The post Eco education needed for brands to beat greenwashing crackdown appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>3 minute read
The announcement that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is tightening its grip on supermarkets over fears of increasing greenwashing claims by food and drink brands, should come as no surprise.
The CMA has already forced some of the big fast fashion retailers to rethink their green claims, and they now have their sights set on the growing number of household brands that make bold statements about the sustainability of their food and drink items, cleaning products and toiletries.
Consumers are more actively seeking out sustainable products so it’s not surprising that brands and retailers are keen to shout about their green credentials. Research from Deloitte shows that 40% of consumers have specifically chosen to purchase from brands with environmentally sustainable practices or values, whilst 34% have actually stopped purchasing from certain brands due to ethical or sustainability-related concerns about them1. More than ever, consumers are demanding companies take action and introduce sustainable business practices.
The problem is that sustainability is complex. What may seem like substantiated credentials don’t end up standing up to scrutiny. Such nuanced considerations are outside the scope of the experience of most brand managers, so it’s no surprise eco claims may often be based on an incomplete understanding of real-world effects. Many marketing teams simply don’t have the knowledge or expertise to ensure their green claims are valid.
Even big retailers can get sustainability wrong
For example, last year Morrisons’ switched its own-brand fresh milk from plastic bottles to Tetra Pak cartons. This ignited a debate over whether this was a genuinely commendable move to reduce plastic – or a poor decision that could actually lead to more waste and see the firm fall foul of greenwashing legislation.
At the time Tetra Pak argued for the superior carbon impact of its cartons versus the more conventional plastic packaging, using a 2020 life cycle assessment that concluded its carton packages have a lower carbon footprint than glass, plastic or metal packages.
However, a wider review of consumer habits and the actual impact of such a packaging change painted a different picture. It was argued that the switch away from an item that is 100% recyclable via kerbside collections to a multi-layer pack made of paper, plastic and aluminium and which is not even recyclable in 20% of kerbside collections was baffling and would lead to far more waste.
Substantiating green claims requires the biggest big-picture thinking. The whole product lifecycle needs to be considered. What can seem like an obvious positive on the surface can reveal net negative results with further investigation.
Marketers worried they’ll inadvertently greenwash
And it’s this complexity that’s posing problems for marketers. Research by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) in 2021 revealed that half of UK marketers are now wary of working on sustainability campaigns in case they are accused of greenwashing. (Read more about the survey undertaken by CIM here.)
This puts them at odds with both consumers, who demand businesses be more active when it comes to sustainability, and the recognition that sustainability must be a business priority. In fact, 51% of companies surveyed went as far as saying climate change could threaten the very existence of their business or clients.
There’s no doubt marketers have their work cut out. The CIM research shows increasingly savvy consumers are sceptical of brands’ sustainability efforts, with 63% believing many brands only get involved with sustainability for commercial, rather than ethical, reasons.
So how should brands and retailers respond?
The first and most obvious thing is to avoid making sweeping sustainability statements such as “environmentally friendly,” or “eco.” Such words are meaningless unless there is an accompanying explanation of what exactly the claim is based on. The CMA will expect specific details that consumers can use to compare products.
Secondly, work with sustainability specialists to understand how to implement the change you’re trying to affect. Critics will argue that large brands and grocery retailers have no shortage of experts to check their claims are correct. Examples will be made of the brands that are deemed to be misleading consumers.
Teams need to be educated on the complexity of sustainability
Whilst there are no doubt some brands trying to gain a competitive advantage by pushing the sustainability angle, most senior marketers realise the potential damage to their brand from negative PR far outweighs the short-term benefit of a ‘green sales gain’.
What’s needed is for more brands and supermarkets to educate their marketing teams on the true complexity of sustainability. What’s good today won’t be good enough tomorrow.
Brands should be transparent with the public. Being honest about where improvements can be made and outlining plans and aspirations garners trust. It’s important to recognise we are all on a journey towards a circular economy, where ideally waste is eliminated and simply becomes the feedstock for another process.
The industry will always face greenwashing criticism, but through improved education and transparency brands and supermarkets can better communicate that they can be powerful agents for the change we all need to achieve.
Pelican Communications is a specialist sustainability PR agency with expertise in food, packaging, waste, recycling, energy and trade associations. We provide a range of services including strategy, design, content creation, public relations, CSR reporting, video and animation production plus people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
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]]>The post The Jargon Group acquires Pelican Communications appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>Founded in 1998 by Michael Bennett, (pictured right) the agency was recognised as the Best Small Agency in the Northern Marketing Awards 2014 and ESG Consultancy of the Year in the 2022 PRmoment Awards.
