Thomas Kolster
Thomas Kolster is an internationally recognised marketing & sustainability expert, author and keynote speaker, and founder of the global Goodvertising movement that’s inspired a shift in advertising for the better.
He’s an international keynote speaker who has featured in over 70 countries for companies like Facebook, P&G, and IKEA, to conferences like TEDx.
As author of Goodvertising (2012) and The Hero Trap (2020), he writes for the likes of The Guardian, Ad Age and Adweek. Thomas continues to drive industry change through his active participation in leading forums such as The International Advertising Association’s Sustainability Council and D&AD’s Impact Council.
Thomas Kolster is tagged in 34 stories.
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Marketing and Comms /
A Super Bowl ad can shape a countrywide conversation; but most brands are
choosing gutless entertainment — missing an opportunity to differentiate, engage
and lead on today’s most pertinent issues.
- 2 months ago
The Next Economy /
It’s time for a new summit where citizens, not special interests, have a say. Imagine if COP29 were more like a sports match or a reality TV show …
- 4 months ago
Marketing and Comms /
This year's awards recognized a historic number of climate-related campaigns; but as an industry, we continue to talk in circles.
- 10 months ago
Marketing and Comms /
Accurately measuring, tracking, comparing and reporting impacts for the process of producing, filming, displaying and running ads will be crucial for the industry to play its part in solving one of the big challenges of our time.
- 1 year ago
Marketing and Comms /
Product, product, product drove Super Bowl commercials this year; purpose and ESG communication were largely left on the bench.
- 1 year ago
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.
- 1 year ago
Marketing and Comms /
Joint research by GfK and the Goodvertising Agency reveals value of 'transformational campaigns that empower consumers, rather than those that tout
product attributes.
- 1 year ago
Behavior Change /
To kick off the final day of Brand-Led Culture
Change, attendees were treated to a broad series of examples, from a wide swath of experts, of clever strategies that lead to behavior change.
- 1 year ago
Marketing and Comms /
The happiness of buying new shoes is a short-lived dopamine kick, whereas finding better ways of living in balance with yourself adds lifelong value. It’s time to create a new offering: Who can you help people become?
- 2 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
Super Bowl LV wasn’t a year in which brands showed leadership with their sustainability messaging; but after the divisiveness, the climate emergency and the rampaging health crisis of 2020, it was a relief to have a laugh.
- 3 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
2020’s winners cover topics ranging from calculating product carbon footprints, regenerative farming, healthier food and reusable packaging to DEI, supporting businesses during COVID and more.
- 3 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
In his new book, The Hero Trap, Thomas Kolster says rather than promoting what’s good about their company or products, brands need to shift their focus to their customers — specifically, their brand’s role in helping its customers transform their lives.
- 3 years ago
Walking the Talk /
Internationally recognised speaker and author Thomas Kolster, also known as Mr. Goodvertising, takes a hatchet to his earlier beliefs around purpose-driven brands in a new book, The Hero Trap. He says the one question brands need to be asking and acting on to change behaviors at scale and unlock sustainable growth that benefits all is ‘Who can you help people become?’
- 3 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
When it comes to Coronavirus, the climate emergency or any other disaster, we shouldn’t antagonize; rather, we should empathise. If we learn to see beyond the
tips of our noses and adopt a global empathy, we'll be able to tackle this virus — and the even bigger crisis of the climate emergency.
- 4 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
At least the game was fun to watch, because this year’s commercials make the United Nations’ sixth edition of the Global Environment Outlook report seem like interesting reading. This year, corporate America chose to laugh rather than voice an opinion.
- 4 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
We shouldn’t lure people into buying more than they need; but rather, help people make it all add up to a more meaningful life. Brands might be able to keep afloat on a short-term strategy and hide behind a cloak of innocence, but every dinosaur step is one closer to extinction.
- 4 years ago
The Next Economy /
In the first gathering of the Sustainable Brands community in Uruguay last week, change agents from a wide swath of perspectives shared their visions of what’s necessary to course-correct our way to a healthy, flourishing future — and where the power really lies in driving change.
- 4 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
Thomas Kolster provides a behind-the-scenes look from a Sustainable Development Goals jury member at last week's Cannes Lions.
- 4 years ago
Marketing and Comms /
Quick laughs, bad jokes, celebrities — but very few with a message.
- 5 years ago
Walking the Talk /
So, what do a slave-free chocolate brand, an activist bank and a blindfolded panel of diversity experts have in common?
- 5 years ago