What do you feel when you see images of melting ice caps or factories pumping out smoke? That churning feeling followed by a brief moment of palpitation and trepidation is nothing other than eco-anxiety.
If you’ve ever experienced this feeling, you’re not alone. In fact, over 72% of people have dealt with eco-anxiety — and many are becoming more conscious of how their purchases are affecting the environment.
We know environmental concerns affect people (and your potential consumers) in some way. But should you use it to play the fear mongering card in your marketing?
The Role of Brands in Addressing Eco-Anxiety
Eco-anxiety is real, and it is affecting how your consumers choose products. As a brand, your job is to position yourself as something that helps your buyers. More specifically, you should convince your consumers that your solutions are the way forward for anyone looking to do their part in saving the planet.
Taking this approach allows your customers to understand the ‘why’ behind your brand, and the story within your values creates loyalty and like minded solutions.
Identifying Key Environmental Concerns
Focus on what drives your business values. For example, Chris and Alicia love plants, they have a collection of indoor plants and consistently plant in their communities. This became part of the Aliste mission because it was naturally a focus for them and a passion that they felt strongly about. For every brand and project they work on, they celebrate by planting a tree in their community.
Authentic Marketing Strategies to Address Eco-Anxiety
Be upfront about your materials, supply chain, and carbon footprint. And if there’s room for improvement, you should be honest about it and own it.
Showcase how you’re making an impact or how supporting your business helps to support causes and efforts.
Shift your messaging from promising to actionable steps in how working with your brand or purchasing your products fuels the brand mission- example: Toms Shoes or Bombas Socks.
Partnering with environmental groups is a great way to work toward tangible change while also building credibility as an eco-friendly brand.
Crafting Effective Messaging
Your messaging should be somewhere between emphasizing urgency and uplifting spirits. To achieve this, start with the facts like data, but don’t stop there. Present these facts through effective visual storytelling. People want to be a part of a story- tell your brand story.
Leveraging Digital Platforms
Effecting positive change is a conversation. And where else can you connect with like-minded consumers than on social media. On Instagram, for instance, you’ll be visible to up to 69% of social media users. You can also share content on your website and use your social media channels to link back to it.
Product Development and Innovation
How can you infuse eco awareness in your brand:
- Minimizing the materials you use or choose eco/sustainable packaging where possible.
- Showcase how your products are recyclable or can be repurposed. Example, skin care jars can be turned into candle votive holders.
- Recycling any excess or byproducts of production- great example of this would be turning excess cake material into cake pops!
Building Community and Fostering Action
Measuring and Communicating Impact
So how do you know if your brand is living up to its eco-friendly promises? You’ll know you’re on the right track if you see any of the following:
- Engagement with your campaigns
- Higher conversions of your more sustainable offerings
- Reductions in production inputs (e.g. gas, water, materials)
When you see these milestones, celebrate the Ws, and share them on your site or social media.
Case Studies: Brands Successfully Addressing Eco-Anxiety
Brands are stepping up to nip eco-anxiety in the bud.
One example is Seventh Generation. The American household brand did the complete opposite of fear-mongering and took a humorous approach to advertising its sustainable toilet paper line. Needless to say, the reception was positive.
Guppy Friend is another brand that shows consumers that all isn’t lost. In a circular economy-themed campaign, the brand depicts how it uses washing bags to filter microplastics in washed clothing. The ad is an excellent example of telling consumers that “yes, things are bad. But we’ve got solutions.”
Future Trends in Eco-Conscious Marketing
It’s hard to tell what the future has in store for eco-conscious marketing. But with numerous policies and regulations popping up, there’s a chance that we’ll see changes in how brands should position themselves in the eco-friendly market.
The Path Forward
Is your brand ready to authentically address eco-anxiety and connect with environmentally conscious consumers?
Aliste Marketing specializes in crafting impactful, purpose-driven marketing strategies for eco-conscious brands. Contact us today to learn how we can help you turn environmental concerns into opportunities for meaningful engagement and positive change.
