AUGUST 2018

HOW TO MARKET THE
CO-OPERATIVE DIFFERENCE?
Co-operatives are a unique form of business, each with a different story. So what’s the
best way to tell these stories? Nine co-op communication specialists give their top tips.
OLI WATTS, HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMUNITY AT THE EAST
OF ENGLAND CO-OPERATIVE
“The key is to use absolute authenticity to make a lasting, powerful impact.
The truth is there is not one thing that sums up our co-op difference;
it’s all the little things that we do differently every day because we are a
co-op. We call this ‘Small things, big difference’. The abundance of stories
we use to explain this concept are always from real members, customers
and colleagues – and mean we can authentically show what it means to
be a co-operative”.
LEIRE LUENGO, DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS
AT INTERNATIONAL CO-OPERATIVE ALLIANCE
“Tell how, tell
why, tell who.
Cooptelling”
NICOLA HUCKERBY, MANAGER OF
COMMUNICATIONS, MEMBERSHIP AND
EVENTS AT THE CO-OPERATIVE COUNCILS’
INNOVATION NETWORK AND CO-OPERATIVE
COMMUNICATIONS AMBASSADOR AT
BRANDING.COOP
“Remember that people are looking for ethical
values-based businesses to deal with. You
have to make it easy for them to find you – so
use a .coop domain and the COOP Marque at
every opportunity. Tell everyone you meet that
you are proud to be a co-op. People love facts,
so tell them you are one in 1.2 billion, and that
there are 7,226 co-ops in the UK. It’s a great
conversation starter!”
Evelyn Rutter, Funeral Bereavement Support for East of England Co-op
SARAH CHILTON, HEAD OF CUSTOMER INSIGHT AND MARKETING AT THE
SOUTHERN CO-OPERATIVE
“We market our difference by actually ‘doing,’ this in turn creates the
stories that we are able to tell. At Southern Co-op, we are committed
to working together with our members, customers, colleagues
and others for the benefit of our communities across the south of
England. Our vehicle for doing this is our Love Your Neighbourhood
programme. It is the difference that we make in our communities
which forms a core element of how we talk about Southern
Co-op. After all, advocacy from our customers in the surrounding areas
of our stores is a very powerful marketing tool.”
ANDREW MALLINSON, MARKETING AND
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER AT THE
CO-OPERATIVE COLLEGE
“The one thing that I’d say is most important to
remember when marketing your co-operative
difference is knowing who your audience is.
What are their interests, what publications
do they read, where do they spend their free
time? Identifying key characteristics allows you
to create audience personas that will help you
target your products or events at people who
will be most interested.”
42 | AUGUST 2018