How Does Your Brand Stack-Up In This Era Of The Cause-Oriented Consumer?

In this guest post, Natalie Dean-Weymark (pictured below), co-director of Compass Creative Studio, says in the era of the cause-oriented consumer, brands need to rethink what real conversions looks like in 2019…
At the recent 1% For The Planet summit in Sydney, I was made aware that not only are 1,800 of global brands now donating one per cent of all annual sales (and that’s sales, not profit!), hundreds of individual people are actually donating one per cent of their own pay check to the same cause.
These people are not part of any specific organisation, background or demographic – just everyday citizens that recognise the need for immediate action when it comes to environmental issues.
So, as business leaders, what does it mean when the consumer – our buyer – becomes so vested in a purpose and cause that they are willing to sacrifice their own pay check to see the fulfilment of a collective good? We are required to think beyond just conversion and creativity – to further afield concepts like ethics, impact and empowerment of better buying choices for the consumer.
What’s interesting about the above scenario is that we use words like ‘consumer’ and ‘business leaders’. There is no mention of government, nor did I personally see any political representation there on the evening itself. In this essence, the consumer becomes our global citizen, and the brand the trusted custodian of change.
In a political environment of continuous flux, conspiracy and internal conflict; our governments sit at polar opposite to the ideals of the current generations. For better or worse, we are a society created via the feeds of social media platforms – so expectation of aspiration and immediacy go with the territory. In a society that values idealisation and quick-response, local government represent nothing but a lack-of-action.
This is where brands have the ability to step in and mobilise momentum. With large audiences, commercial means and the ability to re-act with agility on the preferred platforms, brands are presented with a unique opportunity to entwine themselves, quite literally, in the hearts and minds of their buying audience. In this sense, marketing and brand strategies, now not only need to consider things like price, promotion and place – but also how your brand is impacting your consumers life, in a way that extends beyond just POS and well into future years.
In this climate, brands are required more so than ever before to review their practices, their profits, their supplier chains, their impact – and find an authentic voice and method for communicating this to their audiences. Consumers are wearing their conscious – loudly and proudly – and brands that are seen not embracing this or creating a worse tomorrow than the one that younger generations are already facing, are quickly becoming outdated and irrelevant.
So how do marketers tackle the task of mapping this out and talking about it to their audience in a way that is both impactful, useful and truthful? Well first, if you aren’t across, and aiming to reduce your environmental impact as a brand – you should be. It’s 2019, in today’s market, anyone that is not addressing this on both an internal and external scale is reckless. In fact, Nielsen reports that more than two-in-three consumers in the Pacific are willing to spend more on products that contain environmentally friendly or sustainable materials, and three-in-five demonstrate a willingness to pay more for products that deliver on social responsibility claims.
This means that we have to look closer at what our social responsibility is, and how we are communicating this to our audiences. Brands need to be looking at supply chains, your business carbon footprint, your take on merchandising, your office waste output – even who you pay your energy bill to, or how your preferred employee super fund is invested.
And if you’re already doing it, be prepared to talk about it – a lot. And for your audience to pick apart your good efforts in skepticism. This means that your team has to be really well informed in the space, or you need to work with someone who is. And don’t for a second think you can fake it – as this is an audience that is well-versed in greenwashing as a marketing tactic. As echoed by Shannon Bourke, environmental & social initiatives manager for Patagonia, on the evening “Embrace transparency. When you start talking about giving programs or any environmental initiatives in your marketing communication, it’s inevitable that you are going to get questions from your customers asking about how your company operates. Customers are expecting more and more that companies have these types of programs in place, but they are also are becoming more discerning in terms of brand authenticity around this. I think you just have to anticipate the questions, and be ready to respond honestly and authentically.”
Bourke then went onto explain that this concept is actually addressed in the Patagonia’s original mission statement ‘to cause no unnecessary harm’ – “the flip side of this,” she says, “actually acknowledges that we are causing harm to a degree, is at forefront of our mind and that we are doing X, Y and Z to solve it.”
Marketing and brand communications has never been heralded as a segment of the industry that can change the world, but at this exact moment of time, we have the power to encourage consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions, that will benefit a better tomorrow.
With the advent of digital, we are a cause-oriented community more so than ever before, and it is within this climate, brands are presented with the opportunity to have a meaningful relationship with their audiences like never before. It is within this new-world order that brands become the catalysts for the change that our audience want to see in the future, and are willing to vote with their wallets for.
Latest News

