ECOALF, a Spanish fashion brand and sustainability pioneer, aimed to tackle the industry's challenges of excessive consumption and production. The brand's mission was to create timeless apparel exclusively from recycled and eco-responsible materials, matching the quality and design of the best non-recycled alternatives on the market. ECOALF sought to demonstrate that success extended far beyond the reaches of financial profitability, though expanding the business was sometimes at odds with the brand's ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions. Could ECOALF reconcile purpose and profit?

Over his 40-year career, Paul Polman had led some of the world's largest consumer goods companies, making his biggest mark as CEO of Unilever-a multi-national corporation that produced everything from soap to soup. Polman was also well-regarded as a leader in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and had consistently staked his career on the message that doing better for the planet and its inhabitants ultimately made for better business. Many called him visionary; others felt he was misguided. But thanks to his sterling business credentials, when Polman spoke, people listened. And speak out he did, trying to win over corporate leaders to his vision of how business should serve society, and not the other way around. Now, having stepped down from Unilever and living in the midst of the biggest global health crisis in a century, he wondered how to rally business and civic leaders to do more to fight climate change, preserve biodiversity, and reduce global inequity.

David Heath and Randy Goldberg founded Bombas in 2013 to serve two missions: to deliver the "best socks in the history of feet," and to donate socks (the most requested item in homeless shelters) to Americans experiencing homelessness. Eight years later, Bombas had established itself mostly through online marketing as a preeminent direct-to-consumer sock maker, and had introduced lines of underwear, T-shirts, and slippers as well. Bombas was also one of America's most visible buy-one-give-one companies, with over $250 million in annual revenue and 50 million pairs of socks donated. As it grew, however, the company faced mounting challenges. What pace of growth would best allow Bombas to reach new customers while maintaining focus on its social mission? How could the company attract the talent necessary to manage such a complex online operation? And with a sprawling network of 3,500 Giving Partners of varying sizes around the U.S., was it time for Bombas to simplify its giving program?

In Fall 2017, Tommy Hilfiger launched Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive, a line of adaptive and inclusive fashion apparel intended to make dressing easier. Now, Tommy Hilfiger is planning to launch Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive internationally in early 2020. The prospect of making adaptive clothing available globally is exciting, but some wonder if a global launch might be a bit premature. While Tommy Hilfiger Adaptive has experienced some initial success, it is still a relatively unknown line in the U.S. Moreover, despite conducting extensive research, the Tommy Hilfiger team continues to learn more each day about how to best serve the adaptive customer. With a global launch looming on the horizon, there is a lot of work to be done. This case highlights the opportunities and challenges faced with the introduction of a new product line that effectively serves an entirely new and unknown customer while simultaneously starting a movement to provide fashion for all.

Back to the Roots (BTTR) is a start-up with a social mission to "undo food"-to reconnect people to where their food comes from. In late 2017, Back to the Roots cofounders Nikhil Arora and Alex Velez were contemplating their next move. The company had an eclectic portfolio of products, including ready-to-grow products, which included gardens in a can, and ready-to-eat products, which included cereals, and was being courted by two major players in each category. With an award-winning cereal-based snack bar in their hands, the duo was debating whether they should delve further into the ready-to-eat category. But it was a competitive space. They wondered whether they were ready to launch yet another new product and, if so, what this move would mean for their ready-to-grow product line. Which path would enable them to best achieve their growth goals? This case provides a vehicle to teach a variety of marketing topics, including mission-driven marketing and branding, new product introduction, and product line extensions. First and foremost, the case allows students to contrast traditional marketing strategy with novel approaches that capitalize on recent shifts in consumer culture. In so doing, the case allows students to identify some of the risks and rewards of such a strategy. The case also prompts students to consider the benefits and risks of extending product lines, the strategic roles of new product introduction, and the importance of defining a firm's core business. The case can be used with undergraduates, MBA students, and executives. It can be used in survey marketing courses, as well as in more specialized courses, including marketing management, brand management, and entrepreneurial marketing.

For decades, American parents were warned to avoid introducing potential allergens to their babies prior to their first birthday. But two influential clinical studies caused the medical establishment to radically reverse their position. Parents were now warned that delaying the introduction of these types of foods increased a baby's risk of food allergies. Adeo Health Science was ready, with patents filed for a baby food that made it simple for parents to introduce allergens. Now, the new company had to turn its product into a brand and map its go-to-market strategy, including creating a compelling value proposition, choosing a path to market that was either direct-to-consumer, through grocery retailers, or via the physician channel, and planning its marketing communications and sales strategy. As a new startup with constrained resources, the company knew its marketing decisions would make or break the new product.