As the world goes to the polls in 2024, bold brands have a unique opportunity
Overwhelmingly, people trust business more than government. As elections bring climate back up the agenda, this may be the year the best brands move way ahead of 'greenstalling' competitors
Last month we argued that 2023 came up short on its promise to offer a tipping point for brand investment in the net zero challenge. Crudely, we think this is because marketers are scared to stick their heads above an increasingly contentious parapet. Now, a survey of 400 businesses conducted by the Carbon Trust (links below) confirms that ‘greenstalling’ due to fear of criticism, is quite clearly leading to paralysis.
Why would we be any more optimistic about 2024?
Well, it’s the year of elections when more than 40% of the population will vote in some of the world’s most high-stakes political contests, including America, India, Russia and, um, the UK. We’re all currently treating the UK election as a done deal, even as Labour halves its climate spending plans and the government prepares to deliver a populist budget. But this detracts attention from the fact we’re about to enter a period of intense communications activity in the political arena.
If it feels like climate issues have been sidelined by inflation, cost-of-living and geo-political turmoil through 2023, they may be about to make a comeback as our goldfish memories watch inflation drift in the rear-view mirror and the sun blazes on a summer of political campaigning.
Meanwhile, trust in political parties is at an all-time low. The Office for National Statistics released numbers last week that show a staggering 20% drop from the same survey in 2022; only 12% of UK respondents now claim they have trust in political parties.
Once again, Edelman’s annual ‘Trust Barometer’ survey finds government is seen as far less competent and ethical than business by respondents in 28 different countries, a trend that has been growing since 2021.
The only light emerging in the political gloom is news that, while the UK economy grew a pitiful 0.1% in 2023, it was the green economy that provided a bright spot in the data, with growth of 9%.
So, why should 2024 yield the tipping point for brands and climate comms that failed to materialise last year?
It is a question of advantage.
As passions are stirred and continue to boil in society it will become increasingly difficult in many categories to remain a meaningful brand while staying quiet on your role in our collective goals for 2050.
Interest rates may bob up and down, prices rise and recede. But the climate challenge does not go away.
Looked at another way, it is a once in a generation opportunity to build powerful brands with sustainable advantage, embracing a role in public life that’s being vacated by the traditional institutions of trust and progress.
Consider Kevin Lane Keller’s definition of a brand:
"Brands are symbols that help consumers distinguish among competing offerings. They embody the cultural meaning that people attach to them and the cultural values of the societies in which they operate."
So, will 2024 will be the year when bold businesses take hold of the opportunity to build brands into the tailwind of a growing green economy? When, as competitors stall, they open up their blue ocean opportunity in a culture racing to bring about change against an immovable deadline?
More reading on this:
Businesses ‘greenstalling’ on net zero because they are criticised whatever they do - Telegraph
Is 'greenstalling' preventing business progress on Net Zero? - Carbon Trust
Rishi Sunak could use Budget to call snap May UK election, warns Labour - FT
UK public trust in political parties collapses to 12% - FT
Trust in government, UK: 2023 - ONS
UK’s net zero economy grew 9% in 2023, report finds - The Guardian
Resolution Foundation’s ‘Ending Stagnation: A New Economic Strategy for Britain’
About 33_Zero
33_Zero offers low commitment strategic workshops designed to help contextualise your brand against the backdrop of ‘net zero culture’. Uncover the opportunities that will emerge in your category as these forces shape new ideas about value, change shopping behaviours and as whole new sub-categories emerge in the growing sustainable economy. We work with both the new brands redefining categories - like cultivated meat startup Ivy Farm - and established brands. like Nike, who are raising awareness of their initiatives in this space.
Workshops are led by our Strategy Partner, James Poletti, who has years of experience steering brand strategy projects in technology, finance, fashion, automotive and other categories for clients like Hyundai, Samsung and Adobe.
Email jamesp@33seconds.co to find out more.