In a world where resources are finite and sustainability high at the top of the agenda, Rowse Honey is the latest example of a brand putting purpose at the heart of its proposition. Its £4 million campaign “The squeeze that protects the bees” reflects the brand’s commitment to helping save the bees that create its honey. 

Conceived by The Liberty Guild, the new campaign is centered around Rowse Honey’s work to protect honeybees and the positive contribution that bees and bee farming makes to the environment.

Launching with a 30-second TV ad directed by David Edwards the slot stars Top Boy’s Emeka Sesay along with Rowse bee farming apprentice, Jim Bliss. Through the film, audiences gain insight into the process of bee farming and the work of beekeepers. The narrator highlights Rowse’s commitment to promote biodiversity and protect bees in the UK and around the world, emphasising how every squeeze of natural Rowse Honey helps to protect the bees that make it.

The ad was filmed around the 500 beehives based on the Lowther Castle estate in the Lake District where bee farming apprentice Jim works day-to-day. The work of a beekeeper remains of the utmost importance as globally, the honeybee is the world’s most important pollinator of food crops with estimates suggesting that one-third of the food we consume each day relies on pollination mainly by bees.

In addition to the film, Rowse bring the campaign to life at the point of purchase through changed product labelling highlighting a “Feed The Bees” seed-giveaway with 100,000 seed packs to be given to consumers via a prize draw in early spring, so they can help grow pollinator-friendly flowers and help feed honey bees in Britain.

“The new campaign highlights that by choosing Rowse honey consumers are making a positive contribution to protecting bees around the world. It reflects our passion and commitment to protecting bees and promoting beekeeping, which has a hugely positive impact on the natural environment,” explained Kirstie Jamieson, Marketing Director at Rowse Honey.

Empowering consumers with sustainable choices

The pandemic brought with it shifting consumer priorities and served as a moment of reflection that pushed purpose and sustainability even further up the agenda. Gen Z in particular is extremely engaged and a large portion of consumers have admitted that they would even be willing to pay more for options they know are sustainable. Despite this, consumers can often feel powerless, at a loss of where to start and so brands need to step in to help make sustainable options more visible and appealing. 

Jamieson added; “We know from our consumer research that the centrepiece ad will drive purchase intent with consumers who connect very strongly with its purpose-driven environmental message. Through the TV ad and wider campaign, we are continuing to build brand affinity for Rowse and appealing to eco and health-conscious consumers looking to make the right choices by highlighting the quality of our honey and the work we are doing to help create a better, more sustainable world.”

As part of the campaign Rowse has also launched its new Squeeze Collective, a team of top British chefs and foodies who have all developed a selection of dishes that highlight the versatility of honey as a cooking ingredient. Helping consumers to utilize the product to its full potential. Each recipe has been written to showcase the diversity of honey in cooking and baking and inspire home cooks to help the bees by supporting Rowse and its Hives for Lives programme of vital initiatives.

Purpose at the heart of the proposition

Where consumers look to support brands that put purpose at the heart of the proposition, ensuring that a cause is close to the brand’s values is essential to make communications authentic. For Rowse Honey, the integrated campaign is the most comprehensive in its history and showcases its Hives for Lives programme protecting bees and beekeepers; the lifeblood of its brand.

The brand has also launched a new website to support the campaign, which highlights its sourcing of 100% pure and natural honey worldwide and profiles and celebrates beekeepers around the world. 

As consumers become more intrinsically attuned with environmental issues and look to spend only with brands that align with their own values, authentic, purpose-driven communications are becoming a necessity. For smart brands, listening to the consumer’s rising calls for genuinely progressive practices and implementing them is key, as well as looking inward to see where they can use their tools to improve the environment or the industries they operate within. With purpose at the heart of the proposition, brands are able to both improve consumer loyalty and contribute toward positive change.