The collective movement Carrotmob takes advantages of the collective consumers power as a positive driver towards social and environmental businesses. Instead of the traditional boycotts and negative pressure it promotes a positive activism.

Description of the situation

Businessmen and corporation are mainly driven by profits. Cutting carbon emissions or lowering the production of pollutants do not let them make profits, therefore they are not interested in it. Boycotts and negative pressure have rarely had a positive impact on these businesses, not only because they are not willing to take care of the environment but also, sometimes, because of an income that does not make expensive improvements possible.

What the CSO did

Brent Schulkin, the founder of Carrotmob, realised that a positive pressure could be more useful. The first Carrotmob event can be taken as explanatory example: a number of liquor stores in San Francisco (USA) where interviewed about their willingness to pay for environmental upgrades in their shops. The winning one (22% of the income in one certain day) was overrun with hundreds of Carrotmobbers to support the liquor store. In a couple of hours the liquor store doubled the average Saturday profits and was able to lower its impact on the environment by substituting the old electricity consuming fridges, lights, etc. The concept has been used in many countries to mob restaurants, bars, supermarkets, cinemas etc. With Facebook, MySpace and similar platforms it has been possible to gather thousands of activists in few days and without any marketing costs.

The results

The result of a Carrotmob action is a win-win situation: it is an easy way for consumers to do something concrete for the environment in a fun way. The winning producers get a lot of positive visibility.

.

Read more about Carrotmob at http://carrotmob.org/

Do you know about Carrotmob actions happening in different countries? Please send us website links!