When it comes to sustainability, what people expect from brands has changed radically. Whether Generation Greta or Best-Agers – they want brands to finally walk the walk instead of always just talking the talk. They want action – for the environment, for society, and for the economy. In our representative study "Better Brands 2021," the brand and design reveals which ethical aspects are of concrete importance to people. Managing Partner Lukas Cottrell tells us in this interview what that means for branding and design, and whether the role of marketing will change, too.  

Mr Cottrell, many brands have realized how important sustainability is to consumers. What did your study hope to make more clear?
We wanted to know what distinguishes a good brand from a better one. What people value in brands, how they evaluate their packaging or their social commitment, and what some brands do better than their competitors – as well as where there is perhaps still room for improvement. Because the factors people use to evaluate brands have changed radically. People have become more demanding. We can now clearly show exactly how they have changed, and show companies what concrete actions they need to take in order to stay relevant.

Give us some insight into the findings. How sustainably are companies really operating?
First of all, I would like to start by saying that people no longer consider the concept of sustainability in purely ecological terms. That is to say, they expect brands to think beyond environmental issues and take social and economical aspects into consideration as well. And this is precisely where consumers lack real role models. It's not just Generation Greta that sees it this way. It cuts across all age and income groups. So as seriously as companies are already taking the issue, they still have to work hard to be taken seriously themselves.

How else have consumers' expectations changed?
Pretty words are not enough anymore – people expect brands to take a clear stand. Companies also have to prove that they are serious about making improvements to society, and act sustainably. In other words, consumers are not only interested in the fact that companies want to make a difference, but also in the concrete measures they take. In this regard, our study showed that people see brands as having just as much an obligation to develop solutions as politicians or scientists do. That's an enormous responsibility that companies must learn to accept and integrate into their brand work.

In concrete terms, what does brand work with responsibility look like?
Away from brand management and toward brand activism. We are already noticing that brands are becoming socially active. At the same time, companies are asking whether everything that currently concerns people actually fits their brand. To find out, it helps to have a clearly defined brand personality. That enables companies to react to unpredicted events in real time, in a way that is authentic and appropriate. The coronavirus pandemic has shown us how important that is.

How can the brand identity contribute to this effort?
We've noticed that all target groups approve when brands don't limit themselves to continually preaching sustainability in shades of green. Consumers are now even becoming suspicious of green labels, and are increasingly asking themselves whether it's not all just green-washing. Brands need to take this seriously and reflect it in their appearance. They need to review the entire brand journey and experience. And there are many opportunities, for example material innovations, accessibility, and energy reduction for digital offerings. In addition, there has never been a better time than now to establish new design codes. Instead of green, things can be colorful and lively. Our study shows that sustainability is a positive topic for people.

And what role do agencies play?
We develop ways to communicate to people that brands are serious about it. And here's a decisive aspect: Sustainability doesn't come for free. Fairly traded products, ecologically sourced raw materials, and high cross-company social standards – all this has an impact on price. As an agency, our task is to provide companies with opportunities to explain the complex topic of sustainability using simple, transparent communication, and to make the added value itself visible – for example, with high-quality and resource-conscious design. We help companies position sustinable products as valuable offerings.