5 Major Sustainability Trends From 2021

Over the past year, environmental sustainability has become one of the most discussed issues in advertising, marketing and media. Whether it's new allegations of greenwashing, commitments to climate goals or innovations to make a lower-energy, lower-waste existence more possible for the people who live on this planet, it's undeniably the most pressing issue of our time. Just a few months ago, Adweek created a new position to cover these issues as they relate to the business and art of the communications and information industry. Every sector plays a vital role in shaping the economic response to climate change, and marketers and advertisers are no exception. In fact, the ways that creatives can educate, sway and shape the opinions of consumers puts them in a unique position to support—or obstruct—progress on climate issues. Here are a few of the most important sustainability-related trends in the industry: Alignment with client rosters and climate values Activist group Clean Creatives grew out of a response to fossil fuel ads during the 2020 election season—some of which were made by leading advertising and public relations firms. Young, socially aware talent, the group's organizers hypothesized, weren't likely be too excited about landing their dream gig at GSD&M, Ogilvy or McCann only to find out that they'd be working on an oil and gas account. Throughout 2021, the group ramped up its activities, calling out some of the industry's biggest players. In August, Clean Creatives published an open letter to ad and PR agencies asking them to cut ties with fossil fuel companies, citing the detrimental effects their operations and products are having on the climate. More than 250 young creatives signed the letter. Dozens more shared the document on social media to amplify the message. Young Marketers Want Agencies That Align With Their Values—Especially on Climate Issues In September, the group published a report that identified 90 ad and PR companies that held contracts with fossil fuel companies since 2008. It then asked others to pledge to never work with those companies again. In November, Clean Creatives narrowed its focus. In partnership with Slow Factory, the group released another open letter signed by more than 100 influencers, creators, celebrities and experts asking Edelman, the world's largest PR firm, to drop ExxonMobil as a client. In response, the PR giant launched a "review" of its client roster. Still, Edelman did not commit to ending its work with fossil fuel brands. According to Duncan Meisel, director of Clean Creatives, "2021 really made this conversation about 'Who are your clients? What are they doing?' unavoidable for the advertising industry. Anytime there's a conversation about sustainability in the future, this is going to have to be a question that people reckon with." Consumers are losing patience with greenwashing Last month, an Adweek-Morning Consult survey showed that only one-third of Americans feel at least somewhat confident that they can spot greenwashing in advertising. The survey defined greenwashing as "presenting a company’s operations as more environmentally friendly than they actually are." The same survey also suggested a sense of frustration with greenwashing campaigns. Half of respondents said that brands and agencies should share a legal responsibility when it comes to misleading claims related to environmental impact. While that's only beginning to be a concern in the U.S., some European countries are more proactive about cracking down on greenwashing. Just this fall, Adidas was found guilty in a French court for an ad that misled consumers on the recycled content of its sneakers. https://www.tiktok.com/@sabrina.sustainable.life/video/6995296970919152902 "Consumers today and the media today are—rightfully—much more aware and critical of greenwashing," Dan Leahy, CEO of product decision platform MakerSights, told Adweek. "There's no hiding a more half-baked sustainability initiative." Leahy, whose company helps apparel brands cut down on overstock waste, added that brands are beginning to realize that one "green" product capsule isn't enough. Instead, they need to do the deeper work of analyzing their operations, cutting back on waste and reducing their carbon footprints. Fashion brands aren't cutting overall production Resale platforms like thredUP, The RealReal, Poshmark and Grailed have exploded in the last few years. With eco-conscious consumers becoming more skeptical of the environmental impacts of the apparel industry, many have turned to those platforms to reduce their "fashion footprints"—something that thredUP allows users to measure through an online quiz. This year, brands like Madewell, Lululemon and Vera Bradley partnered with resale platforms to put their branded stamp of approval on these items. As a result, the brands are benefiting from resale's growing popularity while adding a new revenue stream. In addition to the business opportunity that the deals offer, many of those brands are also incorporating the partnership news into their messaging around sustainability, communicating to consumers that they're serious about cutting back on textile waste. Still, experts warn that unless these brands actually commit to making fewer garments every year by letting resale displace new production, the problems caused by fast-fashion will continue to grow alongside online thrift shops. "For the circular economy to have environmental benefits, it must displace virgin production of new clothes or decrease net consumption of raw materials and resources," nonprofit industry watchdog Remake wrote in its 2021 Fashion Accountability Report. "Currently, secondhand and rental are operating parallel to traditional linear business models to provide an additional revenue stream for brands and retailers rather than replacing the linear model." Sustainability and New Revenue Streams Are Driving Brands to Online Resale Marketplaces Travel aims to mitigate climate impact As airlines and travel brands sputtered back to life after pandemic-related shutdowns, many worked to position themselves as more climate conscious than they were pre-Covid. While some, including Delta, EasyJet and JetBlue, had standing commitments to reaching milestones like net-zero carbon emissions, those promises took center stage in the brands' advertising this year. Over the summer, JetBlue announced that it'd be partnering with electric air taxi startup Joby Aviation and Signature Flight Support. The collaboration's stated goal was to create carbon credits for using electric and hydrogen propulsion technologies. In September, Delta released an ad targeting the guilt that many eco-conscious travelers feel when booking flights. Earlier this month, United announced that it completed the first flight using 100% "sustainable aviation fuel," made up of a mixture of fats, cooking oils and grease that emits 80% less carbon dioxide than conventional jet fuel, according to the airline. Still, critics warn that the industry is far from sustainable. Relying on carbon credits isn't a solution to climate impact—rather, it's a stopgap measure that's better than doing nothing at all. And while sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) will help curb emissions, it currently costs four to five times as much as conventional fuel, according to Aviation Today. Electric vehicles finally start to take off With support from the White House, production of electric vehicles (EV) finally began to take off in 2021. On one day in mid-October, five different automotive brands announced they'd be breaking ground on new EV component or assembly plants in the new year. Despite only 4% of Americans reportedly owning EV, according to an Adweek-Morning Consult survey from August, over half are open to buying them in the future. Rebrand Complete, This Tour Operator Now Wants to Remake the Travel Industry EV has also become the center of auto advertising this year, starting with the 2021 Super Bowl in February. While much of the EV-focused advertising that the industry has seen so far represents a small portion of the overall production of vehicles, that's beginning to change. Some brands, such as Volvo, have committed to becoming fully electric by 2030. Newer brands like Rivian, an electric pickup truck company that went public in November and raised nearly $12 billion, are challenging legacy brands that have failed to commit to an electric transition.

Year in Review

5 Sustainability Trends That Defined 2021

The sector saw challenged industry norms, resale ventures and frustration with greenwashing

Kathryn Lundstrom

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Kathryn Lundstrom