The Jargon Group includes several market leading agencies including b2b focussed Jargon PR and processing, packaging and industrial automation specialist GloHouse Media. The new partnership will strengthen The Jargon Group, adding ESG capability into the group to advise brands on social and economic issues, responsible governance and brand reputation.
The acquisition extends The Jargon Group’s offering and presence in Manchester, which now includes 12 full time team members based in Manchester’s Media City.
Michael Bennett, managing director at Pelican Communications said: “It’s great to be part of The Jargon Group. Our shared values and commitment to quality of service for every client make this an ideal partnership. Joining The Jargon Group means we can expand the reach of our social impact and brand purpose services globally, working with the agency’s international client base and teams in the US and Dubai.”
Kevin Winfield, associate director at Jargon PR said: “We’re excited to be welcoming the team at Pelican into the Jargon Group. Every business has a role to play in sustainability, the specialist insight and communications capabilities the team brings will continue to allow us to continue to build world-class content and communications strategy services for our clients.”
Earlier this month Jargon PR celebrated its thirteenth anniversary while also reporting record growth with revenue for the first six-months of FY 22-23 exceeding £1,500,000. The agency expects annual fees to surpass £3million this financial year.
Supporting this growth has been the diversification of office locations throughout the UK including offices in Cardiff, Manchester, Reading and London. At the same time, the agency has invested in its international model by opening a series of offices including Jargon PR MENA in Dubai led by the former Markettiers4DC Managing Director Cheryl King and a US office in New York led by PR veteran Vivian Kelly.
As the agency has grown, Jargon PR has continued to put CSR at the heart of its strategy through a strategic partnership with Ecologi. Since June 2021, Jargon PR has planted over 4,100 trees and taken over 340 tonnes of CO2 out of the atmosphere. The Company’s longer-term ambition remains to become B Corporation certified.
Growth through acquisition has been part of Jargon Group’s accelerated growth strategy to provide geographical and sector specific specialism for its international clients.
This is the fourth acquisition in the past three years which includes Cardiff communications agency Vantage Marketing (Nov, 2020), Manchester-based Souter PR (July, 2021) and processing, packaging and industrial automation market specialist GloHouse Media (Oct 22).
Commenting on the first six-months of FY 22-23, Simon Corbett, Jargon Group founder (pictured left) said: “The past few years have been hugely successful for the agency as we continue to focus on organic growth and maximising value from our existing client base. Record new business performance continues and client and team retention remains strong.
“The business is focused on a three-year growth strategy which has included a series of strategic acquisitions. Despite the economic challenges facing the economy, client demand for digital PR and communications services continues to grow and Jargon is well set to benefit from this demand.’’
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]]>The post The role of PR and content in educating and changing behaviours appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>3 minute read
Key takeaways
- An understanding of a business’s target audiences is vital in the approach towards raising awareness, education and changing behaviours
- Start with journalists and other industry experts, as the gatekeepers to a business’s target audiences
A recent news story revealed the shocking truth that nine in 10 UK adults don’t understand the circular economy, with the vast majority (87%) not having heard of the concept previously or able to define what it means.
PR and content play a hugely important role in helping to educate, raise awareness of a concept or encourage behavioural change, and clearly, the circular economy is a concept which still requires all three. However, this news story, with the research commissioned by sustainability platform, YoungPlanet, is a great example of this business using PR and Content to educate and change behaviours.
How to use PR and content to raise awareness and educate an audience
Before launching straight in with a PR and content strategy, businesses should start by gathering an understanding of their target audience. Find out what is important to them, what would make them take your desired action, where is best to reach them, and where they typically consume information. By combining all of this insight, it becomes much easier to devise a PR and content strategy that will engage target audiences.
While a business’s ultimate aim may be to encourage behaviour change, it’s important to take it one step at a time. Start with a focus on raising awareness of the concept or desired action and education of the target audiences on the reasons why action is needed or why the concept is important.
It may be difficult to reach target audiences and communicate a message to them effectively in the early stages of adoption and uptake. This is where a well-considered PR strategy by a team of public relations experts is beneficial. Start with journalists and other industry opinion formers, as the gatekeepers to a business’s target audiences, as if they aren’t aware of a concept, it’ll be a much harder process.
It is only when these thought leaders and influencers are wholly aware and educated should a business move on towards trying to achieve behaviour change.
PR tactics for encouraging behavioural change
There are a variety of PR tactics that can be considered as a way to increase awareness of a concept or position a business as a thought leader in its field, as well as to influence consumer behaviour.
Here are some of the PR tactics we have previously delivered for our clients.
