MM.Lafleur, a US-based womens’ workwear brand, launched Ready to Run: a program loaning outfits to women running for political office. Available to candidates running for state, federal or local government, the initiative lends three item of clothing to women whose applications are approved. The brand will also allow candidates access to its free styling services. Ready to Run was inspired by upcoming elections in the US, and takes aim at the injustice that sees women in public life judged on their appearance and dress in ways that men are not. The initiative ran from President’s Day (February 17) through March 3 (Super Tuesday) and saw over 500 candidates apply.
You don’t have to be entangled in US politics to learn from MM.Lafleur’s timely initiative:
Purpose in action. Our hot-off-the-press report, The Future of Purpose, explores the search for a more ethical and sustainable consumerism. MM.Lafleur’s initiative is a great example of how a brand can find innovative new ways to support a core ethical principle: in this case ‘female empowerment in the workplace’. The company leveraged an upcoming event – elections in the US – and pinpointed a specific and relevant group to support. Here’s a set of big questions for your team: what are our core ethical principles as a brand? What’s happening in the world now, or set to happen soon, that gives us an opportunity to put those values into pratice?
Activists for change. The idea for Ready to Run came to MM.Lafleur when it sent an email to its community asking what more it could do to support women. That’s a powerful reminder of a key lesson for brands that want to make positive change in the world. That is, it pays to listen before you act. You’ll arrive at better, more powerful initiatives. And you’ll avoid the danger of imposing your view of a better world on those around you – who may not share that view! So here’s a great exercise for any brand in 2020: reach out to your customers, community and staff and ask them: what are your priorities for change? What could we do together to help build a better world?
OUT NOW | The Future of Purpose
