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Brands we’ve helped find their voice.
We don’t just talk the talk.
ProLabs Branding
Before seeking further private equity investment, Prolabs embarked on a brand audit to the true extent of the brand’s credibility, health and value.
The exercise collected the thoughts and opinions of stakeholders at every level through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and customer observations. The results were a revelation across the organization.
The results had a defining effect on the organization and resulted in a rebranding program and a realignment of the brand across every touchpoint.
This had the desired effect of promoting ProLabs as a game changer in the tech sector but the shared brand understanding also galvanized ProLabs in every department, resulting in a re-energized workforce and increased sales.





BFA Distillery Branding
The rather interestingly named BFA Distillery asked us to create an identity for their renowned Arak.
Tracing its origins back to the 12 Century, Arak is widely viewed to be the first flavoured spirit ever created.
Originally developed by Issa Habesch, under the watchful eyes of two Franciscan fathers, using the age-old techniques and only the finest ingredients, grapes from the sun-kissed slopes of Hebron and the most sought-after anise seeds from Syria.
As grandsons, Subhi and Rajai, now continue today's family tradition, the branding had to reflect the heritage of the product while acknowledging the developing nature of the brand and product development, namely Cherry Liqueur and Limoncello.





Malta ESG Alliance Branding
Our primary objective with the Malta ESG Alliance was to establish a platform where Maltese businesses can collaborate effectively, working in unison to spearhead national ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) goals.
Through our collective efforts, we transformed these ideals into a tangible symbol, an iconic identity representing protection and guidance for anyone seeking a safe haven.
This emblem boasts an instantly recognizable form, encapsulating all the inherent values associated with their brand and heritage.






Halifax Bank
Helping Halifax createa responsible alternative to payday loans, through various advertising.
Halifax Lifesaver
The current trend of “payday loans”, and the potential financial burden, worried the people at Halifax so much they decided to create a responsible alternative.
The account offers an preferential interest rate, combined with easy access to funds, a number of benefits and retail discounts, all for an agreed monthly amount saved in the Lifesaver Account.
We positioned the account holder as the lifesaver, by assisting and being in control of life’s little emergencies.
All the glamour and glory, without the need for being buff and oiled.





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We don’t usually like to talk about ourselves.

Tony Dobbie

Sam Farah

Claire Jenkins
insights
The New Era of Advertising: Privacy, Trust, and the Fight for Attention

The New Era of Advertising: Privacy, Trust, and the Fight for Attention
From print and TV to social media and streaming, media consumption has evolved, forcing the advertising industry to adapt. Traditional mass-market ads have given way to targeted campaigns aimed at authentic customer connections. Now, shifting consumer expectations, privacy concerns, and AI advancements are reshaping brand communication.
The Rise of Digital Advertising
The first digital ad appeared in 1994, when AT&T paid $30,000 for a banner ad on HotWired, yielding a 44% click-through rate (CTR)—far above today’s 0.5% average. By 2024, digital advertising had grown into a $600 billion industry, driven by its ability to provide user insights and optimize campaigns.
Companies benefit from data collection, while consumers receive personalized content. However, growing distrust in digital ads has led to a push for relevance and ethical data use.
Mobile and Social Media Targeting
By the mid-2000s, social media and mobile tracking enabled advertisers to follow users across devices and tailor campaigns. Notable shifts included:
- Facebook’s approach: Fewer, integrated ads in news feeds.
- Platform expansion: YouTube, Twitter (X), and Instagram introduced marketing capabilities.
- Google’s mobile-first algorithm: By 2017, mobile traffic dominated, forcing brands to prioritize mobile-friendly content.
Consumer Reactions to Digital Ads
A Bango Audiences study found:
- 67% of consumers find most digital ads irrelevant.
- 39% say ads are excessive.
- 50% unsubscribe or block brands due to intrusive ads. Still, 49% enjoy relevant ads, encouraging marketers to prioritize quality over quantity.
Privacy Concerns and the Decline of Third-Party Cookies
Highly targeted social media ads have sparked privacy concerns. Platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Google now allow users to opt out of personalized ads. However, many lack full control over data collection.
Third-party cookies are also being phased out, with Google set to eliminate them by 2025. Brands now turn to first-party data and contextual targeting to maintain trust and transparency.
The Facebook Ads Boycott In 2020, Facebook faced backlash for microtargeted political ads and misleading content. The #StopHateForProfit movement saw 1,000+ brands pause ads. While large companies could afford the boycott, smaller brands adapted by reallocating budgets or using alternative ad techniques.
Decline in Creative Advertising With the rise of influencer marketing and user-generated content, brands now favor cost-effective, quickly produced ads over high-budget campaigns. However, experts warn this may hurt long-term engagement.
Opt-In Marketing and Interactive Content As privacy concerns grow, brands are embracing consumer-driven marketing methods like quizzes. These:
- Engage users by offering insights.
- Reduce intrusiveness.
- Increase conversions by nearly 2x, according to Demand Metric.
- Provide brands with ethically sourced, accurate data.
The Future of Advertising
While digital marketing evolves, authenticity and engagement remain key. Trends shaping the future include:
- Specialized agencies: Leaner teams focusing on niche communities.
- Connected TV (CTV) ads: Growing on platforms like Roku, Netflix, and YouTube.
- AI advancements: Personalized, automated campaigns at scale.
- Authenticity focus: Consumers prefer real, relatable content over AI-generated ads.
- Long-term relationships: Companies are shifting from short-term conversions to lifetime customer value.
With third-party cookies disappearing, brands must prioritize transparency, ethical data collection, and meaningful engagement to build consumer trust and drive sustainable success. As technology continues to reshape advertising, those who balance innovation with authenticity will thrive in the evolving landscape.
AI in Branding & Comms: Big Wins, Big Risks!

