CASE STUDY: PLATFORM / SAAS
HoneyBook
Empowering the creative economy with fair wage insights and legal protections.
The Story
How HoneyBook went viral supporting fair wages and fighting sexual harassment in the midst of the #metoo movement
HoneyBook has a community of small business owners and creative entrepreneurs running their billing and invoicing on its platform, the challenge was to generate media attention for something as seemingly mundane as invoicing.
Our goal was to define a brand voice and generate visibility in the business press, leading to increased customer sign-ups, validation, and recruiting.
Strategy and Tactics
We realized the company was in a market leadership position for a class not being represented online or in the media. We suggested conducting two separate studies on the gender pay gap and sexual harassment. The pay gap study included data collection and an anonymized analysis of invoices processed through the platform and customer surveys.
Beyond simply reporting on results, we worked with HoneyBook to advocate for reducing inequities and delivering tools to help creatives justify higher rates. HoneyBook also developed a downloadable sexual harassment clause that could be included within freelance legal agreements.
The Results
Both reports generated major media coverage and went viral on social media, which resulted in a 44 percent increase in HoneyBook’s user base in just five months.
The pay gap report has been promoted by important influencers like Chelsea Clinton on social media, resulting in a dialogue among women saying things like, “Bookmarking this for the next time someone I don’t know asks me to write something for free.”
The sexual harassment survey left users feeling supported on social media: “We are so proud to be @honeybook … community members because they provide a high-end experience for our clients, cultivate a safe space and they align morally + ethically with us. Today they addressed sexual harassment in our industry. Thank you #metoo”.
44%
Company Growth
2
Viral Social Campaigns
22
Tier-1 Stories
121M
UMVs
Fortune
'Men ask for more money and get it. Women are less likely to ask,' she [HoneyBook co-founder Shadiah Sigala] says. The next step, she says, is to spread the word on these findings and help educate freelancers and contractors so they don't sell themselves short.
-Barb Darrow
The New Yorker
These numbers are alarming not only for the widespread problem they suggest but as an indication of how far outside a basic accountability structure the supposed future of work stands. HoneyBook recommends that freelancers add anti-harassment clauses into their contracts.