The importance of being earnest about your brand sustainability

Tone-deaf advertising and failure to live up to advertised promises on, say, the hot topics of climate change and sustainability can cost brands dearly

Aideen O’Neill, head of activations and sustainability at Verve: ‘Consumers want to see that brands are committing to these plans around sustainability in ways that are consistent with the brand’s values’ Picture: Fergal Phillips

The cultural porousness of the marketing industry is one of its trickiest elements; brands and brand campaigns must constantly respond to social movements and adapt to changes in public morality. Whether it be issues of institutional racism or climate change, companies will often feel they must tie their campaigns into the concerns of the day.

Wading into such lofty discussions is, of course, a risky venture, and brands can often end up achieving infamy with ...