Brita Fuses Mission With CSR Program

In 2010, Americans deposited 39 billion bottles on the planet.

Do you remember the line in the movie Jerry Maguire, "You had me at hello?"

Well, the opening line of the new Brita ad certainly made me stop and take note. 

Last year alone, the U.S. used over 39 billion plastic bottles of water.

At first blush, one would think that Brita's TV campaign is rather self-serving. After all, they make water filters, which invalidate one of the key reasons why people buy bottled water. A classic problem-solution ad.

Problem: Americans added 39 billion plastic bottles to the planet last year. That's enough to stretch around the earth 190 times.

Solution: Each Brita water filter can take 300 bottles out of the equation. Simple math tells you that if 130,000 people were to purchase and use a Brita filter, we would eliminate all of those pesky water bottles from our landfills.

It sounds like an environmentally slanted ad that just adds to Brita's bottom line, right?

Well, that's what I thought too, until I took a deeper look into their current campaign:

"Brita® has teamed up with Preserve,

a leading maker of 100 percent recycled household consumer goods,

to collect and recycle Brita® filters.

Preserve’s Gimme 5 Program will transform the plastic 

from pitcher and bottle filters into new Preserve products."

While Brita will clearly benefit from consumers using their filters, they are making an investment to collect and recycle used Brita pitchers and filters.

It may not be a gargantuan step towards greenifying our planet, but in Brita's words, it is "a small step towards making a big difference."

Got to love companies that take Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) seriously.

Citgo Helps You Feel Good When You Fill Up

A few days ago, I was filling my gas tank when I happened to look up at the pump. The ad displayed there intrigued me on several different levels. I'm happy to say that I found it far more inspiring than the "Simplify Your Life" campaign which they aired in 2010.

I loved the mosaic gas can filled with images that begged to be examined. Its call to action was simple ... visit FuelingGood.com. When I did, I learned that Citgo has donated thousands of gallons of gas to charitable organizations. What a great gift-in-kind donation for nonprofit organizations who are trying to trim their operating costs.

Research study after research study demonstrates that consumers are increasingly turning towards companies that deliver quality products and are good corporate citizens. But, here's the $6 million question ... will this ad encourage consumers to buy their gas at Citgo?

In my own personal case, my unequivocal answer is yes. I like the idea of feeling good when fueling up.