Good. Green. Whole. Free. These buzzwords echo in our ears as we navigate the aisles of grocery stores, tune into the radio, or scroll through online advertisements. While the prevalence of "woke-washing" and "nature-rinsing" by some bad actors might raise eyebrows, it's undeniable that businesses are increasingly taking responsibility for their social, environmental, and governance impact. 

A B Corp certification serves as a tangible stamp of approval, signaling to key stakeholders—customers, investors, and employees alike—that a company is truly making a difference, not just paying lip service to sustainability.

But how does a B corp organization market and advertise itself? In this blog, we’ll tell you what it takes to get started: 

1. A brief history of the B corporation 
2. Campaign examples by AllBirds
3. How to approach your B Corp marketing campaign

The beginning of the B Corp movement

The B Corp movement was founded in 2006 by Jay Coen Gilbert, Bart Houlahan and Andrew Papineau, who were inspired to create a framework for businesses prioritizing social and environmental responsibility. Before founding B Lab, Gilbert and Houlahan co-founded AND1, a basketball-apparel company run on a sustainable and ethical business model. 

After selling AND1 and witnessing the new owners' disregard for the company's social and governance values, they created B Lab to address these issues. Legends, right?

What does a B Corp certification mean?

B Lab developed the B Corp certification process to assess companies' performance in various areas, including governance, worker welfare, community impact, the environment, and customers. This rigorous evaluation ensures that certified companies are held accountable to a wide range of stakeholders, not just shareholders.

It’s quite usual for companies to prepare, iterate and reinvent their businesses for months or years before gaining the certification. 

How to market or advertise your B-corp certified brand 

As a B-corp marketing agency (read: we serve B-corps and are not one just yet), we work with mission-driven brands that balance profit with purpose. It’s a tightrope too, where each ‘claim’ must be carefully verified, each source cited, and all marketing collateral thoroughly vetted to meet rigorous standards. If you’re going to be an ethical business – you must market your product or service ethically too. 

So how do you approach this if all you have is a blank state? 

• Align your brand's purpose with your customers' values: Identify shared values and create a compelling narrative that resonates with your target audience.
• Develop authentic partnerships: Collaborate with organizations that share your mission and values.
• Measure and report on impact: Track the outcomes of your cause marketing efforts to demonstrate your commitment to social responsibility.
• Integrate cause marketing into your overall marketing strategy: Make cause marketing a core component of your brand's identity.
• Tell compelling stories: Use storytelling to connect with your audience on an emotional level.
• Be transparent and authentic: Build trust with your audience by being open and honest about your intentions, no matter where you are on your journey.

Allbirds: An example of B Corp marketing

Fashion, turned on its head. Comfort, made a natural feeling. Performance, delivered without the plastic. That's Allbirds, the NZ-born sustainable footwear brand for you. 

Allbirds has successfully marketed itself as a sustainable and ethical footwear brand by emphasizing its use of natural materials, transparency in its supply chain, and commitment to reducing its environmental footprint. The brand's marketing campaigns often focus on storytelling, highlighting the journey of its materials from farm to foot. Plus, Allbirds is savvy at leveraging social media to engage with its audience, share behind-the-scenes content, and foster a sense of community among its customers.

In today's conscious consumer era, ethical and sustainable marketing aren’t  just buzzwords; they’re must-haves. Ethical marketing agencies like wonderwork (that’s us!) specialize in impact marketing and B Corp advertising that truly resonate with audiences and are driven by thorough research, user testing and proven strategies. 

By partnering with us, your brand can create marketing campaigns that make the most of your B Corp certification. Ready to level up your marketing game and make a positive impact? Head to our contact us page to learn more.