Is the truth about the climate too hot to handle?
The purpose of marketing is directly connected to the growth of consumerism. Its job is to sell more, just like advertising. So, what of the truth behind the climate crisis?
Despite the rise of greenwashing and misinformation, marketing has struggled to grasp how to effectively deal with the truth behind the impact we have made on our planet.
I have seen how the ambition to use positive messages only, to move away from the scare tactics has been the best way to communicate with the audience. Whilst this has been, and is, successful, isn’t this exactly what marketing is all about? Providing a fragile veneer to cover up the real truth.
What is the truth?
The truth is something that lies beyond the purpose of any brand. It strikes at the ‘why’ brands are in business. So if the truth is that you are in it for the money, then this world is not for you. You are the ones fuelling the destruction of the planet. If the truth is that you really care, and I mean really care, then you are in this for the greater good. Don’t overstate your impact, be humble. Don’t lie, deceive or distort the truth to make yourself sound better, you won’t.
The scale of the crisis
We live in an era of cognitive dissonance. I have to admit, the more I have read about climate change, the further I get from truly understanding it. It’s hard to comprehend. Whilst it’s true that the effects are with us now, the stats that are being reported are bewildering. 6.3 million properties in England are in areas at risk of flooding from rivers, the sea, and surface water. This is predicted to rise to around 8 million (25% of all properties) by 2050. Over a third of railway and road kilometres are currently at flood risk, predicted to rise to around half by 2050 1. These facts are not widely understood. We are certainly heading towards some challenging times. If we knew this, would we act differently? It seems impossible to think that this could not change our behaviour. But, these transformations in our environment is starting to happen.
Who is (and isn’t) telling the truth
But who is telling us this? Who is communicating the true scale of what is happening? Is it because we don’t really know? Or, maybe it’s because bad news is just what we don’t want to hear.
It is a brand’s job to tell people the truth directly. It is also down to our media and our government. But, the truth is no government wants to distract away from ‘business as usual’ and prefers to tell us to ‘keep calm and carry on’. No media outlet wants to scare away its readers.
There is a fine balance between really telling the truth and scaring the hell out of people. This is a tough challenge. The aim is not to scare people, it is to tell the truth with confidence. It is true we need to act together right now. We CAN work towards a better future.
So, here’s the thing. Any brand that (or government, come to that) needs to communicate their positive impact, shouldn’t stop. Despite the rise of the ‘anti-woke’ stance coming from Trump’s US 2, greenhushing, in the long-term doesn’t help anyone. What seems like a real threat, even to ESG regulations in the US, is short term. Even if ESG is under attack, it won’t make the climate crisis go away. Simply shutting our eyes won’t make it all go away.
Why younger generations matter
And it’s different with younger generations. Whilst we cannot rely on brands, media or the government to tell us the truth, education is one place where it really does matter. Research from May 2023 3 found that nearly 7 in 10 (68%) 14 to 18 year olds felt that climate change education should be included across all subjects, not just science and geography. The climate crisis is impacting our lives in a myriad of ways and to address this, we need to join up, connect and mobilise as a Climate Majority across all sectors, every generation and together.
What brands should do instead
Putting the ‘why’ ahead of any brand comms is what makes the difference. Of course, data matters and it should always be used to back up facts. But why are you going to such lengths to reduce our impact on the climate crisis? Is it to make yourself look better? Is it to sell more? Or is it because we have to do something with some kind of urgency? We have to act now.
We need to pull away from the old systems. It is no longer the role of advisers and marketing to sell us our dreams. We are fed up with the deceit that is used to sell to us. Some of us don’t want to look good in cheap clothes that come at the expense of the planet. It’s time we had the real truth!
So, it’s time to stop pulling the wool over our eyes. It’s time to be honest, and ask whether using AI to write copy is right. Think carefully about the messaging, use images with meaning and communicate with sensitivity.
How can brands deliver the truth to us? It’s the role of communicators to do this. And, it must be done with love, with honesty and humanity.
It’s time to grasp the nettle and act now. Challenge brands to speak the truth with transparency.
1: The Climate Change Committee Report 2025
2 ‘Greenhushing’: Are businesses staying silent about climate pledges?
