Key Principles & How to Leverage It [+Examples]

In 2018, 63% of consumers surveyed in an Accenture study said they prefer to shop with purpose-built brands. Fast forward to 2021 and that mood has only grown.

IBM conducted a 2020 consumer behavior study and found that 57% of consumers are willing to change their shopping habits to become more environmentally conscious. In the same study, almost eight out of ten respondents said that sustainability is important to them.

So how does a brand use sustainable marketing to appeal to a growing, socially conscious audience? We’ll cover that and more below.

Green Marketing vs. Sustainable Marketing

Although both terms are often used interchangeably, there is a difference between green marketing and sustainability marketing.

Green marketing focuses on strategies that promote environmental awareness and protection of the environment. Sustainable marketing, on the other hand, is a bit broader.

It includes green marketing, but also practices that go beyond the environment, such as social and economic issues.

1. Have a bigger purpose.

Brands usually judge their success by the numbers. How much sales they make, or will get, in a given period of time is usually the biggest indicator of success.

Sustainability shifts that perspective, with brands evaluating themselves for something greater than profit.

As a brand, you need to promote something that is bigger than your products and services, and beyond a specific industry.

Do you have a clear social mandate? If not, spend time figuring out what it is and how your brand is playing a part in promoting that mission.

For example, the fashion brand Autumn Adeigbo sells clothes, accessories and home accessories. However, as stated on their website, their mission is to impact women’s lives on a global scale. They do this by using female-owned production facilities and, among other things, employing female craftswomen.

2. Think ahead.

Sustainability marketing is about creating long-term value.

Too often, brands focus on generating immediate returns. For example, many marketing tactics like running Google Ads and blogging are great lead generators.

But what if your lead made a purchase and became a customer? How do you build loyalty and create brand ambassadors?

Sustainable marketing explores ways to empower consumers throughout the buyer’s journey.

Education is a way to build loyalty with your audience early on. From the first discovery on social media to the time they set a goal for themselves.

For example, a grocery brand could educate their audience about the importance of ethical farming on social media and continue that process with post-purchase tips on packaging recycling.

3. Be customer oriented.

You might be thinking, “MeIsn’t Marketing Consumer Oriented? “

Ideally, yes, but that’s not always the case.

In traditional marketing, a brand often tries to offer a product or service to a customer. Consumer-centric marketing is more about understanding your customers’ needs and tailoring your marketing to them.

For example, say your audience wants more transparency in your procurement practices or wants you to be more vocal on social issues. You can use this information for your next campaign.

With so much competition, there is a way to stay customer-centric by being innovative.

We’ve all heard the warning from Blockbuster and Netflix. But that speaks for a major social change that Blockbuster was not ready for.

But the truth is, innovation doesn’t always have to be this big. It can happen in small iterations – the key here is keeping in touch with your audience’s needs.

4. Reflect sustainability in every aspect of your brand.

Sustainability marketing doesn’t work if it’s not authentic.

Imagine if a company that claims to be sustainable has failed to put in place practices that advance its mission. Consumers would distrust this brand and it would be difficult to get it back.

Make sure your brand is looking at sustainability from a holistic perspective.

Do you preach about sustainability but don’t use sustainable resources to make your product? Do you work with brands that contradict your mission? Is your team a representative of the future that you want to promote?

These are the questions to ask yourself in order to determine if your brand reflects the mission that you set out to achieve. Identify the areas to work in and go to the drawing board to find strategies that fit your mission.

The audience doesn’t expect perfection, but they value transparency. It’s okay – and a good idea – to share where you’re currently falling short and how you plan to fix these issues.

Examples of sustainable marketing

1. Pangiai

The materials science company Pangiai wants to save the environment.

All of the brand’s marketing revolves around this core mission, including this video campaign.

In it, the brand explains its mission to “reverse the cycle from the unnatural to the natural, from plastic to plants”. […], from new to recycling. “

What is special about this ad is that Pangiai describes the future they want to see and outlines the strategies they will implement to get there.

In the ad you can see Pangiai products, but they are not the focus. This shows viewers that the mission drives the products, not the other way around – and that is sustainable marketing done right.

2. Nada Duele

In the previous section, we discussed the importance of a holistic approach to sustainability marketing.

At Nada Duele, their mission is reflected in everything: from their name, which stands for the idea that products shouldn’t cause harm, to the initiatives they participate in.

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If you visit the How We Work section, you can find out more about her collaboration with a Guatemalan institute dedicated to protecting the forest sector.

It is important that the partnerships your brand forms are aligned with your values. Otherwise, you risk losing credibility and trust.

3. Satya + sage

Social media is one of the best and easiest ways to implement a sustainable marketing strategy.

You can share a range of content from educating your followers to sustainable practices to how your brand is sustainable.

In this example from the candle company Satya + Sage, they give tips on how to use the seed paper that comes with each candle.

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Pay particular attention to questions from your followers and their comments on social media, as these can provide clues as to which marketing strategies you are testing in the future.

Why is sustainable marketing important?

Sustainability is a topic that has gained a lot of prominence recently, but research shows that it extends beyond age.

IBM’s 2020 Consumer Behavior Study found that while millennials are most interested in sustainability awareness, boomers (and all consumers in between) consider it heavily when choosing brands.

Even if your brand isn’t rooted in that mission, you will still appreciate investing time and resources in sustainable practices and marketing to attract more customers.