To Find Something Unique, Consumers Turn to Charity Brands David Vinjamuri - Forbes
go to original September 5, 2012

The PEACE Mexico Boutique is a social enterprise that works with independent artisans and cooperatives in Mexico to increase product sales and promote fair trade practices, while increasing the financial stability of Mexican artisans and their communities by selling their handcrafted products on an international level.

Brands identify us. Wearing a mesh Ralph Lauren Polo sends a message.  A flannel Patagonia shirt transmits an entirely different signal, at the same price. We use brands like beacons, broadcasting clues about our taste, passions and preferences.

The problem with big brands is that lots of people affiliate with them. They provide a strong sense of belonging and membership, but they are often too broad to express individuality and uniqueness.

At the other extreme, there are one-of-a-kind, artisan-produced items. These do a great job of signaling individuality but tell us less about affiliation. Seeing a unique, handcrafted necklace or printed scarf we might admire the owner’s style and learn something about her taste.

At the high end, small boutiques import one-of-a-kind treasures for discerning shoppers. For the rest of us, Etsy has long dominated the online handcrafts business. But these unique goods lack a message of affiliation or inclusion. We can admire but not join.

Intentionally or by accident, charity-produced goods are stepping into the middle ground. These are hard times for nonprofits, as charitable giving (which contracted in 2008 and 2009 for the first time since 1987) slowly recovers from the effects of the recession. In particular, small charities seeking additional revenue streams have embraced entrepreneurship.

In the process, they are creating a new sort of brand – one that it is both unique and affinitive.  The stories behind these goods and the nonprofit brands that produce them are also unique and powerful. Charity may be the new authenticity.

Read more at Forbes

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