Work of the Week #1- Lacoste's Croc Helps a Few Endangered Friends

This week Lacoste came out with a delightfully unexpected CSR campaign, that gave me some hope for tasteful ways to do good in the corporate world.

The famous polo shirt company decided to use their resources and support the International Union for Conservation of Nature campaign with their iconic crocodile. They gave their mascot a little bit of a break for the production of 1775 limited edition shirts, printed with the different species of extremely endangered populations in the croc's normal spot.

The objective for this campaign felt very straight-forward, to raise awareness and attention for the IUCN, and to help protect these different species of animals. Generally in philanthropic efforts, the best way to make a difference is actually to donate money to the experts in the area. Lacoste acknowledged this and rather than making a scrappy attempt to help crocodiles, partnered with a group who really knows how to help. So Lacoste decided to use their amazing platform for endangered animals, in an incredibly clever way.

Lacoste targets a very specific kind of consumer... one that is willing to spend $80+ on a polo shirt. These consumers are willing to pay extra to get good quality, (branded) clothing they like. At this point Lacoste has a fairly good understanding for their target, and realized that creating something "limited edition" would likely spark their interest. So, how do you engage wealthier consumers to help in a donation effort? Create limited edition shirts with the same style and quality of material that they love, for a good cause.

All in all, what I love the most about this CSR is that they really didn't have to do it. Lacoste could have gone their merry way and printed crocodiles on their shirts forever, but instead they decided to do something to make a difference. It felt genuine, it was poignant, and it matters. This was a beautifully executed way to help out people that can make a difference.