CARROT BEFORE THE STICK O
Creative Incentives Combined With a Mob Mentality Help Businesses Make the Right Choice by Samantha Rudick
verwhelming a local business in the middle of the day. Swarms of people showing up at the same time, holding up signs, yelling. Speakers passionately
expressing why the group has come together for a common purpose. Sounds like any other mob, right? Wrong. Very wrong.
Cities from San Francisco to Bangkok have all participated in Carrotmobs, and for good reason. In a Carrotmob campaign, people offer to spend their money to support a business. In return, the business agrees to make an improvement that people care about. As opposed to the traditional concept of a boycott, this “buycott” rewards a company and gives them tangible, monetary rewards for making good choices.
In the case of Manitoba’s first ever Carrotmob, which happened on March 9, 2013, the chosen business was Chocolatier Constance Popp (who makes their fine chocolates from fair trade and locally sourced whole ingredients), the mob resulted in over 200 people attending (not including multiple members from the media!), and the promise of selling only fair trade certified hot chocolate was kept. Check out this video to see how the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation spread the word about their campaign—and get inspired to start your own!
// Samantha Rudick works with Fair Trade Toronto as
the Image Builder Program Manager. She has a degree in International Development Studies and has worked with numerous fair trade and development organizations. Get in touch with her directly at
samantha.rudick@fairtradetoronto. ca with any interesting fair trade or mob (carrot or otherwise) related comments or queries!
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