Written by Francesca Barber
Copywriter
“We’re not sustainable”
Danish brand Ganni has used this tagline since 2013. They’re a leading light for responsible fashion.
“Look, we f*cked up”
Eyewear brand Ace & Tate ran this blog post in 2021. It names five supposedly sustainable choices which backfired.
This kind of radical honesty cuts through, in a sea of sameness. And (when paired with real action) it helps avoid greenwashing.
So, why don’t we see it in B2B?
Perhaps we’re too scared of negativity? After all, you can’t admit flaws and be relentlessly positive.
If we did use radical honesty in comms, how would we get it right? We could take inspiration from the best B2C campaigns:
1. They admit mistakes – then show how they’re correcting errors.
2. They use headlines which make readers double-take – then share simple stories about what they did.
3. They embrace conversation. After all, few brands avoid any questions about their stance on sustainability. But if you engage openly with all opinions, you can build serious credibility:
“Responses have been positive and negative, but I sleep better at night knowing we communicate openly instead of trying to present a very shiny image”*
–– Ace & Tate founder, Mark de Lange
We make the complicated simple.
*Quoted in:
https://www.voguebusiness.com/sustainability/brutal-honesty-the-new-look-sustainable-marketing-ace-and-tate