Seventh Generation

The Client

Seventh Generation is the nation’s leading brand of household and personal care products that help protect human health and the environment. Established in 1988, the Burlington, Vermont-based company is on a mission to transform the world into a healthy, sustainable, and equitable place for the next seven generations. 

The Situation

Seventh Generation wanted to grow its market by attracting new users to the brand and inspiring them to switch from conventional or faux green products to their natural, equally effective products that are rooted in science, sustainability, climate justice, and equity practices. The company wanted to reach a broader set of green-leaning conventional cleaning consumers and engage users with a more intuitive user experience, a responsive website, and a clean design that inspired users to take action.

The Challenge

Growing its market was challenging in numerous ways. The company wanted to build a differentiated digital experience to reach new audiences beyond the “green” consumer, building community while re-establishing its power as a leader in the space. But it needed to remain true to its mission of transforming the world into a sustainable and equitable place for the next seven generations. It needed to better differentiate its digital brand beyond both green and conventional competitors and create a streamlined, integrated experience for site users. 

The Solution

With goals to better understand customers and deliver meaningful experiences, Seventh Generation tapped design-first technologists Third and Grove to create its new website on Drupal. The teams honored the stages in an individual's journey toward making a more sustainable planet, offering opportunities to engage and learn more.

Most of the website’s users don’t visit the site just to buy a product – they’re trying to discern what’s in each product and if the product truly impacts the environment positively. The revised site allows users to learn more with less effort by offering quick, consumable answers to frequently asked questions, championing product ingredients, and promoting transparent testimonials and reviews.

Acquia Cloud Platform allowed Third and Grove’s team of developers to easily separate existing website environments and workflows from the new website development. This meant the team could easily manage all environments – they could update the current website while simultaneously developing a whole new experience. 

The Results

Seventh Generation’s customers are busy and need answers quickly. The new website’s design and content strategy met them where they are by taking out the guesswork of product efficacy. By demonstrating that the company creates real products for real people using real plant science, the teams created a streamlined experience to engage new and existing customers – while fostering community around climate justice and inspiring advocacy.