Thought leadership
Thought leadership is an ideal way of using long-form content to educate readers on a particular subject. This typically is achieved via a more formal feature in a trade-specific media outlet or as part of a white paper to showcase an organisation or an individual’s expertise and position as a leader in its field. However, thought leadership can also be communicated via a top tips or advice-style piece, with businesses sharing their expertise to help a consumer overcome a problem.
Survey-led PR stories
Data-led news stories are a great way to take something consumers are already familiar with and use this format to educate them on a new area. For example, many of the stories you read in national newspapers or trade titles are based on research commissioned to highlight an issue or topic.
Expert commentary
Having spokespeople available within a business to offer expert commentary or ‘newsjacking’ on the back of a trending topic is a key way new concepts can be weaved in naturally and education is gradually built up.
Case studies
Case studies are a proven way of demonstrating how ideas or concepts have been put into practice and the results that have been achieved from them. Having a strong third-party testimonial is also a sound way of building up credibility around a concept and instilling trust.
Infographics
Infographics enable complicated subjects or data-heavy information to be visually communicated so key messages become much more appealing and accessible for readers. Secondly, it also requires less time on the reader’s behalf to take-in and understand a message.
We’re proven experts in using PR and content to educate audiences and drive consumer change. Our multi award-winning CSR marketing campaign with APEAL encouraged audiences to take a fresh look at steel as a packaging option. We incorporated a range of PR, content and marketing tactics, including media outreach, exhibitions, video content, infographics, brochure design, e-newsletters, social media and digital advertising.
Photo by Ross Findon on Unsplash
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]]>The post Sustainability: matching words with action appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>3 minute read
Key takeaways
- 34% of consumers have stopped purchasing from certain brands due to ethical or sustainability related concerns
- Businesses can no longer get away with greenwashing and piggybacking on the sustainability trend – it’s time to deliver real action
- Delivering on sustainability goals allows businesses to reap plenty of benefits, including real environmental impact, reduced costs, consumer demand, improved brand image and reputation, engaged employees, and investor attraction
Research shows that consumer attitudes and behaviours towards sustainability are increasing, with consumers demanding companies take action and introduce sustainable business practices. Statistics suggest that 40% of consumers have specifically chosen to purchase from brands with environmentally sustainable practices or values, whilst 34% have actually stopped purchasing from certain brands due to ethical or sustainability-related concerns about them according to research by Deloitte.
While sustainability has become a hot topic across all industries, consumers are being scrupulous in holding businesses to account if they are seen to simply be greenwashing and piggybacking on the sustainability trend to appeal to their consumers.
It’s no longer enough to just tell consumers and other interested parties about a business’s sustainability efforts. Businesses must actually deliver on their promises. It’s time to match words with real action.
What is a sustainability communications strategy?
A sustainability communications strategy is focused on communicating authentically a business’s goals, efforts and actions towards achieving sustainable measures. Any claims made as part of this should be backed up and in line with the Green Claims Code. Not only will this prevent businesses from being accused of greenwashing, but it also means they aren’t misleading consumers and breaking legislation.
Read more about why businesses must back up green claims here.
The best sustainability communications are honest and transparent throughout all stages of the process. From outlining the initial targets, the progress must also be regularly communicated. This may seem like an obvious thing to state, but research from IBM shows that while 86% of businesses have a sustainability strategy in place, only 35% have actually acted on that strategy.
There are several ways sustainability targets and progress can be communicated to interested parties. This might be via a CSR or ESG report or white paper which is housed on an organisation’s website and then shared via social media. Alternatively, it could be a multi-channel campaign incorporating a variety of tactics including PR, thought leadership, speaker slots or sponsorships at industry events, expert commentary, partnerships with other brands, or enlisting advertising in various locations.
By taking this approach to regularly communicating progress, not just accomplishments, businesses will increase credibility and trust with interested parties, whether it’s investors, employees, suppliers or consumers.
Why is it important to communicate sustainability commitments to interested parties?
Investors care about sustainability as a focus on ESG typically provides greater returns, as well as being a way for them to positively influence society and work towards a more sustainable future for everyone.
Employees are the very centre of a brand and are responsible for representing a brand’s image. Not having shared values could be disastrous for a business, costing them in productivity and staff turnover. In fact, nearly a quarter of employees claimed they would search for a new job if they felt their employer wasn’t taking environmental issues seriously. There is a strong link between sustainability measures and staff engagement and wellbeing, showing the importance of internal communications of sustainability measures and progress.
With companies across all sectors placing a greater focus on sustainability, it makes sound business sense to be working with like-minded suppliers, that also share similar goals and targets towards sustainability.
Lastly, it’s important that sustainability commitments are communicated to all consumers, not just customers. According to an independent study, 90% of consumers are aware of how vital it is that society becomes more energy-conscious, and that four out of five people are more likely to choose a brand with a positive approach to environmental sustainability.
