I'm working on a couple of really interesting projects at the moment in the social good space. It feels like such a privilege to work with purpose-driven organisations, and something I'm always super excited to do. But it's also an area that can feel pretty fuzzy, with seemingly every brand now attaching themselves to a cause and telling their customers they want to change the world.
So has social good branding become the new greenwashing?
Although it was initially coined in the 80's, Greenwashing first showed up on most of our radars around 2010 when it became obvious that green was the new black. Businesses were desperate to be seen as eco-friendly and so began using marketing as a tool to tell everyone how fantastically green they were. It was the classic case of saying one thing and doing another. Many brands were very intentional about it, throwing lots of budget at marketing campaigns (that would have been better spent actually implementing better environmental practices). Others just caught up in the hype and genuinely thought that it was ok to make big claims because they had an office recycling policy.
Thankfully, many of the worst cases of greenwashing were named and shamed, and consumers have become far more educated and are willing to ask uncomfortable questions of brands. We're not as gullible as we used to be, and most of us know that just because a bar of chocolate says 'natural' on it doesn't it comes from ethical or sustainable sources.
But there's a new kid on the block. And it's called social good.
Social good is often defined as an action that benefits society. Or goods/services that benefit the largest number of people in the largest possible way.
And yes, I agree, it's kinda vague. Which unfortunately means, just like the term 'eco-friendly' it can be (and is being) misused all over the show. You only have to switch on your tv and you'll find brands building entire advertising campaigns around social good causes that actually have nothing to do with what they're selling. Um....Hello Pepsi.
So how do you build a purpose-driven brand and be certain that you're not just jumping on the social-good bandwagon ?!
Be transparent
Be honest about where you're at. Having a grand vision of what you want your brand to achieve in terms of social good is awesome, but it's not the same as actually achieving it. Make sure you tell the truth. If there's an area within your business that still needs some work, then tell people that.
Net positive or net negative
Look at the big picture. It's easy to fixate on one small positive action and forget about the rest of your actions. It's useful to zoom out and look at the impact of the business as a whole. Yes, you may be donating a percentage of sales to an incredible charity, but if you're not paying your team a living wage, then perhaps it's time to re-evaluate.
Do your homework
Things are not always as simple as they seem. And it always pays to do your homework. Here's a great example: With the rise of ocean plastics, we're seeing more and more products and brands coming up with solutions to solve the problem. But before you dive in, you need to double check that the solutions a) actually do what they say it will do b) will work in your area. There's no point in your coffee shop using recyclable coffee cups if there isn't a recycling facility in your town.
Brand don't brag
Use storytelling and good branding to share the good that you're doing, but please please please don't just brag about it. There are so many ways to create engaging content, but yelling as loud as you can about how great you are certainly isn't one of them.
Find yourself a measuring stick
If you're serious about having a positive impact, you're going to need a measuring stick. Metrics are super important when it comes to social good, so make sure you find a way to track your actions. Thankfully there are a bunch of amazing (but not always easy !) ways to do this. B Corp certification is a phenomenal way to measure your impact, but it's a big commitment, so if you're looking for a baby step, find out if your industry has any guidelines that you can work too, or ask someone to help you identify the metrics you should be tracking.