Diana Verde Nieto of Clownfish writes an interesting piece in AdAge about “sustainable marketing”– a double entendre because usually these kinds articles have to deal with how the profession survives the economy, as opposed to how does marketing become relevant in a world that demands sustainable behavior. I think she’s on the right track. The key I look for in any manifesto is global ethics, which is often left out of survival pitches made by ad agencies. But if companies want to survive (literally– because you can’t sell products to an extinct species), then point one– credibility– should be the buzz word of the century.
As she points out, credibility is earned, not a figment of the marketing imagination. We are in an increasingly transparent environment and the fact is that it’s harder for people to get away with shit. In New Mexico people say, “look how your are” if you start behaving foolishly or amorally. I think it’s time we look at companies straight in the eye and tell them, look how you are. I’m glad to see some in the biz are starting to point the mirror at each other. ’bout time.
How Sustainability Marketing Can Help in Recession – GoodWorks – Advertising Age:
Credibility: This means no more fluff. Communications have to be underpinned by robust, verifiable technical data. This may not sound exciting, but it’s important, because sustainability communications without substance are being singled out by nongovernmental organizations and are even being banned. In the U.K. in 2007, the Advertising Standards Authority ruled that 19 ads should be withdrawn for making misleading green claims, a rise from the 10 banned in 2006.
Clarity: Clear, genuine, authentic messages promote transparency, and research shows there is a positive correlation between transparency and trust. This means that instead of making vague statements about being “eco-friendly,” touch points need to be tangible. According to Shelton Group, 88% of consumers have a positive association with the concept of energy efficiency, while only 62% feel the same way about “green.” Eco-labeling, while sometimes helpful, does not always provide clarity. When Boots, a British retailer, surveyed its consumers after labeling a line of shampoos with its carbon footprint, they found that 28% didn’t know that a product’s carbon footprint was related to climate change.
Consistency: Sustainability is not a trend. In fact, at Clownfish, we believe it’s the business model for the 21st century. Sustainability is systemic and not about tackling single issues. As such, it should be applied consistently across business processes. Companies need to develop long-term sustainability strategies that are matched by rigorous business discipline and create a movement, not a campaign. Consistency is also important in the sense that messages must resonate with the company’s existing voice in the marketplace.
Conversation: In the old world of the Mad Men, the brands that won were those that told the best stories. But digital is changing that. In the new world, the brands that win will be those whose consumers and other stakeholders tell the best stories. It used to be a one-way narrative, and now it’s a two-way conversation. Tap the interactive potential of the internet to engage your critics as well as allow your fans to get penetration into the blogosphere and create a clear call to action for your consumers.
