Godiva launches women empowerment program honoring its namesake

Dive Brief:

Belgian chocolate brand Godiva, which is owned by Yildiz Holding, has kicked off a purpose-driven program to donate money to nonprofits that support women's empowerment, the company announced in a press release.
The Lady Godiva Initiative, which launches ahead of International Women's Day, celebrates empowered women by asking the brand's chocolatiers to nominate their favorite charities that embody the spirit of the brand's namesake. Godiva will choose five of these nonprofits and donate $25,000 to each.
Consumers are invited to participate by sharing their stories about strong women using the hashtag #MyLadyGodiva on social media. Customers can show their posts at a Godiva store to receive a gift. A video on YouTube explains the program.

Dive Insight:

International Women's Day will be celebrated on Sunday, March 8, and brands are building promotions around the day to show their support for gender equality and capitalize on the attention of the theme day. Godiva is highlighting the supposed strengths and flamboyant nature of its namesake, Lady Godiva, as a means to join the conversation. The legend of Lady Godiva is that she protested unfair taxation by riding her horse naked through the streets of Coventry, England over 1,000 years ago.

The Lady Godiva Initiative continues the chocolate brand's efforts to reach into its past for its promotional outreach. Last fall, the brand introduced a global ad campaign that focuses on a loose retelling on the story of the chocolate brand's founder Pierre Draps. Nostalgia is a trend among older confection brands these days, as marketers look to stand out in an increasingly competitive market as a number of newer brands debut.

By reaching out to its own staffers to suggest their favorite charities, Godiva is empowering its employees to feel like they are making a difference and encouraging them to act as brand ambassadors for the program.

The call-to-action to get consumers to join the conversation could help build the social media component of the campaign and associate the brand with the modern day women’s movement. This is a tactical move for the chocolatier to use purpose marketing to target consumers, millennials and Gen Z in particular, who are more likely to shop with brands that support their beliefs.

Brands like Unilever's Dove, Mercedes and P&G's Secret have used women’s empowerment at the core of their messaging with success and Godiva appears to be following their lead.