In the world of branding, sustainability is no longer just a trend, but a necessity. The rise of 'beige sustainable design' has led many to believe that eco-friendly branding is synonymous with bland and forgettable aesthetics. But Anna Öhrling, co-founder and CEO of Onward, a creative impact agency, disagrees. She believes that sustainability should be at the heart of every brand strategy, and that the key to authentic eco branding lies in creativity and purpose. In this article, I'll explore the reasons behind the beige plague, the importance of sustainability in branding, and how brands can pivot to create engaging and authentic sustainable designs. I'll also delve into the role of credibility and the potential for brands to grow trust, relevance, and memorability through sustainability. Finally, I'll share some insights from Anna Öhrling and Onward on how to avoid greenwashing and create authentic eco branding.
The Beige Plague
The beige plague is a phenomenon where sustainability branding often resorts to beige, bland, and forgettable designs. This happens for three main reasons: lack of experience, lack of a clear sustainability strategy, and a lack of communication skills. Brand teams, who live and breathe creativity, are often given a set of claims from their sustainability teams, who live and breathe technicality, and told to stick with the claims. This results in beige sustainable design and comms, which can harm a brand's reputation and lead to greenwashing.
The Importance of Sustainability in Branding
Sustainability is an important consideration when it comes to brand strategy because it counters the current uncertainty, untrustworthiness, and short-termism in the world. It provides an opportunity for brands to build trust and counter anxieties. However, trust is hard to build and quick to break, so brands must have something worth saying and be transparent about their impact.
The Role of Credibility
Credibility is crucial in sustainable branding. Brands must ensure that their actions are credible and avoid greenwashing. The credibility compass, developed by Onward, is a useful tool for ensuring that work is credible and steering clear of greenwashing. Brands should focus on identifying specific areas with the most potential and investing in making a difference and measuring the impact of their work.
Engaging Audiences with Sustainable Design
To create engaging and authentic sustainable designs, brands should give sustainability a role and treat it with the same respect as brand design. They should find people who can bridge the world of the brand and sustainability and hold on to them. Brands should also focus on the benefit of their sustainability actions to the consumer and think about how their actions can make the product experience better for them.
The Potential for Growth
Sustainability has the potential for brands to grow trust, relevance, and memorability. Brands can use sustainability to make a difference and measure the impact of their work, which can lead to increased trust and relevance. They can also use sustainability to create a unique and memorable brand identity.
Conclusion
In conclusion, sustainability is no longer just a trend, but a necessity in branding. Brands must pivot to create engaging and authentic sustainable designs, focusing on credibility and the benefit of their actions to the consumer. By embracing sustainability, brands can grow trust, relevance, and memorability, and make a positive impact on the world.