AI in Branding & Comms: Big Wins, Big Risks!
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, xiQ, Discord’s Mid journey, and DALL-E are reshaping the landscape of branding and communications. While they invoke curiosity and offer efficiency gains, they also present risks that professionals must navigate carefully. Some fear these technologies might replace human expertise, but in reality, AI should be seen as a tool to support and enhance branding and communications work—not replace it.
The Benefits of AI in Branding and Communications
AI has the potential to be a powerful asset for branding and communications professionals, streamlining research, generating creative assets, and improving accessibility. Here are some of the key advantages:
1. Researching and Simplifying Complex Topics
For industries that require distilling complex information—such as fintech,healthcare, and legal sectors—AI can summarise research, identify meta-trends,and explain technical concepts. This helps branding teams gain insights faster and develop stronger narratives that resonate with audiences.
2. Ensuring Accessibility and Inclusion
Running draft content through AI tools can help detect potential bias and ensure inclusivity. AI can highlight gendered language or culturally insensitive phrasing, allowing teams to refine their messaging to be more universally understood.
3. Brainstorming and Ideation
AI tools can assist branding professionals in campaign planning by generating ideas based on given parameters. While the final decisions still require human creativity and strategic thinking, AI can serve as a useful starting point for ideation sessions.
4. Generating Unique and Engaging Visual Content
AI-generated imagery through tools like Mid journey and DALL-E provides marketers with fresh,customisable visuals, reducing reliance on generic stock photos. These tools allow for highly specific and branded imagery that aligns with a company’s identity and messaging.
5. Efficiency and Scalability
AI can quickly produce copy, marketing collateral, and even entire websites at scale. For tasks like customer service chatbots, product descriptions, or templated content, AI can maintain consistency and reduce the burden on human teams.
The Risks and Limitations of AI in Branding
While AI brings many benefits, there are critical limitations that must be considered to maintain brand integrity and value.
1. Inherent Bias and Ethical Concerns
AI models learn from existing data, which means they can replicate and amplify biases present in that data. If left unchecked, AI-generated content could reinforce stereotypes or exclude diverse voices.
2. Loss of Brand Authenticity
Branding is deeply tied to human emotion and connection. AI lacks true understanding of audience sentiment, making it difficult to create content that feels genuinely aligned with a brand’s identity. Over-reliance on AI could lead to a loss of brand distinctiveness and emotional connection with customers.
3. Quality vs. Quantity Dilemma
AI can generate large volumes of content quickly, but that doesn’t always translate to quality. Many AI-generated pieces lack originality, depth, or the nuanced perspective that human expertise brings, making them less effective for thought leadership or brand storytelling.
4. SEO and Search Visibility Risks
Studies suggest that AI-generated content tends to perform worse in organic search rankings compared to human-written content. AI lacks the ability to provide expert-level insight, which can lead to lower engagement and credibility.
5. Legal and Compliance Issues
AI-generated images and text may not account for copyright and trademark laws, which could lead to legal complications. Additionally, AI tools do not inherently ensure regulatory compliance in highly controlled industries like finance or healthcare.
The Future of AI in Communications, Branding, and Marketing
The future of AI in branding and communications will continue to evolve as the technology advances. Here are some key trends to watch:
1. Hyper-Personalisation
AI will enable brands to create highly personalised experiences for consumers by analyzing data in real-time and tailoring messaging, product recommendations,and interactions to individual preferences.
2. Automated ContentCreation with Human Oversight
WhileAI-generated content will continue to improve, the role of human editors and strategists will remain crucial. AI will handle repetitive and formulaic tasks,while humans will focus on storytelling, emotional engagement, and brand consistency.
3. AI-Driven PredictiveAnalytics
AI-powered analytics will allow brands to anticipate consumer behaviour, track sentiment trends, and refine marketing strategies with greater accuracy. This will enhance decision-making and campaign effectiveness.
4. Conversational AI and Chatbots
Advancements in AI-driven chatbots and virtual assistants will make customer interactions more seamless and responsive, providing instant support and improving user experiences while still allowing for human escalation when necessary.
5. Ethical AI and Regulation
AsAI usage expands, ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks will become increasingly important. Brands will need to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in how they deploy AI technologies.
Striking the Right Balance
AI is evolving rapidly, and its role in branding and communications will only grow. However, brands must strike a balance between leveraging AI’s efficiency and maintaining the human creativity and emotional intelligence that make communications truly impactful.
Companies that successfully integrate AI will do so in a way that complements, rather than replaces, human expertise. By using AI as a tool for efficiency while ensuring human oversight in strategic storytelling, brands can maintain authenticity, build trust, and enhance their overall value in the market.
While AI is here to stay, the most successful brands will be the ones that continue to prioritise human connection, thoughtful messaging, and ethical considerations in their use of technology.
How Brands Should Prepare for a Second Trump Presidency

