Learn about Allbirds’ Plant Leather (aka vegan leather). For way too long, fashion companies have relied on dirty synthetics and unsustainable leather, putting speed and costs before the environment. We wanted to put an end to that with a 100% natural, plant-based leather.
Source: Plant-Based Leather Shoes | Sustainable Leather Alternative From Natural Materials | Allbirds
In February, Allbirds announced a partnership with the company Natural Fiber Welding (NFW). The company is the leader in developing plant based leather that actually is carbon neutral and much more sustainable than many of the products entering the market. I did this video to discuss the arrangement.
Allbirds’ 2 Million Dollar Investment for Mirum™ Shouldn’t be the Focus, NFW Inc. Should Be
If you’re aware of how different websites utilize cookies to influence ads shown to you, then you are aware that if you search for sneakers often, you will be fed a healthy stream of ads and videos featuring companies bidding for the keywords. I have been seeing a constant stream of Allbirds ads. The ads are unlike anything I’ve seen from the brand. Allbirds is an item at the forefront of sneaker culture. Their recent collaboration with Staple was limited and to be honest it only hit their current fanbase. The blue version of the shoe has only sold 3 times on StockX. I don’t think it’s neccessary for the brand to look towards that market to attain more growth. The company simply needs to focus on what they already are beginning to do on their site and in their ads:
The footwear from Allbirds has been placed into a box as a part of the uniform of “tech bros”. In an attempt to breakaway from that position as a bland, non-fashion option, the company is highlighting a younger demographic. You will find a diverse array of people in the imagery shared. What does this have to do with NFW and Allbirds? On the Allbirds website under their Stories, they share a post titled “Plant Leather”. In this article they discuss the benefits or what is “coming soon”. They never mention their partnership with NFW. I’ve been writing about the process of delivering content to fans of brands and retailers. I use a concept labeled E.N.D.E.A.R.S. In this marketing strategy the brand must utilize every aspect of the company to engage the consumer. Over 45.36% of the website traffic Allbirds garners arrives from search. That’s a powerful number. Consider if Allbirds actually talked about their partnership with NFW and began to introduce the consumer to the company? When a brand is attempting to create a relationship simply breaking down what the materials are can deliver ten pieces of content, rolled out over ten weeks. NFW is an unknown entity. Allbirds could literally control the search on what is one of the smartest companies in eco-friendly materials.
It’s reasonable to assume that Allbirds wouldn’t want other companies aware, but there aren’t any real secrets anymore between brands. Everyone is jockeying for information and chasing the next big thing. Allbirds has the next big thing in their pocket, but instead of celebrating it and building video and writing content around the partnership, they’ve decided to use generic statements. I think that’s a mistake. The brand is doing a solid job of trying to highlight diversity in their content. They should also become thought leaders in explaining the benefits of the plant based leather they have coming soon.
