The Challenges of Marketing Fair Trade - Wynne, Sandy

Certified coffee, for example, must compete with the coffee certification programs
Rainforest Alliance, Utz Kapeh and Bird Friendly. In addition, companies like Starbucks
have their own in house certification program, Coffee and Farmer Equity (C.A.F.E.),
even though they also carry Fair Trade coffee.
To effectively compete with established name brands, Fair Trade brand
positioning must be consistent. The tag line on the Fairtrade Foundation logo is
“Guarantees a better deal for third world producers” (Appendix B). This message does
not appear on the logo for TFUSA, yet both logos represent the same product branding,
Fair Trade certification. Both logos work to communicate to the consumer the same
message that the benefits of trade will be more equitably shared. That guaranty is the
heart of the Fair Trade brand.
Along with assuring consumers that producers receive fair prices, the logo
branding assures consumers that the transparency of the supply chain has been verified
by an independent third party and that Fair Trade principles have been followed. This
supply chain relationship reflects a value chain that “is the most powerful weapon in the
marketing arsenal” (Kitchin, ,2005). This value chain “is real, testable and valuable to
end-users” (Kitchin, 2005) and offers a unique marketing opportunity for Fair Trade
retailers.
In addition, the Fair Trade branding conveys benefits to the consumer, giving the
consumer a reason to purchase Fair Trade products. Consumers are empowered by using
their dollars to help improve the lives of others. Consumers get a product that is healthy
and of high quality. Fair Trade certified products do not compete with low priced goods.
Consumers feel good when they purchase FTC products. The Fair Trade brand
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