5-Things To Consider When Incorporating Sustainability Into Your Marketing

As brand marketers close out a 12 month period that few could have imagined, it is clear that consumers are thinking about social responsibility more than ever before. The Amazon-ification of our on demand addled shopping habits has driven prices down, while profits for major retailers are on the rise. But don’t be fooled. Consumers are more discerning than ever and are embracing purpose and things like sustainability more and more. The focus is no longer just on what they put in their recycle bins, but the what and why they buy, eat and wear.  The consumer class is facing a simple question - are we willing to align ourselves with products that “do the right thing” even if it comes at a higher price? Increasingly, the answer is yes.

So where does that leave companies - especially in a burgeoning sector like cannabis - as they think not just about how their product is created but also how it is marketed? Sure, it’s the right thing to do. Local, state, and federal governments may even demand it in order for this industry to truly become mainstream. But just how important will something like sustainability be to consumers… especially young and new consumers?

Well the good news is that purpose based messaging - incorporating your brand’s purpose based attributes into your consumer facing brand promise and business plan - can be a highly effective part of your brand marketing. In recent research, 76% of respondents were more likely to trust a company that leads with purpose and 72% were more likely to be loyal to that company.* Further, the research shows that 71% would purchase from a purpose-driven brand over an alternative.* 

Purpose connects on an emotional level and that emotional connection can be utilized to grow overall brand loyalty and, ultimately, the bottom line. 

If you made your way onto the Sustainable Cannabis Coalition blog, I am going to assume this is a topic you are interested in or are looking to determine how best to navigate in the future. So with that in mind, here are 5 things to consider when incorporating sustainability and purpose into your messaging:

1. Wear Your Efforts on Your Sleeve - More than any time in history, people are forging deep brand relationships that go beyond a simple transaction.  A coffee drinker wants to know where the beans were sourced.  A shopper wants to know that the shirt on their back was made ethically.  Don’t be afraid to take a stand when it comes to your brand’s sustainability efforts. While not every brand can do what Nike did with Colin Kaepernick, it’s important to move beyond the fine print and make purpose an important part of your brand’s story. As Phil Knight put it “You can’t try and go down the middle of the road. You have to take a stand on something, which is ultimately I think why the Kaepernick ad worked.” **The company’s stand helped it generate $163 million in earned media.**

2. Make it Personal - “Local” and “community” are clearly at the center of cannabis and capturing the community voice is crucial when looking to turn purpose into influence, advocacy and purchase. It is key to ground your sustainable efforts with how it is directly impacting the local community. The stories and voices of those who are familiar and trusted are pivotal when looking to develop real emotional connections that drive action. Starbucks has been certified LEED for more than 15 years. But in addition to continuing to commit to opening environmentally friendly stores, the company’s “Caring for Our Planet and Our People” messaging aims to highlight specific ways it is working within communities to make a difference. 

3. Be Authentic - Authenticity is an overused word. But gimmicks are no longer a prevailing motivator for consumers. It’s relatable, emotional currency that fuels communication. It’s real emotional connections with audiences that drive action. Nowhere is this more true than purpose based marketing. Sustainability is often defined as “focusing on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs." Be sure to think about all aspects of your company’s sustainability efforts when putting together a purpose based communications strategy. Be ready to put them front and center and to tell your story with authenticity and confidence. Few companies have done it better than REI with its #optoutside campaign. The campaign organically represents all that the brand stands for. But REI went one step further and put its money where its mouth is. Instead of staying open longer, each Black Friday the company closes its stores so employees can stay healthy and enjoy the outdoors.

4. Leverage Your Origins - A few years ago I was at a friend’s photography gallery, considering buying a beautiful photograph of some cheetah cubs in Africa. As I thought about whether I could afford the photo, where I would put it in my home, etc., my friend was telling me the story about how the shot came about - where it was taken, how the photographer was in the right place at the right time to snap the perfect shot. The more he told me the story of how it was taken, the more I had convinced myself I just had to buy the photo. The point is, an origin story helps set the foundation for your relationship with your consumer. The more people can identify with the story, the stronger the brand-consumer relationship. Patagonia is a brand that continues to leverage its origins as a part of its story. Tin Shed Ventures, the company’s fund that invests in environmentally and socially responsible start-ups, takes its name from the blacksmith shop where Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard forged removable climbing hardware. That Tin Shed still stands alongside the company’s corporate headquarters as a symbol of its continued mission.

5. PIVOT is More Than a Line from FRIENDS - As any entrepreneurial business leader knows, you can’t be afraid to pivot and change direction from an idea’s original shape or form. Pivoting is essential to success. Sustainability messaging must be built on a foundation of beliefs, facts and business decisions. It doesn’t need to be fancy or cost a lot to have an impact and build a brand narrative.But be creative with the way you share your sustainability efforts. Take some chances and show consumers where you stand and what you believe in. When Gillette took a stand amidst the “me too” movement, it created The Best Men Can Be, using its iconic tagline to pivot. Like any healthy relationship, an ongoing dialogue must be forged that is ever changing and evolving. Your marketing efforts in general, and celebration of sustainability in particular, should be approached similarly.

*Purpose Perception 2021 Porter Novelli Implicit Association Study

** Fast Company “One year later, what did we learn from Nike’s blockbuster Colin Kaepernick ad?”