November 14, 2024

Tom Richardson

In July, Europe was a tale of two halves. While the UK exceeded 40 degrees Celsius for the first time and France suffered a ‘heat apocalypse’, most of Russia experienced temperatures 10 degrees below the annual average. In the Middle East, Yemen suffered deadly floods, just days after a heatwave stopped. This should not be surprising. As the language moved from warning of ‘global warming’ to ‘climate change’ or ‘crisis’, awareness grew that extreme weather in both directions was more likely.

Context is everything in continuity because it is a human problem
Beyond a small group of active activists, the nuances of environmental science remain poorly understood by most consumers. People’s experiences on the ground and expectations of the climate crisis, now and in the future, will ultimately shape their perception of the issue above all else. For some, the climate crisis means sleeping too hot. For others, it means that their home has been swept away by a series of floods, the forests outside their city have disappeared, or the river they rely on has dried up.

Perhaps more important than the physical context of consumers is their cultural context. Discussions of the climate crisis are highly politicized in many countries, but they are also shaped by religious tradition, popular culture and economic prosperity. Studies have shown that world region is a better predictor of a country’s belief in the cause of climate change than the presence of air and water pollution, or carbon intensity.

Even education and development levels do not fully explain climate change beliefs. In one study, 78 percent of people in Bangladesh and 70 percent in Pakistan reported a ‘great deal’ of trusting what scientists say about the environment, compared to just 23 percent in Japan. Despite a strong education system, cultural trust in scientists plummeted after the 2011 Fukushima disaster. Young Japanese, unlike elsewhere, have become less interested in climate change over time, with researchers finding poor economic prospects fueling the decline.

Brands are struggling to engage confidently and reliably on the issue
In the context of this fast-moving and critical issue, why do global brands, with the biggest impact around the world, still struggle to understand the cultural nuances of the global climate crisis, and critically, fail to act with confidence. and credibility?

Whether by touting their green credentials, trying to drive positive behavioral change, or innovating new products, global purpose-driven brands are trying to engage with their consumers in discussions about the climate more than ever. Doing so without understanding cultural nuance risks undermining credibility, inviting accusations of greenwashing. More often, however, climate claims simply fall on consumers. Internally, the lack of credibility in climate change discussions risks alienating many young workers committed to working for climate-conscious employers.

In a world of infinite cultural complexity, how can brands speak confidently and credibly about the changing consumer climate?

A three-stage process for cultural credibility
Developing key principles to address sustainability challenges from the ground up will empower brands to act locally for global impact.

1. Be objective: Understand your own position and the issues your audience really cares about.
Brand leaders are concentrated in Western countries, and even if not, often operate in Western cultural environments. This means that the starting point for audience engagement is Western knowledge and associated vocabularies – immediately alienating those who understand nature through a different prism.

Understanding the framework within which a market or culture perceives the natural world, and its impact on humans is an important first step in setting the parameters for effective engagement. The familiar Western scientific language of ‘greenhouse effect’ or CO2 levels is better in Sweden than in markets where alternative indigenous knowledge systems are widespread, and nature is understood in more holistic terms.

Good Dot Food, an Indian vegan food provider, demonstrates the impact of localization. Where Western meat-free ranges tend to focus on specific technical health or environmental benefits, Good Dot has built a brand around the concept of Karmic management of the body and world in general. an – provides a strong alternative to foreign brands.

2. Look collectively: Break down the issue into its component parts and map the system
The climate crisis is a very complex issue. Beyond a very small group of engaged consumers, this complexity can produce confusion or even fatigue, especially for those whose understanding of nature is rooted in different knowledge systems. Rather than focusing on the issue as a whole, focusing on component causes (eg pollution) or effects (eg drought) offers a more useful ‘way through’.

Not all elements of the climate crisis have the same resonance for consumers. Considering consumers’ awareness of the issue, in their local area and beyond, is important, but so is consumers’ sense of their agency having an impact on it. For example, while most consumers have some knowledge of rising global temperatures, for many it is an impossibly complex challenge – breeding despair. In comparison, local waste pollution may be front of mind and represent an easy win for consumers.

Finding a ‘way through’ does not always mean finding a specific environmental challenge – it can also be a particular cultural concept. Ginew, an American denim brand owned by natives, builds on its environmental credentials, and brand, by reinventing the purchase of clothes completely. Drawing on indigenous concepts of land heritage, its clothes are designed to be cherished and passed down, just as a living environment should be passed down to future generations.

3. Take Action: Identify culturally relevant hooks, and practical solutions that connect the most meaningful on earth
Identifying a resonant issue is not, by itself, enough to attract consumers. The language and images around the issue can vary from culture to culture and are the catalyst for action. This is not only related to the superficial images that come to mind when thinking about the issue (whether pollution means plastic bags or smoggy roads), but also deeper reasons to care about it. issues. For example, where dominant religious traditions emphasize the balance of nature, this language may be more effective while in Abrahamic religious contexts the ideas of justice, responsibility and respect for one another resonate more.

Most importantly, however, the solutions brands offer must be aligned with cultural expectations. Collectivist cultures may not respond well to invitations for individuals to ‘do their bit’, while in individualistic contexts the idea of ​​provoking community action on a particular issue may feel unrealistic. In authoritarian political contexts, there is less room for the concept of ‘people power’ solutions than for democratic solutions. In Indonesia, the e-commerce site Bakalapak has linked its brand closely to the concept of Gotong Royong – community organizing. By promoting innovative eco-friendly vendors while instilling national pride, they have carved a niche in a market where sustainability is at the heart of some brands, and live their values ​​of supporting the community. .

Together, these principles give brands large and small a blueprint for locally resonant global impact.

Tom Richardson is a partner at Quantum Consumer Solutions

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