A crowd-pleaser for so many reasons, Dave’s Killer Bread is a successful company with a cause. Plenty of purpose-driven brands have tried to recreate Dave’s successes, but without a recipe, it’s hard to know where to start. Let’s start with the key ingredients:
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There’s no sandwich without the bread, and there’s no Dave without the… bread. Sometimes brands will use their good cause to excuse away flimsy products and poor services, but not Dave. The bread is delicious. It’s made from the best possible ingredients. Its packaging holds up and looks good. No, this is not a sponsored blog, but Dave: let us know if you wanna talk. The quality of Dave’s bread is what launched his success, and much like the bread in a sandwich, starting with a solid product or service is an important foundation for success.
Dave’s Killer Bread could never be accused of virtue signaling or empty advocacy. Dave and the folks at his company have put a lot of effort into increasing awareness and making positive changes regarding second-chance employment, helping those with criminal history overcome the biases and hurdles they often face. Dave’s Killer Bread not only participates in second chance employment, they have a foundation that encourages and helps others do the same. They have a whole section of their website dedicated to success stories and the way second-chance employment can transform lives. When it comes to making a difference, this kind of genuine advocacy is the true substance at the heart of this meal.
Okay, so cheese isn’t a requirement for this recipe, but it helps with popularity. From the backstory to the marketing and voice, Dave’s Killer Bread practices palpable authenticity and transparency. True to their advocacy, the brand makes no secret of the fact that Dave started this venture from an Oregon farmer’s market after serving a 15-year prison sentence. Dave’s criminal past and rockstar personality, combined with the energy of his whole family of bakers, results in messaging that is edgy and yet uncharacteristically enthusiastic about bread. Like the cheese on a sandwich, this level of authenticity melts over everything it touches and holds it all together.
Yes, if we haven't already said it enough, the marketing really matters. From their signature “killer” red, to product names like “Righteous Rye” and “Epic Everything,” it all stands out. There’s a unity and approachability to their designs, their website makes it easy to fall in love with their mission and products, and their social accounts have an incredible following and delicious content. This kind of marketing is that bright pop of pickle or mustard that makes a great sandwich just a little more fun and interesting.
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Second-chance employment isn’t the easiest cause to advocate for, but there are some causes that make the job significantly more difficult because of the controversy they stir. While it's admirable to do as much as Dave’s Killer Bread is doing, some purpose-driven brands have seen their efforts backfire. We’ll come back to that for our next case study.
For now, if you’ll excuse us, we have a sandwich to make. In the meantime, do you feel like you’re a pretty ethical marketer? Put it to the test with our Marketing Ethics IQ Quiz.