Whole Foods Creates a 'Buzz' for Bees

Whole Foods enlisted several manufacturers this summer to help undertake its latest cause campaign.Running throughout June and July, the alternative grocer’s “Share the Buzz” campaign calls attention to the dwindling U.S. honeybee population to raise $180,000 for nonprofit Xerces Society, an organization that aids wildlife preservation.A dedicated area of wholefoods.com delivers information about the cause and the Xerces Society while presenting six ways consumers can contribute to the effort — one being the purchase of products from brands that have pledged donations.The retailer's partners span brands from both national manufacturers and niche product makers, including Hain Celestial Group, Blue Diamond Growers, Dannon Co., Coca-Cola Co., SC Johnson, Amy’s Kitchen, Annie’s Inc., Attune Foods, Materne, Lake Champlain Chocolates, Pacific Foods of Oregon, Dale and Thomas Popcorn, Three Twins Ice Cream and Golden Temple of Oregon. Signs carrying the “Share the Buzz” slogan identify participating products in stores. Ceiling mobiles support.From June 13-26, each purchase of organic cantaloupes triggered a 25-cent donation to the Xerces Society, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture promising to match the shopper-generated donations.The area on wholefoods.com encouraged consumers to “Share the Buzz” themselves through Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest (the last by pinning informational and promotional images from the campaign). It also hosts an animated YouTube video presented elsewhere through the retailer’s “Whole Story” blog. (See video below.)Meanwhile, a "Share the Buzz" sweepstakes running on Whole Foods' Facebook page invites fans to “adopt a bee” to enter from July 16-31. Consumers name an animated bee and can return daily for an additional entry. They also can customize a “BeeCard” to send through Facebook or email. The sweeps awards a $1,000 Whole Foods gift card. Pleasant Ridge, MI-based ePrize handles.The campaign also entails in-store screenings of two documentaries — Collective Eye Films’ The Queen of the Sun and Hive Mentality Films’ Vanishing of the Bees — as part of the retailer’s "Do Something Reel" film festival.Marketing support included email blasts that began June 13, along with Facebook and Twitter updates.

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