The Shift Towards Sustainable Marketing
WE’RE ALL SEEING THE HUGE TREND OF BRANDS TAKING A STAND. BUT WHAT DOES THIS REALLY MEAN? HOW DOES THIS AFFECT YOUR BUSINESS? AND HOW CAN YOU JUMP ON BOARD AUTHENTICALLY?
Today’s consumers are now searching to identify with a brand’s purpose, seeking to connect on a deeper level with the businesses they choose to support. As consumers, we are becoming more aware of both the negative and positive impacts a business can have on society and the world around us. In an attempt to be a part of the positive impact, we as consumers are delving deeper into a business’ values, ensuring they align with who we are and who we want to be.
For businesses, this has seen a huge shift from being market-driven to market driving. Businesses no longer want to be the ones to say nothing. Instead, we are seeing more businesses taking a stand, being the voice that leads the market towards positive, sustainable change.
While this is all well and good, it has also (unfortunately) seen a rise in woke or greenwashing. If you’re not sure what this is, it’s essentially talking the talk but not walking the walk. It’s the process of using marketing around environmental & sustainable initiatives to provide false claims around how a business is contributing to sustainability.
A trend we don’t want to be a part of! So, how can we avoid this?
One of the most important things for a business looking to become more sustainable is to find a Sustainable Development Goal that resonates with you and your business’ values. Finding a goal that genuinely aligns with your personal and/or business values will enable you to authentically work towards a change that you are passionate about!
The United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals present an opportunity for business-led solutions to environmental and societal problems. They provide us with an outline of goals and targets for the development of societies all around the world.
The 17 SDG’s can be found here, there are plenty of goals that we can all work towards, and remember it’s not just about the environmental impact but the social impact too.
Once you’ve found something that resonates with your business goals & values, you implement this into your marketing strategy. Your strategy should take a long-term, forward-thinking approach. It’s essentially an overall game plan for your business with the goal of providing unique value to customers while contributing to positive change. Consumers like to be shown, not told. So be transparent with your audience, understand that sustainable change doesn’t happen overnight, and every small effort counts.