As corporations become more socially responsible, giving back and altruism have become hallmarks for big brands. Some do it for the right reasons, some for less genuine reasons. Companies have been long wrapping themselves in the cloak of social do-gooders as way to differentiate their images and target demographics.
But the current story about Amazon giving away free bananas to anyone that walks near their campuses is an interesting one and struck a chord with me. It started as an internal campaign to give employees healthy snacks. Now, it has become more like a community foodservice – a banana bank for anyone that walks by.
I could project a few motives into Amazon’s strategy or hypothesize as to the brand backstory of this flavorful gesture. However, in its simplest form: Amazon is being kind and is sharing their wealth. They are trying to help their neighbors in Seattle, albeit in a small way.
Amazon gave away 1.7 million bananas last year to anyone that walked up to one of their stands. There was no limit as to how many bananas you could take. Some people may eat them as a snack, others as a meal replacement. If you came to that stand every day, you received free fruit that could sustain you, your health and make a difference in your daily life. To some one or two bananas may make no difference in the grand scheme of things, while to others it could be the difference between being fed or going hungry.
To Amazon, it is not even a rounding error in their P&L. Where it stands large, however, is in its power as a community gesture. Through this simple act of giving, they are truly helping people in their community. That is a value that you don’t see all that often in corporate America, rather more akin to a charity or church.
Amazon surely doesn’t need to give away free bananas as a promotional or marketing strategy. They are already one of the most successful companies in US business history. Perhaps this simple act of giving people a piece of fruit reminds their employees and themselves of the importance of giving back. Perhaps it reminds people that for all our digital engagement, we all live in a real, banana-based world.
Despite our race for success, we should all be mindful of small yet real acts of giving as a supplement to our daily corporate striving. Giving back cultivates a mindfulness, a spirituality – a higher level way of thinking about those we interact with. Thoughts or comments? I’d like to hear from you. Please email [email protected] or message me on LinkedIn.