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BRANDAID Project is a new global initiative committed
to closing the market divide.
The market-driven principles of the BRANDAID project are:
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Help developing world artisans create prosperity.
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Bridge the market divide with world class marketing partners and Hollywood patrons to grow online sales for artisan producers.
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Build an online community where developing world artisans can showcase their work to a new era of consumers who engage global culture.
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Support better living and working conditions in artisan communities with capacity building, skills training, health and education.
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Artisans are paid their asking price in advance of sales and share in the profits.
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The historic movement that began with Fair Trade and evolved into Nobel Prize-winning Microfinance enters its third phase of growth
into a global force with Micromarketing.
While there is the problem of global poverty, the world is rich with human talent. Humanity in least developed countries is often
held back because it lacks marketing tools to compete profitably. But the world economy needs these microenterprises and master
artisans whose creative genius and handmade economies sustain millions of people, keeps culture alive and turns lives of
"survival" to "planning for the future" and prosperity.
BRANDAID Project believes that rich and poor societies need to trade more with each other and shift the balance of profit
flow. Right now, commodities largely flow from poor countries, affluent countries apply Intellectual Property (branding,
marketing and channel strategies) to increase the value of the commodity, then distribute to the rest of the world while
retaining the bulk of the profits. In this model it is estimated that artisans receive only 2 - 8% of the retail value of
their work. (1) The BRANDAID project works to shift this traditional flow such that IP is applied to the artisan's work at
source so they can increase their revenue and retain profits. To achieve this goal BRANDAID Project uses a diverse strategy
of charitable and for-profit models and forges partnerships within the corporate advertising sector, the Hollywood film
community and the international networks of UNESCO and CARE.
In the belief that enlightened capitalism creates prosperity, BRANDAID Project practices market-driven business development
toward achieving an economically balanced world.
(1) It is very common for analysis of value chains showing artisans receiving 2% of the retail value of their products in
foreign markets. A sustained doubling of this share would uplift the economic position of low income artisans..."
Source: LightYears LP 2008 Scoping Study Distinctive Values in African Exports Creative Industries
Why Get Involved with the BRANDAID Project?
The BRANDAID Project offers you the opportunity to partner with artisans, real people with real talent,
and together create prosperity in place of poverty.
The BRANDAID Project mission is to end the economic isolation of hard working
and productive artisans in the world's poorest countries. They make beautiful,
culturally meaningful works yet face huge obstacles selling them in the global
market. BRANDAID offers you the opportunity to partner with artisans, real people
with real talent, and together create prosperity in place of poverty.
The path to economic independence for artisans is increased access to the global
home decor market. The internet is their most powerful tool for selling to the world
but the digital skills of artisan communities are lacking. The BRANDAID Foundation's
digital enabling program solves this problem by making artisan communities more e-
commerce efficient. This makes all the difference to the weaver at her home loom in
Laos who has beautiful silk scarves for sale but is invisible to her best customer, you.
The BRANDAID Foundation is launching a micro marketing loan program through its
website. These loans allow individual artisans the financing to show their work
online, pay for appropriate marketing assets, subsidise transportation and delivery
costs to customers. In short you and the artisan are partners in getting their
products to market. A partnership of prosperity.
BRANDAID Collections is launching artisan brands to the widest audience. We take
for granted the level of global connectivity we share in our societies thanks to a
miraculous technology. These tools that are transforming humanity into one market,
one community can also spread prosperity where now there is only poverty.
BRANDAIDCollections.com is an online community where makers can meet buyers,
where partners can collaborate to create solutions. A conversation between the
handmade world and a globalised humanity.
"Microfinance needs to be combined with value chain creation. People need access to markets and instruments,
partners and skills to get there."
Farouk Jiwa. Care US.
Founder Honey Tree Kenya
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