Amid a confusing and uncertain time, brands and retailers have notably altered consumer communications. And for many fashion and beauty brands, change has also meant a reason to give. Designers have volunteered sewing services, produced hand sanitizer and, in some cases, given large donations. Givz, referred to as the “Venmo for charity,” has been one of the fastest and easiest way for consumers to donate money to U.S. charities. “The initial thesis was that it shouldn’t be 10x easier to pay my friend back for a burrito than it was to send $10 to a charity I cared about,” said Andrew Forman, cofounder of Givz. “It was crazy to me that this didn’t exist back in 2010, let alone in 2017.” Today, Givz also works with brands as a B2B purpose-driven marketing technology allowing businesses to efficiently promote meaningful engagement. The tool is designed to optimize growth and drive repeat conversations. And with many brands pledging to serve communities last year, Forman and his cofounder Jay Henderson say this pandemic is the chance for many of these brands to “walk the walk.” Here, Forman talks to WWD about the importance of philanthropy, connecting with the consumer and new projects. WWD: Why was starting a
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