A tiny village in rural India has been renamed the SnapDeal village but not for the reasons that you might expect. The daily deals site, which currently has a stronger foothold in India that the major player in the industry (Groupon), has been committed to charitable acts that are socially responsible.
The SnapDeal village was the result of the deals website adopting the village and providing clean drinking water; locals decided that they were going to rename the village SnapDeal, taking the company entirely by surprise.
The SnapDeal village is an example for the benefits that being social responsible and doing good can provide to a company's marketing efforts. Instead of buying the village and renaming it themselves, SnapDeal was able to bring about that end through more noble means.
Unexpected Branding Initiatives
SnapDeal Village Conveys the Unintended Consequence of Doing Good
Trend Themes
1. Socially Responsible Marketing - Companies can benefit from socially responsible initiatives like SnapDeal's village adoption and water provision.
2. Unintended Branding - Companies may unexpectedly receive positive branding through charitable acts, like SnapDeal's village being renamed after them.
3. Social Responsibility Competition - Companies in industries like daily deals sites can compete with each other through charitable initiatives that benefit communities and provide marketing benefits, like SnapDeal's efforts in India.
Industry Implications
1. Daily Deals Sites - Companies like SnapDeal and Groupon can benefit from socially responsible initiatives, as well as unintended branding opportunities.
2. Charity and Nonprofit - Organizations in the charity and nonprofit sector can partner with companies like SnapDeal to provide social responsibility benefits to communities, and potential marketing advantages as well.
3. Marketing and Advertising - Marketing and advertising agencies can help companies develop socially responsible initiatives that benefit communities and the companies themselves, like SnapDeal's efforts in India.