How Brands Should Prepare for a Second Trump Presidency
Now that Donald Trump has been sworn in as the 47th president of the United States, making history as the only leader since Grover Cleveland to serve two non-consecutive terms. His return to the White House has dominated headlines, with debates over how he won, his controversial cabinet picks, and the policies he has already enacted.
For brands, this is just the beginning. Trump’s presidency will continue to shape public discourse, stir strong emotions, and impact industries in ways that can be both anticipated and unexpected. Marketers must be ready to navigate this new landscape. While some shifts can be planned for, others will require agility and quick decision-making. Here are three key considerations for brands as they prepare for the next four years.
Understand What’s Coming
Trump was clear on the campaign trail about his priorities:
• Immigration & Border Policy: He pledged to launch the “largest deportation program of criminals in U.S. history.”
• Energy & Climate: Reports suggest the U.S. will exit the Paris Agreement, with Trump stating, “We’re drilling, drilling, drilling.”
• Trade & Tariffs: He plans to impose tariffs on imported goods from China and Mexico, aiming to boost U.S. manufacturing.
•Middle East & Gaza: Trump has vowed unwavering support for Israel, with policies likely to further escalate tensions in Gaza. His administration is expected to back military actions, limit aid to Palestinians, and take a hardline stance on regional diplomacy.
These policy shifts will have direct and indirect consequences on businesses, from supply chains to consumer sentiment. Marketers should assess how these changes may impact their industries and prepare messaging and strategies accordingly.
Define When and How You Speak Up
Some brands, like Patagonia, REI, and Seventh Generation, have built their identities around environmental activism. Others, like Microsoft, P&G, and Unilever, have made sustainability a core part of their business. If the Trump administration rolls back climate policies, how will these brands respond?
Similarly, purpose-driven companies like Bombas, Everlane, and Allbirds manufacture products overseas. How will they handle potential cost increases due to tariffs? Will they be transparent with customers about price adjustments?
And what about brands like Ben & Jerry’s, which openly advocate for social justice? Will they take a stand if mass deportations take place?
For brands with a history of speaking out, consumers will expect timely and authentic responses. If your brand hasn’t engaged in social or political conversations before, now is the time to consider your approach. Decide in advance what issues align with your values, when to take a stand, and when staying silent is the best move. Having a clear internal alignment will prevent off-the-cuff statements that may not reflect the company’s position.
Be Ready to Hit Pause - Again and Again
If the past has taught us anything, it’s that unpredictability is inevitable. Brands must be prepared to pause media plans when major events unfold.
Natural disasters, political unrest, and global crises will continue. Few could have foreseen the events of January 6, 2021, or how Trump’s response would dominate headlines. His presidency will likely bring more moments where brand messaging could be overshadowed or deemed insensitive.
To stay ahead, marketing teams should establish clear guidelines for when to pause campaigns and who makes the final call. Ensure agencies are aligned and prepared to act quickly. Ignoring major political moments could not only waste ad spend but also risk backlash from consumers.
Final Thoughts
Trump’s return to office will undoubtedly reshape policies and conversations in ways that impact businesses and brands alike. The key is preparation. By understanding what’s ahead, defining your stance, and staying agile in media planning, your brand can navigate the next four years with clarity and confidence.
The unexpected will happen, but being unprepared doesn’t have to be an option.
From Words to Action: Authentic Climate Leadership

