A review of 365 days of good and what this means for marketers in 2020.

1. #365Daysofgood
The marketer’s guide to good in 2020

2. WRAPPING
UP A
YEAR
OF GOOD
#365DaysOfGood
We began 2019 with a hunch.
We believed it would be the year when the
long-term trend of businesses wanting to
be famous for good reasons would evolve:
from a fashionable marketing choice, to
a meaningful goal in boardrooms around
the world. And we hoped it would be a
permanent shift: not just greenwashing or
lip-service to sustainable organisations.
Business leaders and brands would finally
have the confidence to stick their heads
above the parapet, instead of sticking them
in the sand.
We’ll happily admit it wasn’t a new idea.
Many were businesses set up this way
years ago and are now the darlings of
brand workshops and marketers who
believe there’s a better way, but couldn’t
quite make it happen in their business.
In recent years, plenty of B-Corps have
been certified as ‘sustainable’ and in 2017
Blue Planet snagged the UK’s most-
watched TV moment. The clues have been
there for some time, so it wasn’t much
of a leap for us to focus our efforts on
understanding this direction for brands
and culture.
A year of good marketing on social
With this in mind, we kicked off our
#365Daysofgood social media campaign.
It started with an ambition to demonstrate
and catalogue the depth and breadth of
change in brands’ priorities and marketing
budgets. Over the course of 2019, we
followed, shared and put the spotlight on
a different brand every single day to show
that ‘good’ comes in all shapes and sizes.
Our bet on ‘good’ wasn’t long odds,
based on all of the evidence we could
see. And we certainly didn’t struggle to
find plenty of great examples to keep
#365DaysOfGood going.
Even so, the move by nearly 200 business
leaders in the US back in August surprised
us. It signified the permanent shift we
thought could happen, but expected to
take much longer.
It might not sound like much. But as a
statement from some of the most powerful
business leaders in the world, it’s a
paradigm shift. Big corporates are now
seen as key players in looking after the
world and having a responsibility to
all stakeholders, not just investors.
As we enter the next decade, we look
forward to a business landscape where
marketers can finally anticipate greater
support from the boardroom when it
comes to making their brands famous
for good reasons.
After all, good is happening across
all categories and industries, as
#365DaysOfGood shows. Some are
heavily publicised, others are humble.
But they all signal the permanent shift that
started many years ago and seems to be
coming to fruition.
To help you navigate this new landscape,
we’ve studied our #365DaysOfGood
findings to see what marketers can learn
from the businesses doing well by doing
the right thing.
Here’s our top 10 trends and some
questions to help you anticipate what they
could mean for you.
You can also search #365Daysofgood
to see every campaign covered
throughout 2019.
“Shareholder value
isn’t everything*
.”
*Ref*https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/19/business/business-roundtable-ceos-corporations.html
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

3. Less talk, more action
2019 saw lots of brands move from joining cultural, political and social conversations,
to rolling up their sleeves and solving problems. Co-op partnered with charity Steel
Warriors to combat knife crime by building outdoor community gyms from melted-
down knives.
Good things to consider:
• What are the big issues currently at the top of your audience’s minds?
• What small step could you take to make a difference?
#365DaysOfGood
You choose
Typically, brands that channel ‘good’ by supporting a charity choose a single, specific
cause. But many brands now involve their consumers in the decision. Toms, which
originally made the one-for-one model famous, now lets its customers personally choose
an issue to support as part of their purchase.
Good things to consider:
• Do your customers want to be involved in your initiatives?
• At what point in the consumer journey could this interaction be most valuable?
1 2
DAY #137 DAY #137
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

4. Sustain in your lane
Rather than grand but ultimately empty promises to change the world, in 2019 brands
focused on smaller, more specific and brand-relevant issues. For example, rather than
promising to solve a global plastic-waste problem, Corona funded and ran beach-cleaning
projects around the globe.
Good things to consider:
• What occasion or place is your brand most associated with?
• Use the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals to brainstorm how your business
could help with each.
#365DaysOfGood
Nourish them like they nourish us
For over 30 years Butcher’s Pet Care has
built a business on the belief that every dog
should be able to enjoy natural, nourishing
food. It’s the least we can do when they
give us so much, unconditionally, every
single day.
This belief recently fuelled a £25m
investment in the business, a programme
that included the removal of all nasties
from food formulations, making packaging
recyclable and repositioning the brand as
affordable natural - an underserved but
valuable segment of the dog food market.
As part of this investment, LIFE were
challenged by the Butcher’s team to
deliver a TV brand campaign that would
drive consumer reappraisal of the brand.
The campaign needed to resonate with
dog owners throughout Britain, appealing
as much to a new generation of modern
mindset dog owners as to the brand’s
loyalists.
With just a few months in which to deliver
the TV campaign, we developed an ode to
dogs throughout Britain - interwoven with
intimate moments captured between real
owners and their pets. Moments that would
be instantly recognisable and relatable to all
dog lovers and would encourage owners to
nourish them like they nourish us.
The campaign has been transformative
for the brand, performing over and above
expectations since launching during
Britain’s Got Talent in April 2019.
3
DAY #117
LIFE truly embraced a collaborative way
of working with us here at Butcher’s.
They provided a potent mix of strategic
thinking and creativity with passion
and pace to deliver against one of the
most challenging briefs. Everyone at
Butcher’s is hugely proud of the TV ad
we created with the expert guidance
of LIFE and we will be forever grateful
to them. This campaign has had an
enormously positive impact on the
Butcher’s business.
– Rachel Collinson, Director
Food for Dogs
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

