Image credit: Awin]
