No more Business As Usual

No more Business As Usual

There is little doubt that the planet is suffering. Climate change, rising temperatures and deep-rooted inequality are a direct result of decades of consumerism. 

To stop the damage and truly have a chance to reverse what has happened, we must look starkly and honestly at our approach to business and marketing.

Is business really good?

The way we live and the way we are encouraged to live by global brands, has resulted in billions of tonnes of materials being consumed each year, of which a staggering figure end up in landfill.

“ If we carry on at this rate, our use of natural resources means we would need 1.6 planet Earths to keep up with our current consumption.” 

(Carrington, 2020; Global Footprint Network, 2020).

And the effects of our lifestyle do not just impact the earth. People across the world are struggling in deep-rooted poverty, poor mental and physical health. Financial and social inequalities plus growing natural disasters resulting in forced migration, mean that it is not just nature which is suffering. Many of those most directly affected are from countries who have contributed the least to the current environmental problems.

We are truly in crisis and marketing is responsible for a large part of our situation.  

How did we get here?

Consumer behaviour, directed by growing brands, the explosion of the internet and increase in technologies, has meant we are putting our pollution and emissions at an alarming rate.

At the heart of our super-consumer lifestyle, lies marketing and advertising.  Whether online, via social media, outdoor and ambient, direct mail, email, affiliate or influencer, the constant message and direction to buy more, buy now, have now, and receive faster, is literally killing people and planet.  The business structure Business As Usual (BAU) and the associated traditional marketing methods have resulted in rampant over-consumerism, singular identities and disconnection from nature.

What do we mean by BAU?

BAU is the traditional, universal supply-and-demand business framework which forms the mission and goals of brands across the world of all sizes.

For BAU businesses, the sole purpose is to generate financial income and create profit. This profit is then, in part, poured back into the business to scale-up and sell more.

The problem with BAU is that it not only feeds consumer behaviour but it creates it too.  When a business has singular objective of making money, the marketing which accompanies that business model is valuable and powerful.

This marketing – typically seen as buy, buy, buy, sale, sale, sale – drives customer behaviours, increases product manufacture, supply chain, logistics and delivery, often without any consideration for the impact on the world outside of the business.

Not only that, but it also impacts identities, attitudes and lifestyles, driving fashions and trends, ramping up FOMO (fear of missing out) and in turn, influencing not only profit, but people – regardless of any negative human effect.

But just as marketing has a lot to answer for – it can also be the answer to our problems.

Out with BAU and in with PDO

Purpose-driven organisations (PDO) work against the traditional BAU to meet targets beyond profit.

Their aim is not to place profit as the only goal to aspire to, but to recognise that sometimes profit must come second to wider social and environmental causes.

PDO are typically sustainable, ethical businesses which create income but also aim to create change.  These businesses and brands stand a chance of changing our current climate, social, health and emotional issues and revolutionising consumer behaviour for the better – all the while still making profit and building customer loyalty.

So, we just need to develop our CSR, right?

To become a true PDO it is not enough to implement a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project or to consider (ESG).  Whilst these methods have merit, they will fail to get to the heart of the issue: as a global community, our whole way of doing business with profit as the sole driver, needs to be flipped on its head.

To truly change the way, we are affecting the world, BAU must be stopped across the whole business cycle, embracing everything from product design, to logistics, all the way through to the driving force of marketing which connects with customers and dictates demand. This means taking a cold, hard look at business processes and policies and being prepared to be bold and innovative against ‘the way we have always done it’ attitudes.

Because quite simply, ‘the way we have always done it’, is how our earth and humanity ended up in these problems.

Moving forward, ready for change

If you are a sustainable brand or working towards becoming one, then there is no question that marketing needs to feature within your sustainability audit if you are to truly be ethical and purpose-driven.

·       Consider the current aim and purpose of your business – what are you trying to achieve?

·       How do your current marketing methods directly influence consumer behaviour? What are you asking your customers to prioritise?

·       Analyse the digital carbon footprint of your current marketing methods. From creating of marketing assets to the volume of assets you produce, how does this fit with your purpose?

There is no doubt that disrupting BAU involves asking bold questions that at first can seem like business-madness.

However, by incorporating PDO marketing strategy and values, it is possible to work towards true sustainable business and retain and grow financial income.

It all starts with change from the usual and that change starts with embracing marketing as a force for good.

Would you like to discuss your marketing strategy? Interested in learning how you can be a more sustainable business that creates profit and change for the better?

Drop me a line at: [email protected] and let’s chat.