Honest Tea Honesty

Honest Tea is known for its healthy, organic beverages. Through its mission, the company strives to grow with the same honesty it uses to craft its products. Recently, the CPG company put consumers to the test in its "Honest City Social Experiment."

During the past few months, the company set up unmanned pop-up stores in Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. Stocked with Honest Tea, the freestanding displays tested the honesty of residents. A collection box embedded in the impromptu store encouraged passers-by to purchase an Honest Tea beverage for $1 on the honor system. Hidden cameras recorded the actions of locals in each city and captured the results – did people drop a dollar in the box or walk away with a free bottle?

Here are the results: the most honest Honest Tea drinkers came from Boston, with 93.3 percent of individuals paying for their drink. Washington, D.C., came in next at 93 percent, followed by San Francisco at 91 percent. New York City and Atlanta tied at 89 percent. Chicago and Los Angeles did not fare as well in the study, coming in at 78 and 75 percent of people contributing a dollar for their beverage, respectively.

The test not only reinforces the brand's mission, but also speaks volumes about the ethics of Americans in major U.S. markets. I think the experiment was a buzz-worthy, relevant, and clever way to promote the company and its brand. What about you? And are you surprised by these results? Leave a message with your thoughts!