Ready To Up Your B2B Marketing Game? Break These Five Webinar Rules In 2021
Here are top tips to break the webinar rules in 2021! Wear spots with stripes and break the fashion rules too.

Havas Media Group Promotes Danni Dimitri To Head of Strategy, Sydney
Havas Media Group has appointed Danni Dimitri to the role of head of strategy, Sydney. The appointment is a promotion for Dimitri who has held the title of Havas Media Group strategy director since 2018. Dimitri’s 13 years industry experience spans senior strategy and communications roles at a number of leading agencies. L-R: Virginia Hyland, […]

EatFirst Put Women At Centre Of Plate For International Women’s Day
Catering marketplace EatFirst to hero their female businesses during this year’s celebrations

Our Revolution Appointed By Drinks Brand Bickford’s
Heritage drinks brand Bickford’s has appointed Our Revolution as its consumer branding agency to tackle key components of its innovation growth following a pitch process. The agency’s remit will span brand strategy and identity, packaging design, and an above the line campaign for Bickford’s Group. The beverage company’s produce spans from water to alcohol, and […]

Rexona Clinical’s Unique ‘Pitvertising’ Won The Summer, Via Clemenger BBDO Sydney
While the Sydney Sixers won the BBL season ten trophy, Rexona Clinica won the summer sports marketing battle with a game-changing sponsorship idea. BBL 2020-21 series will go down as the ‘Year of the Pit’ after Rexona Clinical owned the summer after unveiling its new form of advertising sponsorship – ‘Pitvertising’. The concept, devised by […]

Air Wick Launches The Rare Bloom Project To Save 120 Native Wildflowers
Botanica by Air Wick is proud to announce the launch of The Rare Bloom Project™, in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF) and working in collaboration with The Australian Seed Bank Partnership (ASBP). Over the next three years these organisations will work to help protect Australia’s uniquely rich biodiversity by helping save 120 native wildflower species from the threat of extinction.

Cushelle Launches Charity Partnership With WWF In Bid To Save Koalas
Essity, the company behind the Cushelle brand, today announces a special partnership with WWF, pledging £150,000 to support the recovery of koalas impacted by the 2020 Australian bushfires.

Ex-Kantar Head Of Advertising Research Joins Cubery As General Manager
Cubery, a tech-based market research agency headquartered out of Melbourne, Australia, today announces the appointment of former Kantar Head of Advertising Research, Sam Walters, as General Manager, Consulting.

Adelaide Advertising & Design Club Welcomes New Co-Presidents, Taylor Martin And Jamie Scott
The Adelaide Advertising and Design Club (AADC) is heading into its 46th year with two new Co-Presidents at the helm; Studio Manager of Simple Integrated Marketing, Taylor Martin and Managing Director of Showpony Melbourne, Jamie Scott.

Type + Pixel Appoints New Head of Digital And Expands Health Portfolio
Brisbane brand agency Type + Pixel has promoted digital specialist Danielle Shannon to a newly created Head of Digital role.

Freddo To Disappear From Packs As He Continues To Fight For Endangered Frog Friends
For the second year in a row, CADBURY Freddo is giving up his place on the iconic purple packaging to help raise awareness for Australian endangered frogs at risk of disappearing forever! This year, the team at Taronga Zoo, Sydney (Taronga) has also joined the ranks and will be partnering with Freddo alongside Zoos Victoria and Conservation Volunteers Australia to raise awareness and funds for endangered Australian frogs, the Spotted Tree Frog and the Northern Corroboree Frog.

