Across categories, we are seeing the steady growth of smaller, craft brands. And, more often than not, at premium prices! The larger, established category incumbents see this as both a threat and an opportunity, with many choosing to either launch their own craft brands or acquire the new upstarts.
This has lead to a growing debate on whether big business can credibly “do craft”. In particular, is ‘large’ and ‘corporate’ not at odds with what it means to be craft?
Dictionary definitions suggest that human skill and care are the essential ingredients of craft. But this is to focus purely on the product (supply-side) nature of craft. If you properly analyse the craft phenomenon it is clear that there is more to the brand story than an interesting provenance, ingredient and process story.
Successful craft brands also have a bigger ‘cultural story’ at play – a unique point of view and belief system that represents the distinctive cultural identity of its user base. There is a real sense of community that underpins most craft brands. A community that the brand both represents and is actively part of.
In many cases the brand is born within this community, the founders being part of it. Therefore, it is very natural and easy for such brands to remain close to and part of that community.
However, if you are a larger, traditional business this is not so easy. Yes, you can create a product story and label that screams ‘craft’ and you can sell the product through a separate business unit to keep some distance from the big, shiny corporate ownership. But you can’t fake cultural authenticity. It requires active participation in your cultural community.
Historically, the scale and operating structure of many larger businesses has meant that they often became distant and detached from the frontline of their communities. And to be clear – once every 6-months, sitting through a powerpoint debrief of a few focus groups run in the artificial surrounds of a room with no windows in some city centre, does not suddenly mean that you are closely connected to your community.
But in the same way that technology has opened up opportunities for smaller brands by making it easier to reach customers through e-commerce and digital communications channels, it also now makes it easier for larger brands to connect authentically with a cultural community and engage actively at scale.
Digital community collaboration platforms such as Bulbshare allow brands (however large) to build an intimate and active relationship with communities in real-time. By facilitating 2-way communication, collaboration, co-creation and advocacy, the brand actively and authentically supports its community to tell and build its cultural story. And by definition, the input of the community to the brand, insure that it remains culturally relevant and authentic. That, not simply size, is the fundamental foundation for an authentic craft brand.
