Sustainability - As Clear as Mud

Say a word aloud over and over again, and its meaning fades and eventually disappears. Scientists call this semantic satiation. The area of our brain where the word is stored is jammed by steady repetition, which temporarily erases the link between the sound we hear and the meaning we ascribe to it.

Is this where we are with the word sustainability?

Oversaturated by brands and now becoming a marketing slogan for many, the term sustainability has apparently lost meaning. Consistent greenwashing has led to confusion, even boredom for consumers meaning sustainability, as urgent and as important as it is, is in danger of lacking relevance and cut through.

Brands have a duty to keep talking about the environment, keep improving their own practices and working with consumers to do the same. A big part of that is finding new ways to have the conversation.

So what, as brand owners, can we do to drive commitment to the sustainability agenda and provide clear benefits and reasons for consumers as to why we should be saving the ‘bees, trees and seas’?

On 16th June, join Haines McGregor as we explore what sustainability is today, if it has lost meaning, and how we can better position our brands to get real, meaningful cut through.

We will also be unveiling our new Sustainability Report that reveals a number of tensions in how brands see their role in supporting consumers on their journey to becoming more environmentally considerate. We will also be sharing topline insights from the report on:

• The gap in short term vs. long term tactics
• The split in ‘me vs. we benefits’ and how brands are seeking to present themselves
• How brands speak vs. what they do
• The gap between brand ambition and R&D/business realism

Joining us will be Katie Reed, Vice President of Arla Brand and John Roscoe, Business Angel and Trustee of The Wildlife Trust who will bring their perspective of how both big and challenger brands are tackling some of these issues, and helping us answer these questions:

• What is sustainability today? What it needs to mean to engage consumers?
• What consumers seek vs. what brands can deliver?
• Will purpose or positioning lead the way for brands?

If you’re looking to understand how your brand can find its voice in the world of sustainability, how to deliver true meaning and benefits for your consumers, guiding them through the muddy waters of sustainability, this is one not to be missed!