From Words to Action: Authentic Climate Leadership
The UN’s annual Conference of Parties (COP) has long been a platform for world leaders to make decisions about climate action. Once seen as an opportunity for brands to signal their environmental commitment, the event now demands more than just green rhetoric. The stakes are higher, and the scrutiny is sharper.
As greenwashing fatigue grows and the climate crisis deepens, only organizations genuinely committed to sustainability can afford to make COP a part of their branding strategy. Today, the messages companies promote at COP aren’t born in a communications team—they stem from boardroom discussions, net-zero roadmaps, and a genuine reckoning with how climate change impacts their operations.
Authentic Communication: Built on Action, Not Words
For companies with credibility, thought leadership at COP is the culmination of months of real work: from collaborating on industry standards to lobbying governments for systemic change. This is not about spin—it’s about transparency and accountability. The most effective communication reflects a company’s honest position on its journey to net zero, showcasing progress while acknowledging challenges.
Brands that fail to back their words with deeds are quickly exposed. Coca-Cola learned this the hard way at COP27 when it faced backlash for greenwashing. Despite being the event’s main sponsor, the brand was criticized as the world’s top plastic polluter by environmental group Break Free From Plastic.
This year, COP28, held in the United Arab Emirates—a petrostate—focused on whether the world should “phase out” or “phase down” fossil fuels. Controversy loomed from the start, leading many major brands and B2B marketers to tread carefully in their communications strategies. As Aron Cramer, CEO of sustainability consultancy BSR, noted:
“The focus this year is more heads down, getting the work done, than it is about branding opportunities.”
Avoiding ‘Greenhushing’
While companies must be cautious of greenwashing, there’s also a risk in staying silent—a phenomenon known as greenhushing. A study by emissions-reduction organization South Pole found that in 2022, one in four businesses refrained from communicating their net-zero targets despite having science-aligned goals.
Renat Heuberger, South Pole’s CEO, urged action:
“We need the companies making progress on sustainability to inspire their peers. This is impossible if progress happens in silence.”
Lessons from COP28: What Worked
1. Deeds Before Words
Companies that successfully engaged with COP28 had already laid the groundwork, from setting bold climate commitments to collaborating on sector-wide initiatives. Over 130 businesses, including Nestlé, Ikea, and Heineken, called for a global fossil fuel phase-out. Others, like Unilever, stressed the need for government action to create the conditions for meaningful change.
Organizations like HSBC, BlackRock, and Ninety One launched a Global Climate Finance Centre to address barriers to low-carbon investment, while SSE and EDF unveiled research initiatives to advance energy system decarbonization. These efforts showcased their leadership in sustainability and provided a foundation for authentic messaging.
2. Thought Leadership
Successful COP communications often drew on fresh, credible research. For example, EY launched its Climate Risk Barometer report just before COP28, highlighting gaps between corporate reporting and carbon reduction efforts. Similarly, McKinsey released an explainer on the “global stocktake” weeks ahead of the event, ensuring they owned the conversation when interest spiked.
3. Engaging Storytelling
The official COP28 organizers leaned into video content, combining powerful imagery, music, and compelling quotes to engage younger audiences on social media. A short motivational video summarizing Day 1 amassed over half a million views on Facebook.
4. Humor to Cut Through
Ecologi, a platform helping SMEs reduce emissions, teamed up with satirical duo Cassetteboy for a viral video targeting the UK government’s backtracking on green policies. Set to the tune of It’s Getting Hot in Here, the parody gained tens of thousands of views across platforms, using humor to make a serious point.
The Role of Activism
Activism remains a critical force in holding brands accountable. At COP28, Greenpeace targeted a major consumer goods company with a provocative stunt, challenging its commitment to waste reduction. While such campaigns can be uncomfortable for marketers, they often push companies to align their actions with their stated values.
The Takeaway: Climate Strategy Drives Communication
The resounding lesson from COP28 is that climate strategy must come before content strategy. Companies that prioritize genuine action—rooted in collaboration, transparency, and innovation—will find their communications naturally resonate. As the climate crisis accelerates, these organizations not only earn trust but also set the standard for others to follow.
Photo by Vincent M.A. Janssen
The Ad industry's biggest agencies tied to big oil.

