Sustainability marketing
What is sustainability marketing, and why is it so important?
Every Irish business is focused on delivering sustainability marketing solutions and communicating its commitment to sustainability to its customers, employees, partners, etc.
The need to develop a brand’s ESG purpose and values is one of the most significant transformational challenges brands face in today’s ever-changing landscape.
This year alone, we have launched over 20 sustainability campaigns for multiple clients to support a greener environment, and we’re proud to have recently joined the IAPI coordinated AdNetZero initiative.
What exactly is sustainable marketing?
To us, sustainable marketing is a plan with sustainability at its core and executed both in practice and in the product. It’s more than just a buzzword. It’s a fundamental shift in consumer communication styles that lead with heart and stories rather than discounts and offers. It’s the ability to take a step back, worry less about short-term profits, and focus on long-term consumer value, especially in a world where consumers are more ethically inclined than ever before.
Sustainable marketing as a practice
In the world of digital marketing, in particular, consumers are more exposed than ever. Cookies are everywhere, and we are being followed around the internet. This has seen a rise in ad blockers and VPNs to protect our customers’ online anonymity, which is forcing marketers to think about the sustainability of their marketing channels.
Brands need to find a balance between leading the consumer through a journey to a point of sale in an efficient way but also in a way that doesn’t jeopardise the relationship between them and your brand.
Ethics play a huge role in sustainable marketing. When building a campaign, consider every touch point and how it affects the consumer, the environment and the community — especially the community built around the brand. It’s important to hold off the desperation for the need for an immediate ROI. It’s about balancing the long-term ROI of a consumer that loves the brand versus the short-term ROI of a quick sale.
Why is sustainability so important?
(i) People – the social bottom line
The social equity of a company is the human presence measured outside of job-based performance. This starts with a transparent and reliable human resources service. Think about diversity and equality at all times and treat people with respect.
(ii) Planet – the environmental bottom line
The environmental impact of a company is potentially the most complicated — and at this time in the human race’s short history, the most important. We need to ensure that we are doing more than just cutting our impact.Step one is engaging people in your organisation to think about the environment. That comes from the top and works its way down. Initiatives such as joining up for Team Green can be a great start!
(iii) Profit – the economic bottom line
More than just what you see at the end of year accounts, try to evaluate the economic value you have brought into your local and global economy through your work. A sustainable company will push itself to change people’s lives and put their revenues to good use.
Sustainable marketing is more than just a new way of looking at your marketing. It’s about making a business decision that will change your trajectory forever. We want you to take a long, hard look at your business activities and think about the impact you are making and the legacy you want to leave. People want honesty, not perfection.
If you want your business to be remembered as one of the best, then you need to start making changes today.
