More than 150 major brands, and hundreds more, participated in global climate strikes
On Sept. 20, more than 1,000 companies and websites took a stand against political inaction surrounding climate change. These brands, which included the likes of Ben & Jerry’s, WordPress, Kickstarter and Patagonia, participated in the global climate strikes occurring around the world. This strike, with an additional one coming on Sept. 27, represents a big step forward for the movement and excellent opportunities for brands to demonstrate their commitment to social causes. Young climate activist Greta Thunberg, pictured above, center, is participating in both, and recently urged politicians at the United Nations’ climate conference to take climate change seriously.
The strike included varying levels of disruption. Patagonia closed some brick-and-mortar retail stores, while Burton took its online shopping offline for the day. Sites such as WordPress and Tumblr donated ad space and raised awareness on their own sites and social media. Amazon employees struck out on their own, leaving their jobs in protest of Amazon’s slow adoption of climate-forward policies.
These brands’ involvement stands to make a large impact on consumers. According to the recent Edelman Trust Barometer Special Report, 64% of people are belief-driven buyers who expect brands to play a larger role in society, and 67% say trust is a major factor in deciding whether or not to buy. In fact, in the U.S., brands are trusted more than the government by a margin of 14 points—54% vs. 40%.
Here are some examples of how brands promoted their involvement on social media, and click here to read a LinkedIn blog post from Patagonia CEO Rose Marcario.
Our planet has something in common with your favorite ice cream flavor: If it’s melted, it’s ruined! Join the youth leaders of the #GlobalClimateStrike this Friday 9/20 to make your voice heard for climate action! Learn more and find a march near you: https://t.co/X3QzHnDwYI pic.twitter.com/4tNX6EICT4
— Ben & Jerry’s (@benandjerrys) September 16, 2019
Meet Xiye: a 17-year-old climate activist helping to organize the #ClimateStrike on September 20th. Stand with Xiye & others – find a #ClimateStrike near you: https://t.co/J7olc1kBo7 pic.twitter.com/ILK84G5DLu
— Seventh Generation (@SeventhGen) September 10, 2019
Gearing up for #GlobalClimateStrike! 9/20/19, millions of people around the world are marching in support of climate action! SunCommoners from VT will be rallying at City Hall in Burlington @ Noon & in Rhinebeck at Lions Mini Park @ 2PM. Will we see you?https://t.co/uiIHAojXsE pic.twitter.com/F5NHRx74zi
— SunCommon (@suncommon) September 13, 2019
How is your brand making a difference today?
Image courtesy of 350.org
Steve Heisler served as staff writer at the American Marketing Association. His work can be found in Rolling Stone, GQ, The A.V. Club and Chicago Sun-Times. He may be reached at steveheisler@gmail.com.