The Ad industry's biggest agencies tied to big oil.
Today, the group Clean Creatives released its annual F-List report, revealing 1,010 contracts between 590 advertising and PR agencies and over 400 fossil fuel companies. All contracts, dating from 2023 and 2024, were uncovered by Clean Creatives' lead researcher, Nayantara Dutta, with support from the strategic insights firm Source Nine.
“When it comes to climate and sustainability, much of the ad industry hasn’t moved on from the Mad Men era. They are still operating with the same assumptions and approaches they would have used in the 1970s,” Duncan Meisel, executive director of Clean Creatives, told ADWEEK. “Investment in clean energy is now double that in fossil fuels, but with their mindset fixed on fossil fuels, they are missing this crucial energy transition.”
The report was published just three months after United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres took the stage at the American Museum of Natural History in New York to condemn advertising and public relations agencies working with fossil fuel companies, calling them “mad men fuelling the madness.”
“Stop acting as enablers of planetary destruction,” Guterres told the audience. “Stop taking on new fossil fuel clients from today and set out plans to drop your existing ones.”
A more comprehensive view of the advertising industry
Clean Creatives, founded in 2020 as a project of Fossil Free Media, aims to pressure advertising and PR agencies to cut ties with fossil fuel clients due to their significant role in driving global warming. Over 1,200 agencies have signed the campaign’s pledge to refuse work with fossil fuel companies. The first F-List, named after the A-List of agencies published annually by Ad Age, was launched in 2021 and listed 90 firms.
However, while the number of agencies with fossil fuel ties has grown, this isn’t because these contracts are increasing, according to the group. Many of these connections are not listed on agency websites but instead found in hard-to-access documents. The nonprofit has simply improved its methods of uncovering them through public filings, LinkedIn’s ad library, creative portfolios, PR agency directories, and lobbying databases. Each contract is verified with at least three different sources to ensure accuracy.
“This is undoubtedly the most comprehensive list we’ve ever published,” Meisel stated. “We’ve added dozens of new data sources, and I believe we’re very close to the point where there are simply no more contracts that we could possibly uncover.”
Clean Creatives is targeting three distinct audiences in its communication strategy surrounding the launch of the F-List.
First, it aims to reach executive-level leadership within the agencies listed in the report, hoping they will read it and recognise how their work impacts the climate.
Second, the focus is on employees of those agencies, given the influence of this work on their workplace and future, Meisel explained.
Lastly, the group is addressing major advertisers with strong climate records, encouraging them to review their agency relationships to ensure alignment with their values.
Sustainability Takes a Back Seat
An employee from a holding company-owned agency, which is listed in the report and spoke to ADWEEK on the condition of anonymity, acknowledged that the “initial shock value” of the list may have diminished in its fourth year.
“It’s still a necessary reminder to hold the industry accountable as it continues with business as usual,” they noted, mentioning that work related to two major oil and gas clients is “alive and well” at their agency.
“Sustainability doesn’t seem to be a business priority any longer,” they added.
Last year, Havas Media made headlines for securing Shell’s media account, a move that resulted in four of its sister agencies losing their hard-earned B Corp status after other certified companies and activist groups, including Clean Creatives, filed complaints. This news sent shockwaves through sustainability circles, given the holding company’s stated commitment to advancing climate progress.
“Our research indicates that holding companies are not making the necessary progress to divest from fossil fuels,” said Dutta, Clean Creatives’ research director, in a statement. “Independent agencies are twice as likely as holding companies to end fossil fuel contracts, whether this is intentional or due to losing the business.”
Sustainable advertising