The benefits of delivering sustainability goals, not just communicating them
There are also several key benefits for businesses that choose to match their words with action by delivering on their sustainability goals.
These include:
Pelican Communications is a specialist sustainability PR agency with expertise in food, packaging, waste, recycling, energy and trade associations. We provide a range of services including strategy, design, content creation, public relations, CSR reporting, video and animation production plus people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
Photo by Christian Lue on Unsplash
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]]>The post What is ESG – Environmental, Social, Governance? appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>ESG measures are now a top priority for investors seeking to assess the long-term risks associated with any business. As a result businesses, stakeholders and trade bodies are working to gain a better understanding of ESG and the financial risks associated with failing to report or act.
ESG or CSR – what’s the difference?
ESG and CSR (corporate social responsibility) are often confused or seen as interchangeable, but they are different.
ESG criteria are a set of standards that potential investors use to screen companies that they could potentially invest in. Basically it’s an evaluation of environmental, social, and governance factors that determine the long-term health and prosperity of an organisation. Usually summarised in an ESG report: ESG measures are now a top priority for investors seeking to assess the long-term risks associated with any business.
CSR is a self-regulating business model used by organisations that want to understand the impact they are having on wider society. Companies who practice CSR set out to work in ways that improve the society and the world around them. They actively make themselves more accountable to employees, stakeholders and the public.
The major difference between ESG and CSR is that CSR is an operating model that businesses choose to use, whereas ESG is a set of criteria that investors use to assess a company and determine if they are worth investing in.
Environmental, Social, and Governance: an overview
So let’s look at what falls under each element of ESG.
Environmental factors
Environmental factors include an organisation’s environmental impact such as carbon emissions, waste disposal and recycling, raw material sourcing, emissions and pollution and any regulatory fines or prosecutions.
For the moment the environmental aspect of ESG is top of mind for most organisations, governments and stakeholders as the global community tries to keep the 1.5°C target to limit global warming alive.
Social factors
Social factors cover the way an organisation looks after its people and interacts with suppliers, stakeholders and the communities in which it operates.
This covers things like pay and benefits, employee well-being and how an organisation performs on diversity, equity, and inclusion.
More broadly it also includes the level of customer protection provided, the way supplier relationships are managed and how supply chains are monitored for human rights and fair labour practices.
Governance factors
This evaluates how well your organisation is managed by the directors. It’s not just about meeting financial reporting requirements but also how the organisation manages its environmental and social impacts.
A typical ESG assessment would look at the compensation of executives, auditing, risk management and conflicts of interest.
Why is ESG reporting more important than ever?
ESG has become increasingly important as investors are now assessing if an organisation has a sustainable future, and also if its current activities may lead to expensive long-term liabilities such as environmental remediation.
Whilst it’s important to investors, enlightened businesses are also using ESG to benchmark themselves and the factors they need to address to ensure their future success. This requires a detailed look at multiple factors and can require a great deal of time, effort and money to uncover all the data.
But don’t be daunted: help is at hand. The ESG Foundation is a community interest company and social enterprise that offers advice and tools for getting started. There are also numerous ESG tools available online. For those wanting to go beyond ESG reporting EcoVadis is widely regarded as the leading tool for measuring the overall impact of an organisation.
At Pelican, we can also help you to prepare your ESG report and communicate your progress to stakeholders. As the winner of the ESG Consultancy of the Year 2022, our expert team is ideally placed to support you.
Pelican Communications is a specialist sustainability PR agency with expertise in food, packaging, waste, recycling, energy and trade associations.
We provide a range of services including strategy, design, content creation, public relations, CSR reporting, video and animation production plus people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise
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]]>The post New Pelican campaign gets recycling on track appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>The ‘When it’s Read it’s Blue’ newspaper recycling campaign was created by the team at Pelican Communications.
The new campaign launches today (4 April) at Manchester Victoria Station to coincide with The Great British Spring Clean campaign organised by Keep Britain Tidy. It aims to put an end to newspapers being contaminated with other waste by educating passengers that the blue recycling bins in stations are exclusively for newspapers.
Kyle MacNeill, environment business partner at Northern said: “We deal with large volumes of newspapers which can be easily recycled if they are put in the right bin. Unfortunately they are being contaminated by coffee cups, takeaway food wrappers and other materials. Dirty newspaper cannot be recycled, so a valuable material is going to waste.”
In response Northern briefed Pelican to develop the ‘When it’s Read it’s Blue’ campaign. Pelican managing director Michael Bennett commented: “When it comes to recycling, we know most people want to do the right thing, but in a fast-moving location like a railway station they need clear instructions to help them take the right action.
