I recently enjoyed reading the rather excellent book ‘Innocent: Building a Brand from Nothing but Fruit’ by John Simmons which offers stunning insight into possibly THE brand phenomenon of the past decade.
The underlying theme throughout the book was how incredibly well the three co-founders had managed to drive the business based on their total and utter belief in the organisations brand values. So rather than a fabricated pretence of what they aspired to be, their natural values have permeated every nook and cranny since day one informing every decision and every action. The end result being a consistent brand experience, be it through communications, behaviour, product or even their environment at Fruit Towers. I’d like to believe everything in the book I read is true but despite the fluffiness and the niceness you sense that underneath this sugary coating there are some very intelligent and very hard-nosed businessmen playing a game of sorts. All Oxbridge educated you understand, and I suspect some stunning business acumen allowed them to surf the crest of the responsibility wave long before most people had put the letters S, C and R in the right order. That’s the cynic within me talking anyway. At least they have proved whatever your original motive, you can be nice, be responsible and still make a shed load of money. Good luck to them and it’s got me into their smoothies to be fair.