There are a lot of challenges in today’s world, but there are a lot of solutions out there too – and responsible brands can help develop and scale. By using the power of stories, brands can lead a dialogue so audiences, stakeholders and customers can better understand, overcome barriers, and accelerate the innovations that benefit us all.
Sustainable communicators recently gathered in Minneapolis for a conference focused on “Brand-Led Culture Change”. The idea that brands can lead transformative efforts in responsible practices and sustainable business models means that the tools for innovation aren’t just in R&D. They’re also in how we tell stories to support value shifts and positive behavior change. Some takeaways from the conference:
Responsible brands address real challenges.
Comms doesn’t work if you’re not in the business of solving something that matters to people. Communications teams are often at the forefront of the consumer voice. Research will say that consumers want positive messaging and purpose-driven brands. But this can be a quick trap if you’re not committed as a company to making real change through product, process, and supply chain. Communications works best if it can speak to real purpose, followed by real action. Otherwise it’s just noise.
Related: Purpose-driven models aren’t just for fun. We explore how they perform against marketing and business metrics.
Incremental change isn’t solving it. Brands need to moonshot.
The movement in sustainability has been gaining momentum for decades. Today’s Chief Sustainability Officers are taking much more of a front seat to driving company performance than ever before. Consumers are recognizing how urgent our challenges are and are seeking solutions immediately. So, innovation strategies around sustainability must be bold. Today’s problems need a future-forward mindset, with immediate action today.
Related: Pursuing bold innovations takes rigor and discipline. We explore how idea expansion can bring about scaled change for good.
Embrace risk and stay committed when challenged.
Perhaps the most challenging part of sustainability is in fact playing the long game. On the surface, it makes logical sense. But as possible pathways are vetted, the reality of enacting change can be daunting. It’s time consuming. It requires stakeholders. And a long-term perspective seldom seen in the fast click marketing world, or the next quarter earnings report. Having to trade brand quality attributes, weighing timelines, gauging ambitious vs. practical investments are all challenges today’s CSOs are balancing. But in truth, sustainable brands must also be responsible brands. Responsible companies must commit to values and purpose and put those into action on behalf of those they serve, and most importantly stay the course. We’ve seen countless examples of brands missing climate commitments or retracting on inclusion initiatives. Going back on commitments or being timid about moving forward for fear of being canceled is not a strategy that serves in the long term.
Lola Bakare, CMO advisor and author of “Responsible Marketing” made the case against fear-based decision making and instead challenged brands to cancel cancel-culture angst.
The most effective brands partner in sustainability efforts.
Everything in communications teaches us that brands must differentiate and position themselves as unique. That is true for product and service delivery. But it doesn’t have to be true for purpose or mission-driven initiatives. Purpose-driven communications are in a shared space of good, and one that benefits from partnerships, sharing insights and scaling solutions. It is not the space for closed off proprietary methods. The scope of the challenge in sustainability means that brands overlap in resources. From the land we share, to suppliers who can create renewable packaging, to emerging metrics on regenerative practices, it makes sense to share and pool resources towards solutions.
Mary Jane Melendez, Chief Sustainability Officer at General Mills, addressed the purposed-driven communications trap. “There’s no competing for Good.”
Consumers don’t want to compromise. Sustainable brands must deliver on design too.
Purpose is important, it’s the seed of everything after. But alone it’s not enough. Responsible practices are in demand, but the promise alone isn’t enough to differentiate. Products and services still need to perform. Likable product and service features are still quite important. And consumers aren’t always willing to make a trade for a responsible product with inferior quality or design. So, innovators must step up their game, and develop best-in-class products that deliver user-focused features in a way that doesn’t sacrifice planet or people. Don’t settle for less in sustainability because consumers won’t either.
A Cautionary Tale of Two Sustainable Shoes From Nike
Solitaire Townsend, author of “The Solutionists”, spoke of the power of influencers to inspire peers and scale solutions. She also shared a cautionary tale of two sustainable Nike shoes, one an absolute fail, the other a success. Sustainability alone isn’t enough. The shoe must perform and look good too.
Related: Whether you’ve developed the next big disruption, or a small innovation, audiences will need to adapt, and not everyone does it at the same pace. Learn how different audiences relate to transformation.
Sustainable brands can partner together to lead industry transformation and scale solutions faster than any individual or enterprise effort. By using responsible practices, committing to big goals, partnering with other problem solvers, and making useful, likable products – brands can not only win at market share, but they can also map out a model for sustainable economies.
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