From vision to sales: the marketing struggles of an eco-friendly cleaning brand

Research methodology The case was developed using primary sources, chiefly based on interviews conducted with the protagonist. It was tested with MSc Marketing students during a hackathon, where participants were tasked with developing and delivering a comprehensive digital marketing strategy to the protagonist. The names of the competitors are fudged to avoid any ethical issues. ChatGPT was used to improve the language for stylistic purposes. Case overview/synopsis Cate Hickling, founder of Forest&Co., launched a line of eco-friendly, pet-safe cleaning products to challenge greenwashing in the market. Despite strong branding and positive Amazon reviews, sales lagged due to ineffective digital marketing and limited consumer awareness. With a £50,000 budget and a compelling product, Cate now faces a critical challenge: how to build brand differentiation, engage customers authentically and optimize digital touchpoints. This case invites students to craft a focused digital strategy that balances education, trust-building and strategic platform use – positioning Forest&Co. as a credible voice in a saturated, often misleading eco-product landscape. Complexity academic level This case study is designed for Digital Marketing courses at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels, offering students practical insights into digital branding, strategic customer engagement and value co-creation in niche markets. Through Cate Hickling’s journey with Forest&Co., students explore key concepts such as authentic differentiation in crowded digital spaces, optimization of digital touchpoints across the customer journey and the strategic use of user-generated content to build trust. Grounded in theories like Digital Brand Engagement, Customer Journey Mapping and UGC-driven Value Co-Creation, the case encourages critical thinking and real-world application. It is equally well-suited for Entrepreneurship classes, where it supports discussions on branding, resource-constrained decision-making and market positioning for socially driven ventures. Keywords Digital marketing, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Sustainability, Social media strategy