Sustainable advertising
For an increasing number of consumers, sustainability is becoming a top priority when deciding how and where to spend their money.
With the World Meteorological Organisation forecasting record-breaking global temperatures over the next five years, more individuals are seeking ways to 'go green' and minimise their environmental impact. In the U.K., for example, 75% of the population agrees that adopting more sustainable lifestyles is vital for the survival of future generations.
In response, marketers and brands are leveraging their influence to encourage sustainable consumer choices.
This could involve promoting products with sustainability certifications, offering reusable or refillable options, and utilising tools like Google's recycling features to emphasise their commitment to waste reduction.
"As marketers, we have a tremendous opportunity to make sustainability more accessible and help foster social norms that promote environmentally conscious lifestyles," says Nadia James, sustainability marketing program manager at Google.
"Recycling is one of the most frequently searched sustainability topics worldwide, and it's just one example of eco-friendly practices we can help consumers adopt and turn into everyday habits."
By using storytelling, creativity, and impactful messaging, marketers can inspire behaviour change and demonstrate how simple it can be to adopt greener habits.
Rebranding climate change
Climate change has an image problem. As marketers, we need to rebrand it, not as a problem, but as an opportunity to inspire positive behaviour change and build brands centred around sustainability.
We should focus on fostering a sense of urgent optimism. Climate action is something everyone should engage with today, and we need to reframe it as something people are eager to embrace—something easy, aspirational, and effortless.
Living more sustainably can seem unfamiliar and challenging, so incorporating messages about climate-related benefits into campaigns can normalise climate action in a meaningful way. Not too subtle or dull—otherwise, it risks becoming what I call "green wallpaper"—but bold and engaging.
The "Change a Little, Change a Lot" campaign we worked on with McDonald's is a good example. The idea is that individually, we may not make much of an impact, but if we all make small changes, together we can create a big difference. If everyone who visits McDonald's does the right thing, like recycling, collectively that makes a real impact.
That’s an example of a brand embracing its role in addressing climate change, in a way that is simple, accessible, and empowering to people. They made it an obvious choice.
Use the power of nudge
Marketeers create demand. In many ways, they even shape customer preferences.
A food and beverage company could promote its plant-based alternatives, or take it a step further by offering them as the default choice. This is an example of a nudge — a powerful tool that uses subtle influence techniques to encourage people to make the right choices, without restricting their options. For instance, a restaurant might feature an all-vegetarian menu, while still allowing customers the option to add meat to their order.
Research shows that when non-meat options are presented as the default, most consumers are far more likely to choose them. Many will even stick with these climate-friendly options over the long term.
Marketers can also use reward substitution. If the action itself doesn’t feel rewarding enough, you can introduce an unrelated incentive to make it more attractive. For example, turning a recycling bin into a slot machine that rewards points each time someone recycles. The aim is to make the better choice more immediately appealing than the easier one.
Keep up with the conversation
There’s an overwhelming amount of information and a unique vocabulary associated with sustainability. One of the major challenges for brands is truly understanding this lexicon, how it’s evolving, and how everything interconnects.
You can use tools that analyse search trends, but it takes time for a trend to build momentum and become mainstream. So, it’s important to combine these tools with real-time conversations on social media, in the news, with people you know, and through contacts you make on your website.
When determining how to make your brand stand out in searches, remember that the meaning of words can be subjective. For one person, the terms “sustainability” and “regeneration” may have distinct meanings, but for someone else, they might be interchangeable. You’ll need to decide how these words relate to one another and how they align with your brand.
Take the time to reflect on the words you want to be associated with your brand, and ensure you’re creating valuable content around those terms to reinforce that connection.
However, also make sure that content is adaptable to keep pace with shifting trends. For instance, ‘greenhushing’ is a new term we identified that resonated with our brand, and we recently created some successful content around it.
To do this effectively, you need to stay closely connected to current conversations around sustainability as they’re happening right now.
Why Sustainable Branding Matters

