Sustainable innovation: springboard for brand success?

Addressing delegates at the Brands and Branding for Good conference in Johannesburg, Leslie Pascaud, director for responsible marketing practice at Paris-based Added Value Group, said consumers' changing attitudes and behaviours - especially in Europe and US - are due, among others, to financial issues (too many debts) and health issues (unhealthy food) caused by current global trends.

As a result, Pascaud said, there has been an increase in home-made basic necessities such as food, a major cut in luxury items and a trendy frugality.

“Brands are not just for consumption, they also create partnerships and give meaning to consumer values - this is the new shift as consumers are starting to buy brands for self-interest,” she said.

Sectors under attack

Pascaud pointed out that as the debate gets intense, businesses deemed irresponsible are being called in order by opinion leaders, resulting in sectors such as beef (highly carbon-intensive), fast food (deemed unhealthy) and resort complexes (using too much water) being under attack.

“When a lot of sectors come under attack, innovation is badly needed to support the brand,” she said, adding that companies are beginning to integrate sustainable development in their core strategies.

“By definition, sustainable means innovation and innovation means sustainable.

“Acquisitions of more responsible brands are also a way to innovate, and there are also massive innovation opportunities in social enterprises and partnerships.

“Look at health and safety issues, and socio-economic and environmental issues. Confront perception with reality and talk to your brand, stakeholders and to the market to find a sustainable platform,” Pascaud advised.

Furthermore, WWF South Africa has called on businesses to make big changes in the way they operate and assist NGOs to drive their mission of saving the earth.

Take environmental issues seriously

“I'm not saying that we should stop living, but as ordinary citizens we must take a serious look at our lifestyle,” Laurika du Bois, WWF SA head of marketing and corporate communications, said.

“Let's not only concentrate on corporate social investments but I'm pleading with you to take the environmental issues seriously and put it in your top five priorities,” she said.

Du Bois cited the following opportunities, which she said were for businesses to be part of the solution:

• Clean technologies
  
• Wetlands and species banking
  
• Carbon sequestration and water quality trading
  
• Reduce environmental damage or help with rehabilitation
  
• Resources-saving resources
  
• New markets such as eco-friendly products
  
• Environmental asset finance

To Du Bois' understanding, the effective use of marketing communications and branding to tackle environmental issues will help businesses to have a good organisational reputation and differentiate their brands from irresponsible brands, and improve their environmental stewardship.

“Businesses can also use the media (as influencers) effectively to promote themselves if they are doing good,” she added.

Brand managers should take the lead

Jeunesse Park, founder of Food and Trees for Africa, said that the power of a brand to educate is phenomenal, and developing awareness will catalyse and give impetus to the change the world needs - social responsibility.

“Brand managers must start looking to take the lead by informing themselves and learning new languages as going green is no longer an option.

“There is no more ‘business as usual'. As governments are making stringent regulations and consumers are demanding more value in brands, corporates as the dominant force of our time must take the stand and help a lot in changing consciousness.”

Mike Schalit, BDDO SA group creative officer, believes that creativity alone is not enough, but it should be combined with doing good.

“It is wonderful to talk about generous brands. You only get what you give. Creativity should be harnessed more to generate a symbiotic relationship between brands and society,” he said.