“The new campaign uses simple direct messaging combined with Northern’s existing branding to make it quick and easy for passengers to recycle newspapers in the correct bin.”
Mike Roe, Northern’s safety and environment director added: “Northern is delighted to be rolling out this trial across the network so we can help stop newspapers from going to waste and help our customers to recycle.”
The campaign will roll out in selected stations across the North. It features posters, floor vinyls, Metro news stand snap sheets, bin branding, onboard digital screens and social media assets.
Pelican Communications is a specialist sustainability PR agency with expertise in food, packaging, waste, recycling, energy and trade associations.
We provide a range of services including strategy, design, content creation, public relations, CSR reporting, video and animation production plus people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
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]]>The post Is discrimination endemic in the waste sector? appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>2 minute read
Key takeaways
Many complaints of discrimination are made by a third-party
Diversity isn’t just about race
The law describes a set of “Protected characteristics”
A powerful video produced by Bristol Waste has highlighted the discrimination and abuse faced by some of their staff.
I’m sure dear reader you agree, racism is totally unacceptable. However, do you agree that all of us working in waste management have prejudices that affect our daily working lives?
As a people development specialist, having travelled all around the UK delivering Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) training in waste companies, I have heard many justifications of discriminatory comments: ‘it’s just banter’ and ‘it’s just our industry’. ‘Everyone knows how it is and if you don’t like it, you shouldn’t be here’.
I am sure we all understand that we can’t or at least shouldn’t discriminate in the workplace, but many people don’t actually think what they say is discrimination, as it may be said in jest. What might surprise you is that many complaints of discrimination are made by a third-party overhearing comments, and not from the victim.
I always open my diversity and inclusion training by asking delegates to agree or disagree with the statement: “we are all prejudiced”. I have yet to meet anyone who doesn’t own up to having prejudices of some sort: it may be ‘women can’t park’ or ‘real men can’t type’. These statements are of course not fact, but prejudices based on beliefs. Those beliefs are based on personal experiences and upbringing. But if you hold one of these prejudices, how can you make an unbiased decision when interviewing a female RSV driver or a male secretary?
As the industry strives to address discrimination and be more diverse, it’s important to remember diversity isn’t just about race. A fully diverse workforce would have all ages, genders, abilities and beliefs. The law describes a set of “Protected characteristics” which we should ensure we don’t discriminate against, which are:
The post Covid era is forcing change in some working practices. Whether it’s the effect of Brexit or employees demanding hybrid working, finding the right staff seems to be getting harder, and maybe organisations will start hiring people they wouldn’t previously have considered.
Recruiters tell me it’s an employee’s market right now. Salaries are rising as employers find themselves being outbid. Is now the time to discard the upper working age limit, consider more job-share and apprenticeships? The benefits of a diverse workforce are far reaching: broader thinking and more loyalty from employees and improved employer reputation.
So, maybe now is the time to take a close look at yourself and your organisation and seek ways of improving diversity and reducing, or even ending prejudice, to create a more inclusive working environment where everyone can thrive and reach their potential.
As someone who has seen the benefits D&I training can deliver, I believe it has an important role to play in changing attitudes: but that’s just my prejudice.
Pelican Communications is a specialist sustainability PR agency with expertise in food, packaging, waste, recycling, energy and trade associations.
We provide a range of services including strategy, design, content creation, public relations, CSR reporting, video and animation production plus people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
This article originally appeared in Materials Recycling World.
The post Is discrimination endemic in the waste sector? appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>The post Marketers greenwashing fears appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>2 minute read
Key takeaways
- Half of UK marketing professionals are reluctant to work on sustainability marketing campaigns due to the fear of ‘greenwashing’ accusations
- 63% of consumers say they would like brands to be more vocal about their sustainability plans, but remain sceptical about their authenticity
Following the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announcement about new rules to hold brands accountable for sustainability claims, research by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM) reveals half of UK marketers are now wary of working on sustainability campaigns.
This puts them somewhat at odds with both consumers, who demand businesses be more active when it comes to sustainability, and the recognition that sustainability must be a business priority. In fact, 51% of companies surveyed went as far as saying climate change could threaten the very existence of their business or clients.
There’s no doubt marketers have their work cut out for them. The CIM research shows increasingly savvy consumers are sceptical of brands’ sustainability efforts, with 63% believing many brands only get involved with sustainability for commercial, rather than ethical, reasons.
Gemma Butler, marketing director and expert in sustainable marketing at CIM said: “We see regulation is coming to try and stem the volume of ‘greenwashing,’ and this is a good thing in my opinion. To really make progress in tackling the sustainability challenge, we must see businesses be more open and transparent about their impact on the environment as consumers, employees and indeed investors are all asking for it.”