5. 54 Start local
Previously, brands that wanted to be seen to be making a difference supported causes in
developing countries. But this year, we noticed big, small and global brands alike focus
on problems closer to home. HSBC championed the idiosyncrasies of UK cities and
supported their local communities to make their banks more relevant to customers.
Good things to consider:
• What are the close-to-home problems that your brand could help solve?
• Who are the local heroes that don’t get championed enough?
#365DaysOfGood
Do it for the kids
Brands are getting behind grassroots organisations and running initiatives that help
support the next generation of game-changers. BT’s Beyond Limits platform is all about
inspiring children and developing their critical digital technology skills.
Good things to consider:
• What are the grassroots organisations close to your brand’s positioning?
• What problems are your future generation of customers likely to face?
DAY #7 DAY #312
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

6. #365DaysOfGood
Repositioning corporate
social responsibility
to engage the next
generation of shoppers
– Charles Croft, Brand Loyalty
We work with retailers around the world
that are wrestling with a ton of different
challenges. However, there’s one emerging,
consistent theme: the next generation
of shoppers is the biggest threat that
traditional retail faces. Since 2010,
Generation Z’s influence on spending has
steadily grown even though their direct
impact has been limited. But from 2020
onwards, as they enter adulthood, we must
adapt or risk losing the spending
potential of what is now
the world’s largest
generation.
So where do we
start?
Gen Z has grown
up expecting more from
retailers. Put neatly, their shopping
behaviour is ‘everything, now’, a reality
created by a heady mix of Amazon
Prime, Uber, Netflix and TikTok. They’re a
generation that expect more experience,
technology, travel, and entertainment.
But they also expect restraint and
responsibility. They recognise that we
face an uncertain future and believe that
big corporations should act accordingly,
putting the planet before profit.
For forward-thinking retailers, this presents
an opportunity to create a new base of
loyal shoppers. It requires a plan that’s
less about incentivisation and more
about shared value, includes fewer short
term campaigns in favour of longer term
programs, and a change in mindset
from corporate social responsibility to
corporate social opportunity. This is where
sustainability becomes motivating and is
placed at the heart of the business.
Many consumer brands are unable to
do this. They have relatively infrequent or
superficial interactions with their audience,
making any meaningful behaviour change
difficult to achieve. However, retailers
like Sainsbury’s see the same shopper
upwards of 6 times per week, account for
a huge proportion of monthly spending and
have an influence on fundamental issues
such as health, nutrition, waste, community
and celebration. When a large retailer
encourages more sustainable shopping
choices or helps families cook more
together, it can make a significant impact
to society. They have the means to make
a difference.
Often what’s missing is the motivation.
While many shoppers say it’s a priority
to reduce food or packaging waste, their
day-to-day actions don’t always match
up. That’s why we work with the world’s
biggest entertainment brands to bridge the
gap. The emotional power that they have is
unparalleled. Fans love the likes of Marvel,
Star Wars and Pixar, and their desire to find
out the next chapter of the story in each
franchise is extremely motivating.
We believe the world’s biggest retailers
can partner with the world’s most powerful
entertainment brands to create a cycle of
positive, everyday actions that lead to a
more sustainable future. It’s an approach
that takes corporate social responsibility
from the back pages of the annual report
to the heart of the annual marketing plan.
It’s our way of rethinking loyalty programs
and helping retailers take on the challenge
laid down by Generation Z.
Grocery retailers need to realise the unique
means they have to create lasting change,
and the motivation that entertainment
brands can offer. When they do this, they’ll
see that a sustainable future is more than
a responsibility: it’s an opportunity to turn
Generation Z into loyal shoppers before
they’re lost to Amazon and Uber for good.
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

7. Give packaging a second life
With growing concerns about waste, more brands are designing their packaging with
multiple uses in mind. Pink Ribbon Foundation teaches women how to check for breast
cancer with step-by-step instructions on its shower product packaging.
Good things to consider:
• How long is your packaging valuable for? How could that be extended?
• What other single-use touchpoints could you give a second (or third, or fourth) use?
#365DaysOfGood
Improving biodiversity, one gin at a time
Warner’s are on a mission save the world
from mediocre gin. They believe they’ll do
this through graft, not just craft, bringing
their incredible farm grown gin to drinkers
across the country.
Their farm is at the centre of their success.
It’s a thriving ecosystem that allows them
to grow the ingredients that go into every
bottle. But more than this, it’s a leading
example of how we should protect
our natural environment and promote
biodiversity so we can create a more
sustainable world.
As part of a broader campaign to
raise awareness of the brand and the
uniqueness of their farm grown gin, LIFE
took an age old on-trade mechanic and
gave it a reboot. Warner’s seed infused
coasters create greater visibility for the
brand in bar, but can also be planted to
grow a mini wild flower garden. The flowers
that grow are essential for bees to thrive
and create a more biodiverse environment
- a small piece of ‘good’ from the
brand that leads to an important
environmental impact.
Keep an eye out for more good actions
from Warner’s throughout 2020.
#6
DAY #254
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

