Informative
October 15, 2024
If someone had told us ten years ago that sustainable product marketing would become a distinct niche, many marketers would have struggled to see the difference. After all, marketing fundamentals remain the same: understanding your audience, building a strong brand, analyzing competition, and developing effective strategies to convert customers.
Sure, the category would reveal unique insights but that’s true for any industry. Well, flash forward to a decade later and the picture’s totally different. Organizations like Clean Creatives are now urging creatives to work with 'clean' brands, numerous sustainability-focused agencies have emerged and B-corp certifications are becoming the ‘it-thing’ for brands to differentiate themselves from greenwashers.
Not to forget that brands such as Ryanair and Mercedes now face allegations of greenwashing and nature rinsing. So how do brands effectively market sustainable products without facing backlash, stay true to their values, and scale profitably at the same time?
Today, we’ll learn by example with Wild Refills, the UK's most popular refillable deodorant brand.
Wild has carved a niche in the sustainable beauty market by offering refillable, plastic-free deodorants that eliminate single-use plastics in the bathroom. Their journey from a DTC brand to a retail powerhouse is a testament to their effective marketing strategies and unwavering commitment to sustainability. They’re now VC funded, have sold over 8 million products, and are available across the biggest retail stores in the UK.
Sustainability doesn’t always sell (at first). Wild initially promoted the efficacy of its product and ensured that the refillable deodorant truly fit into users’ everyday lifestyles. Once it had accrued some salience through affiliate partnerships and paid social media marketing, the brand started to educate customers about the impact of their buying decisions. So if brands can learn anything from Wild, it is to build a product that actually works because consumers might care about sustainability, but not enough to buy that product specifically – unless they fall into a category of niche users who are highly interested in sustainable products.
Our team recently attended the Digital Marketing Forum Week where the marketing team at Wild shared interesting anecdotes. Not only does the brand believe in taking bold advertising risks , but they are also conscious of the community they’re building. From tweaking the product with feedback on socials to partnering with influencers who truly love the brand, Wild has showcased an effective way to market a sustainable product without overburdening the customer with talks of impact.
In short, they made sustainability easy to digest, humorous, and something shareable (have you seen their packaging?).
Did you know that Wild created 100+ video ad iterations for their Stacey Solomon partnership? Yep, the UK’s favourite mom, Stacey Solomon featured in multiple paid ads with different unique selling positionings or reasons-to-believe for their different target personas. Stacey has a strong appeal with mothers across the UK and she was the perfect ambassador to promote the product to other ‘Mums on the go’. But she was also perfect for anyone who led a busy lifestyle, wanted to be a savvy saver, or was just interested in doing the right thing for the planet and their kids.
Building social proof is also increasingly important for DTC brands today. Think about the nature of the product. You’re probably buying it online, you don’t know how great the product or customer service will be. What you need is to see people like you using the product.
Wild heavily invests in influencer marketing and the vibrant packaging of the product makes it not only shareable but helps it stand out in crowded Instagram feeds.
Does your sustainable product have a community cheering for it from the bleachers? Wild’s community building efforts have become that sticky marketing tactic that is truly grounded in customer-centricity. With a VIP group on Facebookwhere Wild releases the latest news, behind-the scenes info and eco-giveaways, ‘superfans’ or the brand’s biggest loyalists are first to know of limited edition cases and scents. Not just that, Wild has a dedicated customer query group as well as customer groups such as ‘Wild Swaps’ where customers regularly swap their unused products to practice sustainability and collect limited edition products. Now that is the smell of success.
Wild frequently releases limited edition scent refills and cases to keep their brand fresh and engage their customer base. These special editions feature unique packaging, scents, and collaborations on case designs with artists. For example, they recently asked customers to vote for their favorite limited edition scents and brought back refills such as the Amber and Oud scents. These limited edition offerings create a sense of urgency and exclusivity, encouraging customers to purchase and become a part of a movement.
If you sell a sustainable product, chances are you also sell a vegan, skin-friendly, or natural product. Wild understands this well by not only creating products for sensitive skin/those with conditions but also associating the brand with better health.
Wild’s collaboration with coppafeel (a breast cancer awareness organization) led to the campaign ‘Swipe your pits, check your tits’ where the brand spread awareness about breast cancer (and how to check for it) to their target demographic: 25-45 year old females. They also released a special case featuring illustrations of diverse breast shapes and sizes, celebrating the beauty and strength of all women.
Finally, Wild offers discounts to healthcare employees and students through a partnership with Student Beans. Guess what happens when these target groups like you? They not only buy from you but also endorse you, and in the case of students, they’re likely to become lifetime users of the brand.
Whether you’re looking to scale your sustainable product through growth marketing or just starting to look into CAC with a brand-new performance marketing strategy – you’ll need to understand culture, category, competition and consumer behavior to drive your sustainable marketing efforts.
As a full-service marketing agency specializing in sustainable brands, we've helped companies in renewable energy, eyewear and more achieve their goals and scale profitably (and sustainably!). Curious about our team and the affordable pricing we offer? Click here to learn more about how we can help your sustainable brand stand out.
