A Guide to Promoting Ethical Beauty Brands
Creating a PR strategy surrounding sustainability at a time where industries are becoming increasingly digitalised can be challenging, especially as certain buzz words such as “Organic” and “Eco-friendly” are flung around online like they are going out of fashion. As much as we love all brands that love the environment, we are going to teach you why brands can no longer call themselves ‘Sustainable’ without backing it up with concrete facts, awards and proof that they really do keep Sustainability at the heart of their brand.
The first question you may be asking us is why should PR agencies care about Sustainability? Well, not only is it a moral and ethical decision, but Sustainability is one of the key pillars for most magazines and businesses. In fact, magazines such as Marie Claire, ELLE, Country & TownHouse and Conde Nast Traveller, along with many more, now have sections dedicated to this. It’s not just journalists we have to please, as a PR agency, it is also the consumers - especially if your PR agency also deals with marketing content and strategies. In a recent survey, 76% of UK adults agreed that they try to act and consume in a way that is not harmful to the environment [Mintel]. This is a huge percentage of potential customers for the brands that you manage, and is also an important statistic for us to keep in mind when having conversations with new clients.
Below we have broken down some useful things to consider when creating a successful PR strategy for sustainable brands, and raising your environmental status.
Verify The Brand
You may have a brand that is ‘Vegan’, ‘Cruelty-Free’ and ‘Zero-Waste’, but if it’s not officially certified by an industry body, then consumers may not trust these claims. By certifying a brand, you instantly build trust.
Here are some of the bodies we recommend being verified by:
Fairtrade
The Fairtrade Mark is a registered certification label for products sourced from producers in developing countries. The mark is used on products certified by Fairtrade standards and on promotional materials promoting the product(s).
Leaping Bunny
The Leaping Bunny Certification is awarded when companies pledge to end animal testing at all stages of product development, in addition to recommitting to the program annually and being open to third party audits.
Vegan
The Vegan Trademark is used on labels worldwide as the authentic standard for products free from animal ingredients and animal testing.
Positive Luxury/The Butterfly Mark
The Butterfly Mark is a third-party accreditation mark that identifies the luxury brands that meet the highest standards of verified innovation and environmental performance, offering transparency at points of sale and equipping consumers to make more informed purchasing decisions.
Accredited by PETA
Companies listed as accredited by PETA have either signed PETA’s statement of assurance or provided a statement verifying that they do not conduct or commission any animal tests on ingredients, formulations, or finished products and that they pledge not to do so in the future.
Packaging
Having ethical/recyclable packaging is a great way to promote a brand, as journalists and consumers respond amazingly to advancements in this area; which can be seen in the surge of plastic-free packaging. A brand that is a great example of this is Object, a sustainable Shampoo and Body Bar company. Journalists and influencers love working with this brand as it was built on sustainability, and this is visibly reflected in their packaging. Object’s packaging is made from a blend of recycled cotton (removing waste and carbon from the fast fashion industry) and bamboo, to give the box that cardboard-like feel, and fits straight through your letterbox, making sustainable shopping from home even easier. This makes the brand stand out from the competition and shows that they have really thought about all elements of design.
Charity Collaborations
Of course, working with a charity should come from a place of sincerity, not just as a way to build relationships and status. Finding a charity that is of personal significance to the brand is also a great way to raise money and awareness for a particular cause. This could be achieved through events, product profit percentage donations, donations at the checkout or even through collaborations with the charity itself. A selfless way to give back to whichever community your brand identifies with.
Collaborate With Influencers And Other Brands, Fully Committed to Sustainability
B2B and influencer collaborations can be a large part of growing a brand's following but it can be viewed negatively if you get it wrong. For example, a fast fashion brand collaborating with a sustainable influencer does not make sense, nor will the influencers followers be interested (they may even protest the collaboration). Instead, view each brand's key points and goals for growth and use these to understand the types of opportunities that you should be looking for. After all, there is a thing as bad press … no matter what you might think.
Teach/Show The Journalist Something New About Sustainability
Statistics, new information, expert testimonials and the latest product drops are music to a journalists ears. They want to learn something new, because if it is new to them then the likelihood is that it will be new to lots of their readers. Use your brands as an opportunity to share something new, it will always be an essential part of your success.
DO NOT GREENWASH
*We repeat* DO NOT GREENWASH. Greenwashing occurs when a brand exaggerates or misleads the public and other businesses that their brand is more ethically viable than it actually is. This is the quickest way for sales and reputation to plummet. Instead, be honest! If a brand is not as ethical as they could be, that is okay. Encourage the brand to work on this and show their efforts as part of new campaigns and launches. Transparency is key.
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We believe in shining a light on achievements. There’s one right here! Written by The Brand Whisperer’s fantastic PR intern: Natasha Cassidy 🎉