Episode 80 / Bonnie Chia / WWF / Head of Brand
Open Source Brands
Bonnie has been leading the WWF Earth Hour brand since 2012. This is the best example of her own Shiny New Object, the open-source brand. An organic phenomenon that is community-led and protected, the open-source brand embodies Bonnie’s values of humility and positivity.
This post was originally featured on MADfest
What is an open-source brand? Unlike crowdsourced initiatives like TripAdvisor, where people come together to build that database, an open-source brand is created and made available for people to use within their own context.
The idea comes from software development where brands such as Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome paved the way for software that anyone can improve, use and build upon while keeping the brand ethos and visuals.
Similarly, an open-source brand such as Earth Hour can be used and amplified by communities to further conservation efforts and raise awareness of the issues affecting our world.Bonnie’s involvement with Earth Hour is a testament of her wish to be remembered as someone who’s “made a difference… in someone’s life, influencing others with [her] positivity.”
This led to her driving the concept of an open-source brand that can be used free of charge and that can drive positive changes. Open-source brands don’t just have a future in the non-profit realm, like some other interesting examples Bonnie gave me (a “Fight for me” children’s initiative at a community school in Singapore, for example).
There is an opportunity for FMCG and other for-profit organisations to challenge their business model and ask themselves how they can bring something to both consumers and the brand.
For more on Bonnie’s thoughts on changing the world, her advice to new starters in marketing and her life lessons so far, check out the podcast in full here.
Subscribe to the ‘Shiny New Object’ Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube and Soundcloud.