Research by global consulting company Kantar shows 80 per cent of consumers claim to “make an effort” to buy from companies that support causes important to them.
But not all buyers do what they say, and communicators must look to creatively address this purchasing value-action gap.
These principles form the bedrock of The Good Store, an award-winning social impact campaign that TECOM Group is reactivating in 2024.
Positive social change
Powered by TECOM Group with Hill & Knowlton (H&K) and in partnership with Emirates Red Crescent, The Good Store is an immersive and innovative shopping experience placed across high-density customer touchpoints during Ramadan and Eid Al-Fitr, including grocery stores, pop-up shops, and outdoor shopping carts.
The city-wide campaign activates the Group’s 124,000+ community of professionals, students, and freelancers across 10 business destinations in Dubai, empowering them as agents of positive social change.
Findings by the agency’s behavioural science team showed UAE residents are more likely to donate if they can tangibly visualise whom their contribution will benefit.
Data insights helped to establish robust link between the campaign and the principles of piety, charity, and blessings associated with Ramadan.
This included key market insights, such as estimations of e-commerce spending worth about $6.2 billion during Ramadan 2022 in the MENA region, and a global preference for donors to distribute charity online rather than in-person.
Integrated approach
While its roots in charity and donation strengthen its relatability and value proposition to encourage participation, The Good Store’s uniqueness lies in its simple but integrated approach to raising awareness to inspire – not compel – donations.
The Good Store optimises retail spaces such as supermarkets and pop-up zones as well as outdoor community areas and storefronts, directing 8.9 million people online and offline to a specially designed microsite linked to Emirates Red Crescent’s donation platform.
Last year, an immersive, open-air pop-up shop at Dubai Design District (d3) featured groceries branded with a QR code directing users to The Good Store’s microsite.
True to the campaign’s phygital nature, the pop-up store was unstaffed, and the products never left the store, instead serving as a point-of-sale for cash donations towards Emirates Red Crescent.
Measurable impact
During Ramadan or otherwise, campaigns founded in a clearly defined purpose – be it awareness, engagement, or relationship-building – lead to more realistic goals and success.
Brands must not only inform their audience about their understanding of local culture and traditions, but truly foster the spirit of generosity and goodness that the holy month represents.
To us, The Good Store’s success in 2023 was marked by the participation of more than 7,500 people who purchased items including food and clothing for refugees, with an average donation of AED 20 per shopper in just over two weeks.
All proceeds, worth over more than AED100,000, were directed to the Emirates Red Crescent to share with those who most needed the items.
Careful planning and culturally flavoured creativity can enhance the role of Ramadan as a bridge to build meaningful connections between brands and their audiences.
The success of The Good Store, a six-time MEPRA Awards 2023 winner and an agent of positive social change, is a reminder that the most successful cultural campaigns not only respect traditional values, but also foster tangible community engagement and connections.
By Jon Barber – VP of Marketing and Communications at TECOM Group
