Kia ora New Zealand,
We want to introduce you to an idea we think could change the course of history.
In one word:
100%
Different
We are Thankyou, a social enterprise that commits 100% of our profit to help end global poverty. We exist to empower humanity to choose a world without poverty.
Why?
There’s a darkness in our world. Over 796 million people are living in extreme poverty.
This darkness is amplified by another fact; as consumers we spend hundreds of millions, even billions daily on everyday products.
We are an idea built by people. For people.
We could change this.
It started in 2008 with three university students named Daniel, Justine and Jarryd who believed the system should and could change, and then the impossible happened.
We grew to millions of people purchasing everyday products to raise millions of dollars to help end global poverty.
We is an unstoppable force, A voice that cuts through the noise, A movement. It comes to life in pivotal moments.
HERE ARE THREE MOMENTS THAT SHOW THE POWER OF WE...
Moment 1
+ 7 Eleven
After 3 years of setbacks and knockbacks from major retailers in Australia we launched a campaign asking people to upload a post onto 7-Eleven Australia’s Facebook page to say that if they stocked Thankyou Water people would buy it. Within hours it had gone viral, people uploaded videos of themselves singing and dancing and rapping : 7-Eleven said yes and after 3 tough years we had our first national retailer.
We asked people to post videos online (singing, rapping, dancing)
National Media Coverage
Within 6 hours of campaign launch we had more than 400 posts to 7-elevens facebook wall
For three years they said no. Then they said Yes
100% profit to impact
Product on shelf within weeks of ranging at 7-eleven
Moment 2
+ Coles & Woolworths
Between years 3 and 5, we developed a whole range of Thankyou products but we had one big problem. For 5 years the two biggest supermarkets in Australia, Coles and Woolworths, said no. With another viral online petition, people posting their support and even two helicopters flying above the head offices of Coles
and Woolworths (with the pilots flying for free) we became an unstoppable movement. They said yes in industry record time and product hit shelves equally fast! Now, some products are outselling the world’s largest multinationals, like our top-ranking hand wash range.
Between years 3 and 5, we developed a whole range of Thankyou products but we had one big problem. For 5 years the two biggest supermarkets in Australia, Coles and Woolworths, said no. With another viral online petition, people posting their support and even two helicopters flying above the head offices of
Coles and Woolworths (with the pilots flying for free) we became an unstoppable movement. They said yes in industry record time and product hit shelves equally fast! Now, some products are outselling the world’s largest multinationals, like our top-ranking hand wash range.
90 Media Features in 4 weeks
Pete & Geoff (everyday people taking movement into their own hands) flew helicopters above the headquarters of
Total Campaign Reach
14 products, 2 new categories
Moment 3
+ Chapter One
We believed deep down that this idea could not stop in Australia and launched a pay-what-you-want book titled ’Chapter One’ with 100% of profits crowdfunding the launch of New Zealand (and more). Within hours it raised hundreds of thousands and within a month, over a million dollars. It outsold every business book launch week in the airport book stores and was second only to the Harry Potter launch week. Two Kiwis have paid $5,000 each for a copy and the most paid is now $50,000.+ Chapter One
We believed deep down that this idea could not stop in Australia and launched a pay-what-you-want book titled ’Chapter One’ with 100% of profits crowdfunding the launch of New Zealand (and more). Within hours it raised hundreds of thousands and within a month, over a million dollars. It outsold every business book launch week in the airport book stores and was second only to the Harry Potter launch week. Two Kiwis have paid $5,000 each for a copy and the most paid is now $50,000.
Launch week sales in airport bookstores second only to that of Harry Potter book launch.
People flew from all around Australia to pack books in a warehouse
In 28 days at a pay what you want price
Books were bought from all around the world by all kinds of people including world renowned marketer and a 10 year old.
One sponsor bought thousands of books for young kiwi leaders
In a world first for airport bookstores Relay, Newslink and Watermark sold Chapter One at a pay what you want price in store
Because we think that with you, we could go one step further. You are the first country to launch Thankyou outside Australia but we hope you are not the last.
As our most important launch to date approached we asked some very big questions and the answers scared us...
What if we didn’t launch our first and most famous product Thankyou water?
Our world and New Zealand doesn’t need another bottle of water. So we made the call not to. You can read the press release on our website.
What if Thankyou didn't launch in New Zealand?
What if
We know Kiwis aren’t afraid to push the boundaries and bat above their weight – it’s that very ingenuity that has seen New Zealander’s succeed in sport, entertainment and global business.
So we’re giving you this idea to set the bar and show the world how it’s done.
We know Kiwis aren’t afraid to push the boundaries and bat above their weight – it’s that very ingenuity that has seen New Zealander’s succeed in sport, entertainment and global business.
So we’re giving you this idea to set the bar and show the world how it’s done.
Create a song or skit about Thankyou & post on social media
Fly a ‘thankyou’ banner from a helicopter, crane or significant building in your closest capital city
Get Thankyou into your local café & supermarket
Put on your own thankyou launch party
Take thankyou viral on social media
Make thankyou bumper stickers & hand them out to all your friends
Create a song or skit about Thankyou & post on social media
Fly a ‘thankyou’ banner from a helicopter, crane or significant building in your closest capital city
Get Thankyou into your local café & supermarket
Put on your own thankyou launch party
Take thankyou viral on social media
Make thankyou bumper stickers & hand them out to all your friends
Add Thankyou to your email signature.
Find a way to share Thankyou with the All Blacks & get them on board
Get iconic New Zealand businesses like Air NZ to promote Thankyou on their social channels
Get your university café & stores on board
Take a shelfie (a selfie at the supermarket shelf) with thankyou products and share online #thankyounz
We are asking you to use what you have in your hands to Take Action.
Add Thankyou to your email signature.
Find a way to share Thankyou with the All Blacks & get them on board
Get iconic New Zealand businesses like Air NZ to promote Thankyou on their social channels
Get your university café & stores on board
Take a shelfie (a selfie at the supermarket shelf) with Thankyou products and share online #thankyounz
Imagine if we could get Thankyou into every bathroom in the country! It sounds an impossible task, but it's as simple as:
Buy two thankyou hand washes
Give them to two friends (not one) telling them about Thankyou
You can use this site to help telltwo.co.nz
Then ask them to do the same
Buy two hand washes and give them to two people, who then do the same
Why Two?
Because if
you told 1 person
who told 1 person
who told 1 person
and that happened 14 times
14 people would know about
Thankyou.
BUT IF
you told 2 people,
who told 2 people,
who told 2 people
and that happened 14 times
16,384 people
would know about Thankyou.
Crazy right?
What’s even crazier?
If 300 started this, and they told 2 people who told 2 people, and that happened 14 times, we’d reach more than 4.9 million people... that’s more than the entire population of New Zealand!
Check out the interview here
Last year our co-founder Daniel Flynn was interviewed by former President Obama and one of his questions was: “When is this idea going to expand into other countries?” We said “New Zealand was next and if it works maybe beyond.”
So New Zealand it’s over to you. You were the first to climb Everest (the impossible) and to allow women to vote and you bat above your weight globally in so many fields. We cannot wait to see where you can take this.
Thanks for joining the movement.
from Team Thankyou
To date
Lives have been impacted.
Now available in your local New World, PAK'nSAVE and Four Square stores
We think this is just the beginning.
New Zealand, it's over to you.
Share this letter now