8. Prove it
Customers want to make more conscious choices. With a rise in brands boasting about
their sustainability credentials, sceptical consumers are rightly looking for proof. Claims
aren’t enough. Allbirds makes proving their claims about provenance fun by letting
consumers trace their shoes’ materials all the way back to their roots (or sheep).
Good things to consider:
• Which of your claims might need more substantiation?
• How could you dramatise a functional transparency initiative?
#365DaysOfGood
Celebrating a commitment to
sustainability
Bird’s Eye approached LIFE wanting to
raise awareness of the brand’s 100% MSC
and ASC labelling across its entire portfolio
and to encourage families to explore how
their fish is sustainably sourced.
Our solution
Taking cues from the rich and varied
world under the sea, we created a vibrant
depiction of Birds Eye’s sustainable world,
commissioning children’s illustrator, Gareth
Lucas to bring our ocean concept to life.
We then delivered an on-pack promotion
offering consumers the chance to win a
beautiful limited edition Ocean Explorer
ceramic plate every 15 minutes.
Each Ocean explorer plate was
accompanied by an informative Ocean
passport allowing families to find out more
about Birds Eye’s sustainable fishing.
To support the promotion, the Birds Eye
Fish Provenance Tool – a tool that follows
the journey of a fish from the ocean to their
plates - provided further information and
education around Birds Eye’s commitment
to sustainability.
The activation wias supported with a multi-
channel TTL campaign, spanning TV, digital
and PR.
#7
DAY #4
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

9. Make sustainability simple
Lift the lid on recycling and the only thing clear is how unclear ‘doing good’ can be. From
knowing which bin is the right one for your rubbish, to finding out what happens (or
doesn’t happen) to your recycling, to uncovering recycling conspiracy theories, there’s a
risk that society will lose faith in sustainable actions altogether. Take a look at how
Coca-Cola’s billboards simplify recycling by literally pointing drinkers to their nearest
recycling bin.
Good things to consider:
• What stops people from recycling your product?
• How could you make ‘good’ actions simpler and more fun for consumers?
#365DaysOfGood
Making green, greener.
Carlsberg Danish Pilsner’s relaunch in
2019 centred around their #newbrew; a
completely new liquid rebrewed from head
to hop. However there were also significant
changes to their product that set the brand
up to be part of a more sustainable future.
Packaging innovations like Snap Pack,
which removes the need for plastic rings
on can packs were an important part of the
brand’s story. LIFE have taken Carlsberg
on the road throughout 2019, from train
stations such as Waterloo to university
freshers fairs to spread the word.
We made sustainability fun with engaging
stands that rewarded sustainable actions
and introduced the #newbrew to tens of
thousands of new drinkers.
#8
DAY #153
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019

10. Give your brand, build your brand.
One of the first rules of marketing is to protect and develop your most distinctive brand
assets. But more and more brands are giving away their assets for good causes. Deliveroo
partnered with the Missing People turn its iconic thermal food backpacks into media space
to help bring missing people home.
Good things to consider:
• What are the distinctive assets and codes of your brand?
• How could you use them to draw attention to an issue?
#365DaysOfGood
Share the good
Enlightened brands have realised that they have collective power and responsibility to
do good, rather than use it purely as a competitive advantage. Unilever even developed
a black pigment that transforms the ability to recycle black plastic. Instead of keeping
the technology to themselves, they shared their innovation with other manufacturers to
improve recycling beyond their business.
Good things to consider:
• What are the problems in your industry that your brand could take the lead on?
• What are the good practices and innovations that your brand could share with a wider
industry?
#10#9
The marketer’s guide to good in 2019
DAY #5 DAY #150

11. #365DaysOfGood
The 10 trends that we’ve seen develop
throughout 2019 show a real change in
marketers ambition. Vague CSR campaigns
and empty promises aren’t necessarily a thing
of the past, but more businesses are choosing
to speak up and spend marketing budget
building their brand in a way that also
benefits others.
Some do this directly, some by supporting a
broader cultural shift towards a fairer, more
sustainable society. Either way, we’re looking
forward to helping more brands create effective
work in a world where businesses look beyond
shareholders to create value.
To find out more and to discuss the
implications and opportunities for your brand
in 2020, call Niki Cook on 0121 00 7200 or
email niki.cook@lifeagency.co.uk.
LOOKING
AHEAD
TO 2020
Tel: +44 121 200 7200
45 Frederick Street, Birmingham, B1 3HN, United Kingdom
#365Daysofgood