MARKETING AND COMMS -
Fridays for Future reminds US voters about the real existential threat to our planetary health, while UMG launches new installments of its ‘Use Your Voice’ and ‘Pull Up to the Polls’ initiatives to support voter education and to help get young people to the polls this week.
WALKING THE TALK -
New survey of US adults and C-suite about the role of business in addressing environmental justice shows disconnect for the latter on the link between the environment and racial equity.
LEADERSHIP -
Setbacks such as the overturning of Roe v. Wade offer brands the opportunity to demonstrate their true commitment to supporting a healthy, equitable future for all.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The heat is on — from Greenpeace protesting Cannes to concerned citizens and legislative pressure — for advertisers to make their work count for more than selling more products to the Western world. Here are six key takeaways from this year’s Cannes Lions, and how your campaigns can be and do better.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Marketers, this one’s for you: Just a few pearls of wisdom dropped on day two of Brand-Led Culture Change — including understanding and eliminating
microaggressions, the secret sauce of shareable content, what matters to each target demographic, and rethinking assumptions of who the ‘sustainable consumer’ could be.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The law is a direct response to the widespread, well-documented reports of crimes against humanity in the Uyghur regions — and the fact that the reactions from most global brands to the issue have been, to put it lightly, disappointing.
LEADERSHIP -
To truly help individuals and ourselves, we need to bust up the system, swim upstream and avoid the herd mentality. We need to take a step back and truly
understand our own roles in society — and by doing so, to let go of outdated notions.
WASTE NOT -
Reducing plastic waste is a winning issue for consumers. With so many examples of early success and ROI, there’s no better time to join the movement by committing to reduce plastic pollution and limiting the need for virgin plastic.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
Thanks to the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the British grocery chain has been cut off from its supply of sunflower oil; the company says it must temporarily revert to using palm oil, which it eliminated from its products in 2018.
WALKING THE TALK -
The reality of living in a capitalist society is that we can't simply cut off the production of products and services; the brands that will succeed in the upcoming decades will be those that function holistically, with sustainable actions built in.
WALKING THE TALK -
SB amplifies the actions of its global community and governments in support of Ukraine and reflects on the conflict’s potential impacts on long-term sustainability efforts.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Why are so few brands and retailers partnering to communicate their sustainability attributes at the moment of truth — when shoppers are in the right mindset to buy? A new guidebook offers 10 guiding principles and many inspirational examples to help guide brands and retailers through the process.
COLLABORATION -
The Music Climate Pact marks a significant step in aligning the global music business around a coherent and industry-coordinated strategy — and unify existing climate initiatives.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
The move comes following an investigation by Repórter Brasil and Mighty Earth that tracked deforestation-linked beef to European retail store shelves. JBS, the world’s largest beef producer, has long been on the radar of environmental NGOs and forward-looking investors due to its destructive practices.
SUPPLY CHAIN -
China’s importance to global supply chains as a key source of raw materials and labor puts brands at high risk of inadvertently supporting forced labor. Right now, the focus is on the garment industry; but other industries should pay close attention and ensure they are closely monitoring their entire supply chains.
LEADERSHIP -
In his new book, “Lead With We,” Simon Mainwaring urges business leaders to adopt a ‘first-responder’ mindset — and provides a blueprint for a proactive, ‘prepare for anything’ approach that enables them to lead with purpose in an increasingly challenged world.
LEADERSHIP -
At SB’21 San Diego, leaders from a variety of industries and disciplines seemed to agree on three key drivers necessary for the regenerative leadership our world needs.
WALKING THE TALK -
Join us at SB’21 San Diego on Monday, October 18th — for a 2-hour workshop designed to arm every participant with the ideas and tools necessary to create a more powerful and purposeful brand.
WALKING THE TALK -
As governments and public entities remain slow-moving, companies backing their values with action matters more than ever. But for those unsure how to respond to shifting expectations, how do they know they’re leading in a responsible way?
WALKING THE TALK -
From our work supporting leaders to deliver brand value through purpose, we’ve identified five skills that every brand leader now needs — but as yet, not enough have.