Even for the most ardent of sceptics, it’s beginning to get difficult to ignore the impact of climate change on the world around us. From steadily heating oceans, through to increasingly violent and unpredictable weather events, it’s clear that further significant action needs to be taken before it’s too late. And, unbeknownst to many, the role of marketing in climate change is becoming increasingly important.
But what impact do our specialist markets have on the environment, and how can they help to support systemic change?
Marketing in climate change
The worlds of marketing and communications play a number of vital parts in tackling climate change. Firstly, it goes without saying that specialists hold an instrumental role in influencing stakeholders and driving change. There is obviously a lot of opposition towards what is now known as climate science, not just from individual cynics, but also from entire markets – and even Governments in some cases. In order to tackle this, employers of organisations that are fighting back are seeking the top professionals in the field to support lobbying against the likes of the powerful fossil fuel sectors.
Marketing and communications contribute to the shaping of public perception and awareness, around climate change, as well as countering misinformation. Campaigns like United Nations ‘Act Now’ and Greenpeace’s broader initiatives highlight the power of strategic marcomms activity to ignite action. Without the best and brightest marcomms specialists, these efforts would fail to compete with the aforementioned well-funded lobbying efforts of certain portions of the market.
And it’s not just environmental groups that are focusing their efforts on promoting the impact of climate change. You would be hard-pressed to find many FMCG organisations, in the UK at least, that don’t have a carbon or green policy in place, and use it to form a key part of their corporate identity. Both internal and external marketing teams play a key role in developing these narratives, and in driving transformation by integrating environmental responsibility into branding and messaging. Communications experts ensure that sustainability claims are not just performative, but are backed by genuine action — a necessity in an era where so-called ‘greenwashing’ is often met with widespread criticism.
The likes of Patagonia and Ikea, for example, demonstrate how strategic marketing aligned with environmental valuescan bolster brand loyalty and credibility. These shifts highlight the growing demand for marcomms professionals with expertise in sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR) from companies striving to lead the charge against climate change.
Is marketing contributing to climate change?
However, developing and implementing messaging and strategies that resonate with the public isn’t the only role that marcomms play in the climate crisis. It’s also inadvertently supporting the use of plastics and other materials that actually contribute to damage itself.
Most readers will have attended meetings, seminars or conferences and been handed plastic puzzles, pens, binders and more – all of which are, generally, unnecessary and add little to no value. This is possibly the most tangible way the marcomms industry affects the environment, and its reliance on plastic and paper is causing significant damage. Despite the growing shift toward digital media, the physical footprint of our industries remains significant. This stems from product packaging, promotional materials, direct mail campaigns, and event merchandise, among other areas.
Some could argue that these giveaways play a role in supporting brand awareness or familiarity, but realistically how many of us still have even 10% of the items we’ve been given at these events? The vast majority end up in the bin, then in landfill, and before you know it, they too are contributing to the climate crisis.
It’s not just in events that marcomms is having a detrimental impact. Product packaging, promotional merchandise, point-of-sale displays – you name it, it’s probably adding to the pile of non-biodegradable plastic that takes hundreds, if not thousands, of years to break down. There have been some truly terrifying statistics around the proliferation of microplastics into literally every corner of the world; last year they were even found in the blood of newborn babies, and in the deepest parts of the Pacific Ocean. While marcomms only plays a small role in this damage, it’s still contributing.
As global environmental awareness rises, the marketing industry faces increasing scrutiny over its consumption of resources and the waste it generates. Even the production and subsequent disposal of plastic generate significant greenhouse gas emissions. The industry’s reliance on paper is also playing a role. While it’s now used less than in the past, the likes of direct mail campaigns, event materials, packaging and more all add to deforestation which is having a critical impact both in the UK, and in rainforests that are key to tackling broader crisis.
But how can marcomms help to change its position? The obvious answer is to reduce its reliance on plastic and paper and lean more heavily on digital alternatives, that are more widely utilised in the modern world anyway. If we are to use plastics, ensure they’re not single-use and are designed for recycling. At a broader level, we also need to strengthen messaging to combat the rise of populist leaders who could threaten impact of climate mitigation programmes.
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