Hickory Springs’ EarthCare Challenge is designed to educate consumers about the importance of environmentally friendly furniture. Tapping into the general population’s affection for reality game shows, the campaign will chronicle six contestants as they try to live more sustainable lives.

To qualify, interested participants submit a video online that explains why he or she is “eco-oblivious” or “eco-chic.” The contest takes place solely on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube, as well as the company’s own EarthCareInside.com site.

With the EarthCare Challenge campaign, Hickory Springs is building awareness of its products with consumers, a brand new audience for the company. And, in educating buyers about environmentally friendly furniture, the company creates demand for its components when customers start a dialogue with retailers about whether the furniture they sell is made with eco-friendly parts.

The social media marketing campaign also demonstrates to furniture manufacturers that consumers value “green” furniture, thereby creating additional demand for Hickory Springs components among its existing customers and (hopefully) obtaining some new customers in the process.

As a social media marketing campaign, EarthCare Challenge succeeds at something greater, talking about a topic broader than its own products. In promoting the benefits of living an environmentally conscious lifestyle, Hickory Springs avoids one of the typical social-media pitfalls that has stumbled many a company – gazing at its own navel.

Hickory Springs has created a campaign that not only benefits the company but also its customers and consumers. (Did I mention that the winner of EarthCare Challenge receives a collection of eco-friendly furniture, valued at approximately $5,000?) Everybody wins – even the environment.