Carrotmobs

Do you know what a "carrotmob" is? Or have you ever participated in a carrotmob? No? Neither did we, but the chances are that you will come across them soon. It is a new phenomenon which is spreading all over the world and which is becoming popular in cities like Bangkok, Berlin, Helsinki, London, Sydney, Munich, and Zurich. Well, what is it all about? There’s an old saying that there are two ways to make a donkey move forward: Either hit it from behind with a stick or offer a carrot in front of it. Think of companies as the donkeys: Traditional consumer activism uses a lot of sticks, such as protests, lawsuits, and boycotts to punish irresponsible companies and make them move forward. This new form of consumer activism uses the carrot instead to make companies behave in a sustainable way. It is the opposite of a boycott that means a "buycott". The mob refers to a large group of consumers who come together to achieve a common goal.



The first carrotmob was organized by Brent Schulkin, who approached a number of storeowners in San Francisco (USA). He asked them to make a bid for energy saving. The bid with the highest amount makes the bid. On the 29th of March 2008 hundreds of Carrotmobbers showed up to support the winning liquor store and "vote with their dollars". The K&D Market invested more than a fifth of the day’s revenue in an upgrade of the entire lightning system as recommended by an energy advisor. Ever since, more than 50 carrotmobs have taken place all over the world, resulting in similar actions. The consumers are informed and empowered via social media: On Facebook carrotmobs already has more than 6,300 fans. On Twitter you can follow the latest news @carrotmob. And on youtube there is a channel dedicated to carrotmobs. So far, the carrotmobs have only rewarded small businesses, but as the community grows bigger, they might also approach big business and brands. The Economist suggests: "Watch this space".

Of course, there are flaws and loopholes: Most of the actions are limited to some kind of energy-efficiency measures regardless the kind of product and services sold; in some cases the promises made by business are rather vague (e.g. general environmental upgrades); in a number of cases there is a lack of transparency regarding the impact; and the enforcement of the promises builds on trust and is not legally binding. In addition, the patterns of consumption are not reflected. However, carrotmob is a creative form of consumer activism, which helps bringing people together in a sociable and collective way to try to make a difference. People are often more willing to become involved when the solution is collective rather than having to act as a lonely individual. In addition, carrotmobs add a 'fun' angle (since the issues are often rather serious). It is a form of consumer empowerment. It is a shift of power away from producers to consumers. If a large number of (passive) consumers experiment with carrotmob and begin to see themselves as activists, they might become more educated about the bigger problems we need to solve.