There he is, Daniel Craig, with his blue eyes and his blue shirt. And his blue watch, too, made by Omega. But this watch is different, as the ad informs us that sales of the Hour Vision Blue will raise money for Orbis, a charity combating blindness in developing nations. Such partnerships make consumers feel as though they're not just consuming, but also helping to make the world a better place. This is a good thing, but it can be dangerous if you're not as smart as Omega.
As I mentioned shortly after the disaster in Japan, it's quite fashionable for brands to make charity donations these days. This has links with the issue of sustainability. Along with a desire to save the planet comes a sense of global citizenship. But consumers are cynical, and wary of opportunism. It's similar to greenwashing. I've decided to call it kindwashing.
The way to avoid accusations of kindwashing is to ensure that the cause you choose is directly related to your brand. As Lee Clow, TBWA's worldwide director of media arts, said the other day, it's OK for Adidas and Nike to support youth sports, because sport is in their blood. And it's OK for Kenneth Cole to fight causes such as AIDS or homelessness, because the fashion designer has done so from the very start. But jump on a tornado as a way of making your company seem nicer, and you may end up seeming not very nice at all.
