How thankyou. gives us all the feels
Here’s the thing. Brand success isn’t really about unique products or services. It’s also not about the colour of your logo or how luxurious your business card is.
It’s about customer engagement. It’s about building an emotional connection between your business and your audience. A human connection based on genuine enthusiasm and passion.
Strong brands will connect with a devoted tribe and leave a lasting impression. These are the brands we’ll drive the extra distance for. Tell our friends about. Brands we’ll become personally invested in.
Brands like Thankyou.
Thankyou began nine years ago, breaking into Australia’s heavily-saturated bottled water industry. Since then, the brand has launched body and baby care products, nappies, breakfast foods and snacks, and even a book by the company’s co-founder, Daniel Flynn.
But Thankyou isn’t your typical consumer goods business. Thankyou gives 100% of its sales profits to help end global poverty. Every product sold helps fund child and maternal health services, and food aid, water, sanitation and hygiene programs in low-income countries.
It’s hard not to be impressed by that business model, but it’s just the start of why we love Thankyou. Why we make that special trip to the supermarket just to buy their handwash. And why it makes us smile to see it in cafe bathrooms.
Finding their ‘why’
From the very beginning, Thankyou got really clear about why they were in business. Their purpose is based on real values shared by their customers. It’s a movement for social change that begins and ends with empowering people and has grown to shape their corporate culture.
Nailing their brand story
Thankyou is more than the story of three Aussie friends starting a social enterprise with zero business experience. Thankyou was founded to solve a shared, global problem. To offer more than a product or competitive price point, but a consumer philosophy you can get behind.
“What if purchasing everyday items like bottled water, food and body care products could provide life-changing solutions for the millions of people who live in poverty? ”
Ok, we’re on board!
Manifesting trust
Thankyou is transparent about how they do business. They use statistics, monetary figures and case studies to demonstrate their integrity. Their website shows you how their projects work, with a product tracker for customers to see exactly where the funds from their purchase are going.
“Your decision to buy Thankyou is literally changing lives, and Track Your Impact is the proof!”
Proof. It’s a simple but effective way to make sure trust and credibility are in the bag.
Building brand loyalty
When Thankyou created a social media campaign to call on Coles and Woolworths to stock its product range, there was an outpour of community support. By asking Australians to petition the supermarket chains on their behalf using the tagline ‘live every day, give every day’, the brand built a tribe of inspired advocates.
They tapped into their customers’ desire to make a contribution. To be part of solving a problem. To belong to something greater.
Writing on point
It takes more than witty words to create powerful, impactful writing. Writing that oozes your brand, captures your customer’s attention and establishes a trusted relationship with them doesn't always come easy.
It takes real craft to hone carefully considered writing style, tone and voice. On Thankyou’s website, every word is heartfelt and dipped in positivity. Their language is human and inclusive, inviting customers to share in who they are and all that could be possible.
Take these gems for example:
“Feel like shouting the Thankyou message from the mountain tops? You sound like a perfect fit for our ambassador program.”
“Look out for Thankyou in your next shop or online and make sure to track the amazing impact you’re making for people in need.”
“Almost a billion people live in extreme poverty, while six billion people don’t. We reckon the six billion of us could work together to put an end to global poverty, for good.”
“You + this book, can change the world.”
Can you feel it?
Creating quality and consistent products
Not content to just sit back on their philanthropic laurels, Thankyou products are actually really impressive. While their core purpose is to fund life-changing projects, it’s their products that bring the dream to life. They’ve invested heavily in developing quality products that stand out, meet consumer demand and encourage repeat sales.
Seamlessly blending personal and business brand
Each of the Thankyou founders has built strong individual profiles and are now sought-after speakers in their own right. The impressive part is that these personal brands both stand alone and work cohesively with the Thankyou brand. This may not seem like a big deal, but trust us, it’s harder to do than it looks!
It seems obvious that your personal and business brand are interlinked, but many people struggle to execute it well. There can be conflicting opinions, values and levels of authority that will jar with your audience.
But when your business is a projection of your personal values, your personal brand can actually help grow your business. It’s ‘you’ who can get in front of new clients. ‘You’ who can speak at events and run workshops. ‘You’ who can introduce people to your business.
Take Richard Branson and the Virgin Group. The founding members of Thankyou are just another example of brand fusion brilliance.
Standing out from the crowd
From pricing their products to lobbying for a place on supermarket shelves, Thankyou has never been afraid to go their own way. You can set your own price when you buy Daniel Flynn’s book, and when it was time to meet Australia’s supermarket giants, the Thankyou team made sure their loyal legions knew about it. Most importantly, the company chooses tactics that are consistent with their brand, which means they’re never labelled as mere publicity stunts.
... Ok, I'm going to stop ...
We could crush on Thankyou all day because they just do so much right. Whether you’re a social enterprise or not, you can learn a lot from passion brands like this. They show how customers can become brand loyalists, motivated to buy and recommend, regardless of the product.
It’s the perfect demonstration of how trust and genuine customer connection can accelerate a brand and a purpose.
~ Bec Fitzpatrick