CIM says marketers should not shy away from communicating sustainability credentials out of fear of being labelled as ‘greenwashing’. Instead they should upskill so they have the tools and knowledge to feed into effective sustainability-led strategies.
It’s certainly important that marketers are able to talk confidently about sustainability claims, but this confidence to communicate sustainability claims will come naturally if brands approach everything they do with integrity.
The best way to create and promote a compliant sustainability strategy is for brands to commit fully to their purpose and brand values. Before making green claims, make sure you have a clearly defined mission and set of brand values. These will guide your marketing strategy and give your marketers something they can refer to when promoting products or services.
At an organisational level, ensure there is not a disconnect between marketing and the rest of the business. Marketers can’t describe what they can’t see, and delivering accurate, substantiated claims depends on close collaboration.
Remember, while the risks of falling foul of the CMA rules will be significant, anti-greenwash guidance is a huge opportunity for brands who are getting it right. If the law succeeds in combatting inaccurate sustainability claims, the market advantage will swing rapidly to brands which have been doing the work to mitigate their social and environmental impact. And if you have the data to support this work, your marketers have everything they need to tell the story of your products credibly.
Read more about the survey undertaken by CIM here.
If you would like advice or guidance on how you’re marketing your green products, get in touch with our experts today.
Pelican Communications is a specialist in the environment & CSR, food, packaging & logistics and trade association sectors and offers a range of services such as strategy, design, content creation, public relations and people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
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]]>The post Social media ‘fast food’: The importance of snackable content appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>3 minute read
Key takeaways
- The objective of snackable content is to offer immediate entertainment, prompt social sharing and attract new leads as a result.
- To maximise genuine engagement, ensure quotes are aligned with the strategy and purpose of your business.
- Used correctly, snackable content formats can lead to meaningful and lucrative outcomes.
Snackable content is the online equivalent of a bag of crisps: not as satisfying as a whole meal, but quick to digest and easy to share.
It’s the stuff that makes you laugh and hit ‘retweet’. The memes that go viral. The gifs that communicate a complex range of emotions in endless three seconds loops. And it’s becoming an increasingly important part of digital marketing strategies.
The objective of snackable content is to offer immediate entertainment, prompt social sharing and attract new leads as a result. So which types should you be using, and how?
Here we look at four of the most popular and easy-to-use types of snackable content…
Quote graphics
You can barely go on a social media site without coming across at least one motivational quote that will make your eyes roll, but thanks to their universal appeal, they get liked and shared easily compared to other, more targeted content. But before you’re tempted to tweet a reminder that ‘rainbows follow storms’ or that ‘magic is believing in yourself’, remember that, as with all social media content, the quote you post should be driven by your objective.
Even if people like and share one of your quote posts, it doesn’t mean they’re clicking through to see what your brand has on offer.
To maximise genuine engagement, ensure quotes are aligned with the strategy and purpose of your business. This way, you’re not just sharing random thoughts, you’re growing the ethos of your brand.
And while there’s nothing wrong with posting a compelling quote on its own, combining it with striking visuals will help capture attention and generate interest. This means more than just finding a nice picture; you need an eye-catching and relevant backdrop and a distinctive font.
If you can create quote-oriented content that’s relevant to your business, use it, support it with interesting images, and don’t forget to cite your sources.
Memes
Memes perfectly encapsulate what snackable content is all about, being entertaining and easily shared. But despite their simplicity, creating a successful meme is deceptively tricky, especially if you’re using memes to support your marketing efforts. It’s easy enough to create a meme, or re-purpose an existing one, but hitting the right note is something of an art.
Memes usually leverage satire, social commentary, or nostalgia, meaning a high-quality meme is both funny and insightful. But memes can also be rude or offensive, so marketers must walk a fine line. Many meme marketing attempts miss the mark because they’re fundamentally structured as generic ads rather than cultural commentary.
That said, if you can make entertaining memes without upsetting or irritating your audience, you’ll quickly build a suite of snackable content.
The key is to be authentic and not overly conservative. Edgy content demonstrates your brand has a personality and unique voice that sets you apart from competitors.
Infographics
Infographic are one of the best mediums for relaying informative, meaningful content without sacrificing snackability. What they lack in laughs they make up for in accessibility and dynamic visuals. This makes them incredibly useful for conveying a range of information quickly, from ‘how to guides’ to facts and statistics.
Though there will always be information that’s too technical to summarise and set against pretty pictures, infographics might be the best way to project complex information in a snackable format.
Gifs
As a format, gifs are extremely versatile, being used to show short-form videos silently, show captivating images on a loop, or capture the essence of specific emotions and reactions. They’re compulsively shareable content with tremendous potential to go viral.
