Double Trouble
A friend just sent me this photo…
Like with hero-worshiping in the social sector, when the media and then general public praises and supports a model which sounds like a quick fix to big problems, we get copy cats. Now we’re not only “giving things away” once, we’re giving DOUBLE things….. oh goodness.
It will be great if we can harness these great intentions all of the purchasers have and use these popular brands to steer us towards support which is about BUILDING markets and skills rather than increasing dependencies on aid. I recently wrote a piece about how we might be able to use the popularity of a brand like TOMS (the company BOBS above is copying) to help steer people away from giving things and towards investing time in people.
Did anyone see that TOMS recently launched an eyewear line where each pair “helps give sight to a person in need”? What do you think about this new eyewear line which is partnering with an NGO rather than giving shoes away? Share your thoughts!