Wired Wins Korea Tourism Remit
The Wired Agency has won the ANZ digital and social remit for the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Sydney Office after an undisclosed pitch process. Wired will execute digital, social, and content for the KTO Sydney Facebook. Managing Partner David Kennedy-Cosgrove said, “we’ve been dreaming of overseas holidays for more than a year now.” “Now we […]

Aussie Mat Baxter Hands Over Initiative CEO Role To Amy Armstrong
Mat Baxter remains Australia's gift to the global advertising world. Had David Droga not already nicked the title.

Renault Launches Global Campaigns To Claim Electric Car Leadership, Via Publicis Conseil
The only thing more French than this Renault ad from Publicis Conseil is queuing for 10 hours to get into the Louvre.

White Supremacist Who Led Alleged Attack On Channel Nine Security Guard Charged
Hopefully the judge will order this neo-Nazi to watch 'American History X' and 'Inglourious Basterds' for good measure.

Plant-Based Chicken Schnitty Hits Shelves
Any vegetarian needs to read this at least five times. After all, they do love regaling their dietary habits ad nauseam.

Dove Tackles Arranged Marriage In #StopTheBeautyTest Campaign, Via Ogilvy India
Dove again proving it's not afraid to tackle society's biggest issues. All while keeping your skin soft and supple, too.

Meghan Markle Granted $800,000 In Privacy Claim
Meghan Markle granted $800,000 from UK newspaper, as Queen considers putting ricin in the cucumber sandwiches.

Hogarth Appoints Jamie Gilbert-Smith Business Partnerships Director
Hogarth unveils business partnerships director who certainly knows his Keynesian theories from his costs VS benefits.

ESL Appoints New General Manager For Australia
To work at ESL Gaming does one have to have joint stiffness, a Red Bull addiction & a predilection for 4am bedtimes?

Jay Z Compares Cannabis Laws With “Sex With Farm Animals” And “Marrying Your First Cousin” In New Campaign
We're not big cannabis smokers here at B&T. We're not anti-drugs, we're just not fans of Kyuss or the 7-Eleven meat pie.

D&AD And Google Partner To Expand Shift, Night-School For Emerging Creatives
D&AD Shift with Google is an accesssible space for self-taught creatives to refine their skills. The aim of the program is to foster a rich talent pool at a time when diversity in the workforce should be a priority. The night school is taking place in New York and London, and will launch in Sydney […]

Schwarzkopf Launches Messenger Chatbot, Via Orchard
One need only sniff B&T's lustrous follicles and shaft to know of our commitment to the Schwarzkopf range.

Stockland Invests $2.5m In smrtr
Stockland has invested $2.5 million In Smrtr. Bitcoin would've arguably been a better bet, but Smrtr it is.

Tuesday TV Wrap: Powerful Britney Spears Doco Makes Australian Debut
B&T staff forced onto the Temazepams just to sleep such was our intractable rage after last night's Britney tell-all.

Apple Set To Debut Foldable ‘Flip Phone’
The much-vaunted flip phone might finally be here. Sadly no news still on the flying car or jetpack travel, however.

Former Xe.com CEO Simon Griffin Announced As Car Next Door’s COO
Peer to peer car sharing platform Car Next Door has appointed Simon Griffin (main photo) as its chief operating officer. Griffin has more than 13 years’ experience in tech scaleups, having previously been the COO at ASX-listed Prospa, CEO of HIFX – which later merged with and became Xe.com – and chief commercial officer and […]

Nicky Bell Is The New Global VP Of Facebook’s Creative Shop
New Zealander Nicky Bell made global VP of Facebook’s Creative Shop, bringing a strong knowledge of sheep dagging.

Nine Announces New CEO Mike Sneesby
B&T raced to this press conference this morning & in lieu of any muffins or coffee we took the pot plant in reception.

News Corp Australia Launches Travel + Luxury Brand
News has launched the Travel + Luxury brand. Apparently the abattoir at Wagga Wagga isn't featured in the first issue.