In 2017, Giving Tuesday generated more than $300 million in online donations and nearly 22 billion social media impressions from consumers across some 150 countries seeking to make purchases with a purpose. This year, the numbers are expected to grow as shoppers continue searching for meaning amid consumerism.
Beauty brands are increasing their involvement in Giving Tuesday, which was created by 92nd Street Y and the United Nations Foundation in 2012 to celebrate generosity, to support charitable causes that concern them. The occasion brings attention to the actions they’re taking for the greater good and their significance beyond products.
Glow Recipe is backing charity:water during the shopping event falling on Nov. 27. Christine Chang, who founded the Korean skincare specialist with Sarah Lee, says, “As two female founders, we’re always looking for ways to help empower other women and help them make their dreams come true, and we’re so excited to do that with charity:water.”
No purchases will be required to partake in Glow Recipe’s Giving Tuesday initiative. The brand is encouraging its social media followers to post selfies using the hashtag #givingglow timed with the philanthropic shopping phenomenon. For each post with #givingglow tagging Glow Recipe’s and charity:water’s Instagram accounts, Glow Recipe will donate $15, up to a total of $10,000, to fund a community in Madagascar’s access clean, safe water. For all purchases made on Giving Tuesday, Glow Recipe will also donate 10% of sales to the organization.
“Social media is a powerful tool, whether it’s to promote a new launch or raise awareness, which is why we decided to use our social following to promote our #GivingGlow campaign and get everyone in our reach involved to raise awareness on this amazing work charity:water does for local communities around the world.”
Glow Recipe is tapping into its community to get the word out. The company reached out to female CEOs and entrepreneurs to harness their influence on social media platforms to lift awareness of the brand’s campaign. Chang says, “Social media is a powerful tool, whether it’s to promote a new launch or raise awareness, which is why we decided to use our social following to promote our #GivingGlow campaign and get everyone in our reach involved to raise awareness on this amazing work charity:water does for local communities around the world.”
The Nue Co. is turning its attention to strengthening its neighborhood for the holiday shopping season – and it’s doing so for a prolonged period. Instead of devoting a single day to giving back, the wellness brand is stretching its seasonal charitable efforts from Nov. 22 to 26. The Nue Co.’s efforts are linked to Coalition For The Homeless, an organization located close to its store in Manhattan.
“When I first moved to New York four years ago, I was really struck by the homelessness, particularly during the winter. I wanted to work with a local charity who would feel the direct impact from our activity,” says The Nue Co. founder Jules Miller. “It’s estimated that 62,000 people, including nearly 23,000 children, struggle for survival in the city, and our collective donation will go directly to whatever they need – food, social support and job training.”
“When I first moved to New York four years ago, I was really struck by the homelessness, particularly during the winter. I wanted to work with a local charity who would feel the direct impact from our activity.”
Furthermore, The Nue Co. has rolled out a program intended to urge consumers to think about gifts specifically addressing the needs of recipients – its Active Set, for example, could be appropriate for someone considering running a marathon – to reduce waste. The brand underscores that 5 billion pounds of unreturned gifts ended up in landfills last year.
“I believe real change comes from being part of the conversation, which means running the race and changing our approach from the inside out – a bit like taking a supplement,” says Miller. “We’re launching a concept my team and I have named Conscious Gifting, and it’s centered around giving gifts that give back – to ourselves, to our loved ones and those who need it most.” The Nue Co.’s Conscious Gifting campaign starts with 15% off its wellness products, and it’s donating 50% of proceeds to the Coalition For The Homeless.
Vegan nail polish brand Veque is spreading holiday cheer by donating one polish for every polish purchased to Mary’s Place, an organization combatting homelessness in founder Audrey Siu’s hometown of Seattle, and investing to boost social media posts throughout a 12-day Season’s Giving campaign. “Nail polish is a small luxury that brightens up a person’s spirit,” she says. “We chose to work with Mary’s Place because they give women in our community, who are experiencing homelessness, the ability to focus on themselves and their children by giving them shelter and tools to start anew.”
“As a brand, I have to consider the act of my support toward one organization versus another. Veque is an all-inclusive brand, and I wouldn’t want to alienate my brand from that message.”
While the amount of sales the campaign will drive is uncertain, Siu points out the bigger goal is to humanize the homelessness issue in Seattle. She says, “We feel so strongly that women of all walks of life deserve to feel beautiful because with that brings confidence, joy and strength. We’d like to raise enough to be able to supply Mary’s Place with a year’s worth of nail polish for their residents.”
Clean body-care and perfumery brand Cūrata Sustainable Luxury skipped Black Friday discounts in favor of 45% off purchases on its website during Giving Tuesday with customer proof of a charitable contribution this year. The value of the contribution must be equal to or greater than 45% of the value of the order with the brand. “The goal is to encourage a spirit of true giving. By this, our clients will be giving,” says Cūrata founder Serena Rogers. “And more sales means that we as a company can give more at the end of our fiscal year to Plastic Oceans via our alliance with 1% for the Planet.”
For Shea Stamper, founder of haircare company Mermaid Aloha, Giving Tuesday is personal. She has suffered from dystonia, a potentially life-threatening disorder associated with involuntary muscle spasms, and her brand will support Dystonia Medical Research Foundation on the shopping holiday. It will support the cat assistance organization FixNation, too.
“The more brands and companies that have an initiative for Giving Tuesday, the better. It’s always important to support groups and communities that are less fortunate as well as empower others to give back.”
Mermaid Aloha is committing 10% of total sales of its product, Kiss My Brass, a shampoo additive designed to cancel out undesirable yellow and orange tones, on Giving Tuesday to the charities. To make giving easy for shoppers, Stamper recommends brands implement an auto-donate button similar to a button eBay incorporates. She says, “This way, you can give a little bit with every sale to your charity of choice, and as my mom likes to say, ‘You won’t even miss it.'”
The beauty entrepreneurs taking part in Giving Tuesday emphasize that brands should carefully choose a cause and develop a campaign for the shopping event. Glow Recipe’s Chang says, “A brand should partner with a charity they are passionate about – whether it be Breast cancer awareness, charities that impact at-risk youth, charities that support the LGBTQ community, etc.”
Miller agrees, stressing, “I’d advise any brand to get involved if it’s something that’s close to their heart, and not to just jump on a cause for the sake of it.” Siu says, “As a brand, I have to consider the act of my support toward one organization versus another. Veque is an all-inclusive brand, and I wouldn’t want to alienate my brand from that message.”
Chang hopes additional brands will join the Giving Tuesday movement. She says, “The more brands and companies that have an initiative for Giving Tuesday, the better. It’s always important to support groups and communities that are less fortunate as well as empower others to give back.” Stamper is confident indie beauty brands can make a positive contribution to society this holiday season. “Indie brands are founded by mavericks,” she says. “Take that passion we have as owners and channel it toward the greater good.”
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