It's a confusing time to work in marketing, or business, or any industry that's involved with making and selling things. We make a lot of stuff, we sell a lot of stuff and we throw out a lot of stuff. And we know that this pattern is not sustainable.
I've thought about this a lot recently. How my work is primarily involved with getting people to buy as much stuff as possible. The economics student in me loves this. The marketing part of me is excited by the numbers and data and strategy involved. But there's also part of me that is concerned about where that fits in to a world that is struggling to cope with the demands of our consumption.
I don't know what I'll think about all this in 50 years, or 10, or even next month but here's where I'm at right now:
We need more businesses that are conscious of the global ecosystem in which they exist. That are aware of their impact. And there are ~so~ many wonderful examples of businesses like this. If those businesses are to succeed, then we also need product designers, marketers, managers and workers that are talented at what they do and committed to the organisations they work for.
Not only do these businesses need the best minds that marketing has to offer, the actual way you promote your products and services is different with sustainability front of mind. You're not trying to convince someone to buy your product just because it's there. You're providing an option, a better way of doing things and a commitment to openness and transparency. Genuine, honest communities are at the core of these brands and are also the key to their success.
I, personally, have been trying to switch my buying habits in the last 12 months. I put aside money every week so that I actually have a set budget for clothes and discretionary purchases. Then, when I decide I need/want to buy something, I think about it for days (if not weeks and months) and spend hours comparing products and brands. I'd be lying if I said this system works 100% of the time, but it gives you a sense of what myself, and I'm sure many other conscious consumers (and She's On the Money listeners) are moving towards.
This is pretty different from the traditional customer journey that a lot of marketing, and particularly click-happy digital marketing, is based on. And so it requires a different framework for success. Rather than throwing content in someone's face, it's like a supportive 'here if you need' from your netball wing defence.
There's no perfect solution to sustainable marketing. At the end of the day, even the most altruistic businesses need to keep their doors open. But I believe there's space for a new wave of thinking, a new style of promotion; one that requires us to question how and why we do what we do.
Lizzie x
