“Oregon is about quality, naturalist, and holistic living,” Bonnie Larson, marketer at GloryBee expressed regarding the desire of a true Oregon brand. However, Oregon is not just about nature and a hippy facade. Oregon is an innovative, pioneer-spirited, driven state that makes changes that are unique and identifiable. Unfortunately, over time “who we are was getting lost in what was GloryBee Foods,” Larsen explained.
It was time for a rebrand. GloryBee’s driving force behind this change was the need for innovation. Larson acknowledged that being new, different, and owning individuality is what it takes to thrive in Oregon. These values are in the untainted foundation of Oregon people and their brands.
“Everything looked like the 70s,” Larson admitted; they felt it was time to become relevant again. GloryBee went public on social media, guerilla marketing, updated websites, displays, print ads and attended public relation events. Although not all of this strategy was new, it was kicked into high gear and gained the brand meaningful recognition by consumers and even led them to receiving an award for their work.
The future of GloryBee looks bright. To complement the rebrand, they are also designing a new catalogue. With that comes the evaluation of GloryBee’s 3,000 products, an extremely overwhelming task for the rising company. Larson exclaimed humorously, “If I had known that there would be 3,000 products to manage when I was interviewing for the job, I would have asked for more money.”
She believes narrowing the product line will lead to a more defined brand and highlight the true essence of who GloryBee is today. We wish them luck as they pollinate the unique spirit of this Oregonness.
