Marketing & Sustainability: From greenwashing to behavioral change

On Wikipedia, marketing is described as promoting the sale of services or products, created when American farmers suddenly had to get rid of their surpluses. More and more, this promotion involves messages around sustainability*. Yet, communicating about such a broad and complex topic can be tricky. When an overly positive story is sketched this is considered greenwashing, which has led to increased risks ranging from negative public opinion (Coca-Cola sponsoring COP27) to lawsuits at company level (HSBC, KLM) and even at the personal level of board members (Deutsche Bank/DWS, Shell).

The government’s role

Yet, besides risks there’s also opportunities, as marketing is more than proclaiming an (in)correct message to acquire customers. As marketing techniques relate to the psychology of consumers, it is also about influencing behavior. In the NRC, Ben 'Tyler' Tiggelaar asks how free consumers are in their choices and refers to Jelmer Mommers 's concept of ‘consumer freedom’ (should we set a collective limit to the consumption of new products to protect the climate?). It suggests that as human beings we cannot always make the right choices, either through our psychology and/or through external temptations, hence we need to be protected.

The help to reduce what is bad for us can come from the government, says Tiggelaar. And yes, there is a role for the government with regards to the promotion of certain products (e.g. limiting candy commercials, smoking adverts and perhaps even meat advertisements). I completely agree with Mommers that we should consume less, and with Tiggelaar that we could use help with that. Yet besides government support, in my opinion multinationals can and should play an important role in stimulating the right behavior. If they openly communicate about sustainability and equality in their reports and campaigns, why not use those same channels to positively empower consumers?

The company’s role

In fact, I believe addressing consumers is a crucial link to much-needed, large-scale behavioral change. Where governmental legislation, regulations and lawsuits often need ample time, a marketing campaign can play a positive role in the transition to a sustainable and inclusive world almost instantly.

How? An insightful study by the HvA and UvA shared by Dr. Loes Kreemers on vegan options in a company canteen shows that consumer behavior is influenced by making the sustainable choice easy (make the better option physically visible and accessible), attractive (e.g. give sustainable options lower prices), important (create social awareness through transparency) and normal (make the sustainable option the social norm). There are more and more good examples of companies applying these principles to promote behavioral change:

-         Burger King launched the campaign in Austria: Normal oder mit Fleish?

-         Café chain Anne&Max made the oat milk option cheaper than cow's milk.

-         Shoe brand AllBirds made the CO2 footprint of their shoes transparent and shares the methodology so that others can follow.

The marketeer’s role

As said, I am convinced that the power and strength of companies is essential in the current transformation. Marketing should therefore not only be used for attractive reports, but above all to motivate nearly 8 billion consumers worldwide to make better (purchasing) decisions. I am thinking about, for example, stimulating plant-based food (e.g. let’s have only vegetarian/vegan products in the AH Bonus), train travel (e.g. let’s introduce NS 'rail miles' points), and sustainable energy and transportation (e.g. let’s set Google's sustainable routes as default). I am aware that the examples mentioned are for ‘better’ options, but still aimed at 'promoting the sale of services or products'. Yet, we will quickly have to move towards fewer products, less food waste and less energy consumption to get/stay within the planetary boundaries. Can marketing also be used for this? Yes, as illustrated by this beautiful Patagonia ad to not buy their jacket.

Let this be food for thought and a call to action. Especially for marketeers, but also for everyone else working with customers, selling products and services. Ask yourself: how do I promote sustainable behavior? Because I believe it is possible; to shift from risky (greenwashing) messages, to stimulating global change!

* To me sustainability includes all ways to take care of the planet and humanity, so not only aimed at the environment, but certainly also at stimulating diversity, inclusiveness and equality.