Why Sustainable Branding Matters
A sustainable brand is one that integrates environmental, economic, and social concerns into its business practices. However, many companies claiming to be sustainable only meet part of this definition. The communications industry has struggled to preserve the integrity of this concept, as the term "sustainable" is often used solely in reference to environmental issues. Working with sustainable brands, though, focusing on environmental sustainability is a good starting point.
There is hope.
More businesses are addressing social issues within their environmental sustainability programs as they recognise how interconnected these areas are. Companies have come to realize that addressing only one aspect of sustainability is ineffective.
Today, over 90% of CEOs believe that sustainability is essential for business success. This mindset is evident in how companies prioritise sustainability in their strategies. Examples of sustainability initiatives include:
- Developing eco-friendly products and services
- Creating roles like Chief Sustainability Officer
- Publishing sustainability reports
This trend appears to be well-established. In fact, 88% of business school students view environmental and social issues as top priorities in business. Furthermore, more first-time entrepreneurs are launching companies with a focus on environmental protection. This has led to the emergence of startups that specialise in durable, eco-friendly, and recycled products.
The drive for sustainability must come from the heart.
My optimism comes from the fact that the desire to create a sustainable society runs deeper than just trends. While technology has transformed many aspects of our world, it is useless without a strong human response. We can present visuals of environmental damage and share studies about plastic pollution in the oceans, but progress will only be made when we appeal to the emotional core of the issue.
The challenge is helping business owners develop a personal connection to these concerns, especially if they don't see an immediate financial return on sustainability investments. Overcoming this hurdle is essential for organisations to fully commit to sustainability.
On the other hand, there are businesses founded by environmentally conscious individuals. Many of these companies were started by people who made bold life changes, such as leaving their jobs to pursue a cause. The growth of these socially and environmentally aware companies is truly inspiring.
Consumers are increasingly ready to support sustainable brands.
In my experience, millennials, in particular, are more cautious about how they spend their money compared to previous generations. However, when they do choose to spend, many gravitate toward brands that promote social good, embrace sustainable manufacturing, and adhere to ethical business practices.
A report from Shelton Group emphasises that it's crucial for brands to take a stand on social issues. Their study, “Brands & Stands: Social Purpose is the New Black,” found that 86% of consumers want companies to advocate for social causes, and 64% are more likely to purchase from brands that do so. Nielsen’s 2015 Global Corporate Sustainability Report revealed that 66% of consumers would pay more for products from sustainable brands, with 73% of millennials sharing this view. Similarly, Horizon Media’s Finger on the Pulse study showed that 81% of millennials expect companies to publicly demonstrate their corporate citizenship.
It's clear that consumers prefer sustainable brands.
However, without clear communication about your brand's sustainability efforts, they may turn to competitors. Be mindful of the messaging you share in press releases, on social media, and in overall brand perception to ensure that consumers understand your values.
Sustainability is more than just being green. Brands must realise that sustainability encompasses environmental, economic, and social factors, all of which are crucial for a comprehensive strategy.
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