After an amazing “Brew Class” with Dear Green last week I’ve been reflecting on why theirs and other start ups have captured not just my shower time but also my spend. My conclusion is that they are respectfully challenging my engagement with the mass mainstream. Sub-consciously they’ve evolved the traditional marketing mix in a way that builds not just an emotional connection but a bond. This they’ve done by adding to the more traditional “P’s” .. product, place and so-on e.g. amazing hand roasted coffee leveraged through the power of building a brand in spot on out of home locations overlaid with:

Passion: Evangelism for their industry and a genuine belief that there is no place for mediocrity or compromise, it’s about making the “best” accessible.

Purpose: A “why” that’s more esoteric, behavioural and infinite. It’s a long game.

People: Real people, experts who’ve got each others backs and that includes the consumer and shopper. They’re connected by something more than profit.

Participation: Being invested, involved, actively listening and having dialogue with their B2B and B2C customers.

Perspective: Being grounded in reality through a relatively fragile P&L with an appreciation that every action has consequences.

Positivity: Gong the extra mile – a “we’ll find a way” approach made all the stronger for scarce resources.

The sum of these parts = A high, actionable propensity to engage, buy and tell the world because the whole experience is infectious – something that you just want to be a part of and delight in spending money on. My conclusion, they are the Robin Hoods of the brand world doing a cracking job of recruiting a growing band of Merry Men (and women). Food for thought ….