While many gifs exist purely for entertainment, they can be an incredibly useful marketing tool as well. For example, the format works well for quick how-to videos or snippets of product demonstrations.
They can also add interest to email campaigns, surprising your contacts and helping you get attention, engagement and conversions.
Original gifs are similar to original memes in that they have endless sharing potential, but just as much potential to miss the mark. If you create and share gifs over social media or other channels, put as much effort and thought into them as any other content.
These are four of the easiest, most straightforward snackable content formats that can lead to meaningful, lucrative outcomes if done right. If you need help or advice with your social media campaign or wider marketing strategy, get in touch with our team today.
Pelican Communications is a specialist in the environment & CSR, food, packaging & logistics and trade association sectors and offers a range of services such as strategy, design, content creation, public relations and people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
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]]>The post Businesses must back up green claims appeared first on Pelican Communications.
]]>2 minute read
Key takeaways
- The Competition and Markets Authority has given businesses until the New Year to make sure environmental claims comply with the law.
- The Green Claims Code has been published to help businesses.
- CMA to carry out a full review of misleading green claims early next year.
During the pandemic environmental issues became more important than ever for many consumers, but for businesses the green agenda was put on the back burner as they struggled to stay afloat.
From this gulf in priorities has emerged a surge in greenwashing, as brands attempt to capitalise on what consumers want by stretching their eco-claims. But the practice of ‘greenwashing’ is about to come under greater scrutiny than ever before in the UK after the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced businesses have until the New Year to ensure environmental claims comply with consumer law. New guidance – the Green Claims Code – is now available to help companies stay on the right side of this legislation.
What is the Green Claims Code?
A CMA analysis of claims being made on 495 websites found 40% ‘appeared to be using tactics that could be considered misleading and therefore potentially breaking consumer law’. The new code will address such tactics by insisting any green claims adhere to six principles:
According to the CMA, the code is intended to ‘give confidence to those businesses whose products are genuinely ‘green’ to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions’.
The code is part of a wider awareness campaign which the CMA has launched ahead of COP26.
A full review of misleading green claims, both online and offline will commence in 2022, with food and drink likely to be a target sector.
How to avoid accusations of greenwashing
Before making claims green or otherwise, make sure you have a clearly defined mission and set of brand values. These will guide your marketing strategy and give the whole team something they can refer to when promoting products and designing packaging.
You should also avoid making general claims such as “environmentally friendly,” or “eco.” Such claims are meaningless unless there is an accompanying explanation of what exactly this entails. The CMA will expect specific details that consumers can use to compare products.
Most importantly, be transparent. If your company is able to back up its green claims, it should be willing to compare products side-by-side with others, not hide data, and be open to business and customer scrutiny. This shows that you have nothing to hide and that you haven’t inflated your claims.
If you would like advice or guidance on how you’re marketing your green products, get in touch with our experts today.
Pelican Communications is a specialist in the environment & CSR, food, packaging & logistics and trade association sectors and offers a range of services such as strategy, design, content creation, public relations and people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
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]]>The post What happens now? Brands and purpose appeared first on Pelican Communications.
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Key takeaways:
- A purpose statement outlines what your business is doing for the wider world.
- Consumers increasingly view purpose-driven brands as being more caring and are more loyal to them as a result.
- The benefits of having a clear purpose are wide-ranging and far-reaching, but ultimately you will see it reflected in your bottom line.
2020 and 2021 have been tumultuous years for many brands, and the idea of ‘purpose over profit’ has perhaps been put on the back burner. But more than ever, consumers want to engage with companies that do good.
In a survey conducted by PWC, 79% of business leaders said they believe an organisation’s purpose is central to business success, but the vast majority of employees said they were disengaged from work, with only 33% drawing real meaning from their employer’s purpose.
So what is ‘purpose’ in this context, and how do you decide what yours should be?
What is purpose?
At a basic level, purpose is what an organisation aspires to be and do. But before we delve into the definition of purpose, it’s important to understand how purpose differs from a mission statement, because it’s easy to confuse the two.
A mission statement outlines what a business does, which is why it’s often confused with a purpose statement, but a mission statement’s focus is internal. It’s intended to motivate and provide direction for employees and management.
A purpose statement has a much more outward focus. It outlines what you’re doing for the wider world; your customers, your community, the environment. It can incorporate sustainable marketing, social responsibility and ethics.
Why does purpose matter?
In short, because it matters to your customers. Fresh consumer data shows customers view purpose-driven brands as being more caring and, as a result, are more loyal to them.
But it’s also important in attracting and retaining staff. According to the PwC study, millennials who strongly connect with the purpose of their organisation are 5.3 times more likely to stay.
