Meaning and purpose has always been at the heart of ALEX AND ANI. Since 2008, creating eco-conscious jewelry and accessories to positively empower and connect humanity has been the mission of the brand. Partnering with non-profit organizations through CHARITY BY DESIGN, a philanthropic collection of products donating a portion of sales to charities across the world, ALEX AND ANI aims to connect consumers with issues impacting millions of lives across the globe and encourage change through the power of their purchase.
There are currently 663 million people around the world lacking access to safe drinking water. In collaboration with Living Water International, a faith-based charity helping communities in developing countries create sustainable water, sanitation, and hygiene programs, ALEX AND ANI used its social platforms to educate consumers and engage the mission of Living Water through collaborative initiatives. Brought to life by first-hand mission trip experiences, ALEX AND ANI and Living Water International worked together to develop a strategy that highlights the global water crisis and implements ways for customers to become part of the solution.
Through the CHARITY BY DESIGN collection, two Living Water Charm bangles have been designed to help financially support the organization; the first launching in 2012 and the second, a redesign, in 2017. With 20% of the purchase price being donated back to Living Water International, customers take immediate action in knowing their purchase directly impacts the lives of communities most in need of clean, safe water. ALEX AND ANI social media provided a means of communicating this message clearly and directly:
1 Bangle = 3 Months of clean water for an entire family
A full launch plan was executed over the course of four weeks to promote the redesigned Living Water charm bangle in April 2017, featuring imagery collected from past mission trips and impactful statements from Living Water International representatives who live and work in communities most in need of clean water.
Additionally, the partnership with Living Water has allowed ALEX AND ANI corporate employees to experience the heart of the organization firsthand by traveling to developing countries on short-term trips. In November 2016, a team traveled to Haiti, helped to construct two wells, and educated the community on hygiene initiatives. In April 2017, another team of employees traveled to Honduras, resulting in the completion of one water well and ultimately encouraging long-term, sustainable solutions for health and sanitation. Using the photography and videography collected on these trips, content was designed to support the partnership and deliver the impact of the cause to consumers who otherwise would not have the opportunity to witness the dire conditions firsthand.
Continuous efforts are made to highlight the global water crisis. For World Water Day 2017, impact statements and videos were shared via social media by ALEX AND ANI on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. In addition to informing fans of the crisis, these social posts provided a direct link to purchase the Living Water charm bangle, ultimately generating donations for the charity.
Living Water engaged their network of supporters through Instagram and Twitter by featuring authentic, personal accounts of ALEX AND ANI employees who experienced a short-term trip. The content provided an inside look at the emotional journey and connection to the community felt by each participant.
Since the launch of the partnership in 2012, ALEX AND ANI has donated over $1.2 million to Living Water International, translating to over 51,000 families being provided access to clean water. Since the launch of the redesigned Living Water charm bangle in April 2017, more than $59,700 has been donated to the cause, resulting in over 2,300 families receiving access to clean water.
From August 1, 2016 - July 31, 2017, Living Water International's mission has received over 78,000 interactions on social media from posts shared by ALEX AND ANI on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Our partnership with Living Water International is very close to our hearts. Together, we work to contribute to social good. While monetary donations are very important to the success of a non-profit, we also pride ourselves in creating tangible, real-world results by activating our employee network, some of our greatest brand ambassadors. Dually beneficial, our involvement in short-term trips allow us to tell the story of Living Water and its mission to our consumers to generate awareness and support, while giving back to communities in need.
