If you take a look at advertising these days you’d not be wrong to assume we’ve already solved the climate crisis.

Every big corporation, whether they sell soft drinks, fast food, fast fashion or detergents, are telling us that they are sustainable and are doing their part in saving the planet.

Some even put the burden on us, the consumer: “If everyone would use colder water to wash their clothes we could save the planet.”

Which seems kind of lazy, considering that washing powder is full of chemicals and microplastic.

And therein lies the problem – believability.

It's green-washing. Not real action. Or, if action is taken, it doesn't feel genuine.

Especially if a brand has been a big contributor to the mess we’re in (I’m looking at you Shell).

This has become even more apparent since the pandemic began.

According to a study by Jigsaw Research, 84% of people in the UK think differently about at least one brand as a result of how it responded to the pandemic. And 66% changed their behaviour towards a brand because of what it has done; that means they’re buying more (or less) from them.

In short, there are three major problems these brands face:

1. Believability
2. Messaging
3. Contribution

I believe that a brand should have a chance to redeem itself.

To simply just start communicating that they’re now one of the “good guys/girls” is definitely not the way to do it.

It has to start internally. It has to be believed and implemented from the top down.

Or put simply: You have to radically rethink why your business is in business.

From there you can start to rethink the ways in achieving that goal in a sustainable way.

Only then, when you and the people at your company have committed to this new belief, can you communicate it to the outside world.

And only then will people believe and above all – trust you.

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