Who’s getting it right?
Rubies in the Rubble is a great example of a business with real purpose. Shocked by the amount of fruit and veg rejected on aesthetic grounds, founder Jenny began rescuing produce from New Covent Garden market and experimenting in the kitchen with childhood recipes.
In 2012, she started Rubies in the Rubble. Its purpose? “To provide a solution to food surplus by creating food products people can enjoy and inspire them to value food as a precious resource.”
Today, Rubies in the Rubble is a pioneering voice in food sustainability with an award-winning range of condiments stocked nationwide. In 2019 it saved 126,195 kg of surplus fruit and veg and reported 36% revenue growth. It is now working towards becoming a certified B-Corp.
Creating and communicating your purpose
The benefits of having a clear purpose are wide-ranging and far-reaching but ultimately you will see it reflected in your bottom line. Here are some tips when setting out your purpose.
Once you have a clear idea of what your purpose is, you need to distill it into a powerful purpose statement; a single sentence that encapsulates your company’s reason to exist, beyond just making a profit.
A good purpose statement should use plain-language that’s simple for employees, customers and stakeholders to understand. This is easier said than done and something the experts at Pelican can help with.
Examples of powerful purpose statements.
Successful purpose statements connect with people on an emotional rather than just a commercial level.
These statements don’t use phrases like “the best”, “the fastest-growing”, or “most innovative”.
Purpose statements are about the connection between what a company does and the benefit it wants to deliver to people’s lives.
If there’s a gulf between what you’re saying and what you’re doing, get in touch today to see how we can help you bridge the gap.
Pelican Communications is a specialist in the environment & CSR, food, packaging & logistics and trade association sectors and offers a range of services such as strategy, design, content creation, public relations and people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
Photo by Nathan Lemon on Unsplash
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]]>The post Sustainability in 2021: Why your PR matters now more than ever appeared first on Pelican Communications.
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Key Takeaways:
- Younger generations are more invested in sustainability than ever before
- Environmental credentials can attract a large and loyal following
- Unsubstantiated claims will alienate customers
Generation Z now makes up roughly a quarter of the global workforce, and with a buying power “in excess of £100billion”, it is the world’s fastest growing consumer segment which may soon surpass millennials as the largest. Gen Zers, though often lumped in with millennials as one cohort, have a distinct identity from their predecessors, and are far more radical when it comes to sustainability.
Why highlight sustainability as a PR strategy?
According to a recent study, 93% of Generation Z believe brands are obliged to take a stance on environmental issues. Not only that, the majority of those surveyed are willing to spend an additional 10% on sustainable products. Whilst these companies will profit from Gen Z’s eco-mindedness, businesses which do not embrace sustainability risk being boycotted.
Why is Gen Z boycotting unsustainable companies?
Unlike millennials, who tend to form attachments to a core group of brands and stick with them through thick and thin, Gen Zers are less sentimental and more likely to abandon a company if its actions offend them. In a recent survey, 40% of Gen Zers reported they had boycotted brands in the past (as opposed to sixteen percent of millennials), with 49% considering boycotts in the immediate future.
Hence, being seen to make sustainable change is valuable publicity for any company targeting this audience. Understandably, embellishing the facts might be a tempting shortcut, but if your eco-friendliness is shallow or exaggerated, you could be accused of green washing and that can have dire consequences.
Green washing versus green marketing
Green washing is different from green marketing. Levi’s, for example, encourages shoppers to buy better, longer lasting clothes and have their clothes adjusted in store, often at no extra cost, thus extending their wearability and saving on waste clothing. This “buy better, wear longer” initiative is honest, green marketing that helps the planet and the brand’s public image.
Green washing is an attempt to deceive customers into believing a company is more ethical or sustainable than it is; the backlash can be damaging for a brand.
For example, Eni, the Italian oil company, was fined €5 million for naming its new palm oil-based fuel, “Green Eni Diesel+” and falsely claiming it was good for the environment. Likewise, the fast-fashion brand H&M attempted to change its environmentally careless image in response boycotts over wasted clothing. The Swedish company released a more eco-friendly “conscious” range but faced even greater backlash when the collection proved less sustainable than advertised.
When implemented honestly, sustainable initiatives will attract Gen Zers to align themselves with a brand because of perceived shared values. However, lacklustre publicity stunts and green washing will only serve to alienate this cohort, so green campaigns should be expertly handled.
If you have a sustainability initiative you would like to promote, or need advice on a green public relations campaign, get in touch with our team of experts today.
Pelican Communications is a specialist in the environment & CSR, food, packaging & logistics and trade association sectors and offers a range of services such as strategy, design, content creation, public relations and people development. Contact us for marketing and communications expertise.
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