Ethical Marketing: Is Marketing with Heart the Key? Meet Kelly Green, Who Thinks So ??

Welcome to "Marketing With Heart", a special edition where we get to know incredible marketing freelancers who are all about putting ethics first. My main goal here is to inspire brands with a strong sense of purpose to take on a more positive, sustainable, impactful, accessible, and inclusive approach to marketing.

I'm seriously stoked about this week's lineup because I've got an unbelievably amazing marketing consultant to feature. This lady is seriously inspiring, and I couldn't be more grateful that she agreed to be a part of this. Trust me; you're in for a treat!

But before we dive in, I just wanted to take a moment to introduce her to you. ??

?? Kelly Green — an experienced marketing consultant with a background in content creation and marketing strategy, specialising in impact communications for purpose-driven brands.

How would you describe ethical marketing in your own words?

Ethical marketing is marketing that is honest, authentic, transparent, inclusive, diverse, and considerate. It considers not only the needs and values of the brand and customer, but also of wider society and the planet. Ethical marketing claims should be truthful, considered, cohesive – sharing the whole picture, not giving a false representation just to draw clicks or quick sales.

What are some common ethical dilemmas that you have encountered in your work as a digital marketer, and how did you address them?

One common ethical dilemma that I see sustainable brands face is how to balance marketing to drive growth of a for-profit business (so that it can continue to work towards its purpose and mission) while also considering people and planet and whether increased consumption and spending is really something to encourage??

With ethical businesses, manufacturing and operating costs are usually higher and profit margins much tighter as they manufacture responsibly and pay fair wages, so they rely on marketing as a valuable tool to drive sales. The business owners I have worked with are very aware of their environmental impact and are striving wanting? to minimise that as much as possible, but also need to generate profits to keep doing what they do, so it’s a dilemma that they grapple with.?

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The way I reconcile this is that their brand or business exists to give customers the choice of a more sustainable, ethical option. So through the marketing, we focus on communicating the brand’s mission or purpose and aligning with customers that share their values. In marketing copy, we use language that encourages considered purchases rather than ‘Quick, buy now’, ‘Selling Fast’-type messages that create a sense of urgency and drive an impulse purchase. We ensure we are providing full transparency, so that consumers can make a decision in full knowledge of their impact.?

We also ensure that marketing efforts contribute to a wider impact beyond sales. For example, that might be a percentage of profits going to charity, or driving awareness of and supporting a non-profit cause.

And finally we look at alternative revenue streams for the business beyond just selling products, such as events, brand partnerships, and speaking opportunities, which support the growth of the brand or business by adding value without relying on increased consumption.

Can you share an example of a marketing campaign or tactic that you think is unethical? What makes it unethical, and how could it be improved?

Unfortunately, I see many marketing tactics that I consider to be unethical or dishonest. Often these examples are found on product packaging or hang tags, where a green leaf or brown card is used to imply that the product is ‘greener’ or more sustainable than other comparable products. This is often combined with vague claims like ‘made from recycled materials’ or ‘100% biodegradable’, which make the products seem environmentally friendly, but when you actually dig deeper and read the small print (if there is any!), it doesn't paint the full picture (i.e. the product contains a very small percentage of recycled plastic mixed with virgin plastic, or will only biodegrade under certain conditions that the average consumer’s home waste collection won’t support).?

Companies employing these tactics are taking advantage of the fact that consumers are both time poor and looking to make more sustainable purchases, so use these vague and visual tactics to appear like the more sustainable option, when in reality the product is not really any better at all.?

Thankfully, increasing legislation is targeting greenwashing, which will hopefully encourage brands to address the impact of their business operations rather than just seeing sustainability simply as a marketing tool.?

What are some key metrics that businesses should use to measure the success of ethical marketing campaigns? How do these metrics differ from traditional marketing metrics?

The metrics will always depend on the goals of the campaign, and these might be similar to that of a traditional marketing campaign but the difference will be in the way that the campaign is delivered and communicated.?

Perhaps with an ethical campaign, we might look beyond sales/revenue and try to measure impact – which could be as simple as the number of signatures on a petition, increased awareness of a cause (which could be measured by reach/impressions/followers/engagement), or something bigger, like legislative change.?

What advice would you give to a small business owner who wants to make their marketing more ethical but doesn't know where to start?

I would encourage them first to step back and look at their business and how they can make their overall business more ethical, not just their marketing. What is their mission or purpose? How do their business goals align with their values? What benefits or positive impact are they providing to their customers, society and the planet? Where do they need to put in more work??

From there they can identify the key messages that they want to communicate, and ethical marketing should be easy because it should simply tell the truth. I would advise them to be open and transparent in their marketing communications and to not be afraid to disclose where there are shortfalls or challenges. Always start from a place of authenticity and focus on building campaigns that communicate the brand’s purpose and values.?

Final Word?

Thank you again, Kelly Green , for sharing your insights and expertise with us. Your participation has given us valuable insights into marketing with heart. And thank you to you, my awesome reader, for joining me on this journey. Every one of us has a role to play in making the world a better place. Let's continue to learn, grow, and make a positive impact, one step at a time. ??

Pssst… If you're looking for more inspiring marketing freelancers to follow and learn from, make sure to check out Ana Barreiro ???? , Elena Ferrara-Crofts , Federica Girola Kathrin Bussmann, Ph.D. , Margherita Sgorbissa , Slavina Dimitrova , Yuval Ackerman , and I’m sure many more! We're all in this together, supporting each other in creating a positive impact through our work. So, go ahead and give them some love. ??

TL;DR

Meet Kelly Green , an experienced marketer who specialises in sustainability. According to Kelly, ethical marketing is all about being honest, transparent, inclusive, and considering the wider societal and environmental needs. She tackles challenges like balancing growth with sustainability by focusing on the brand's mission, using careful language, supporting causes, and exploring different ways to make money. On the other hand, she points out unethical tactics, such as greenwashing with unclear or misleading claims. Kelly suggests that metrics for ethical campaigns should go beyond sales and measure impact through things like petition signatures or changes in laws. For small business owners who want to make their marketing more ethical, Kelly advises staying true to their values, being honest in their communication, and highlighting their purpose and values in their marketing efforts.

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Summer Break Alert ??

Psst... Just wanted to let you know that I'll be taking a little break from social media for a while. It's important to take some time off every now and then, you know? It really helps us disconnect, recharge our batteries, and see things from a new and refreshed point of view. But don't worry, I won't leave you hanging completely! During this summer, I'll be sharing some incredible insights from conscious marketing advocates that I've come across. And yes, all of this content has been scheduled in advance. ??

That's all for today!

Whenever you're ready, there are 2 ways I can help you:

1.?If you believe marketing can change and become a force for good in your business and the world, consider exploring my?conscious marketing services. These services focus on building a brand that motivates and gives back, allowing you to make a difference in your community.

2.?If you're all about positive impact and want to be part of an online community that brings together purpose-driven entrepreneurs and conscious marketers, this journey is for you. ?? Conscious Marketing Movement

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