Josephine Campeau
Sustainability in the Business Environment | Ronald Whitfield
Josephine Campeau
Sustainability in the Business Environment | Ronald Whitfield
Burt’s Bees: leaving the Hives

Burt’s Bees: leaving the Hives

It is fascinating to see how quickly trends are launched, accepted and then spurned. The world of consumer products can be compared to a roller-coaster; always full of surprises. Yet, health and sustainability have seemed to gain shopper’s consideration. Fortunately, Burt’s Bees has managed to seize market opportunities and offer products that have satisfied consumers desires for more than 30 years. Still, the company has evolved and is very different than when it first begun. This analysis will consider the evolution of the brand, the current business model and the risks and opportunities accompanying those transformations.
The acquisition of Burt’s Bees by Clorox has raised concerns. People feared of having to let go “their brand” other thought that Burt’s Bees would have to forgo all its special characteristics by merging with Clorox. Certainly, the purchase brought changes but also optimism. With an altered distribution process and an economy of scale greater number of people can now have access to the brand. Furthermore, the marketing team understood that it had to convey a convincing message to its clientele; the ecofriendly and natural benefits of the product line would remain. The fidelity that people had toward the brand was in jeopardy and in order to retain customers they had to preserve those virtues. By purchasing Burt’s Bees, Clorox gained some values that it did not hold before and created new priorities. It showed that lucrative company are integrating sustainability and taking in consideration the well-being of their customers through sensible ingredient choices. If everything is put together in a satisfactory