Brands With a Conscience: Why They’re The Only Kind I Work With
I’m a copywriter. And, of course, I’m a consumer too.
In my perfect world, I’d make all my purchases from small, locally-owned, Certified B-Corps. My money would only go to brands whose missions resonate with me and who are committed to working against the broken systems of mainstream American consumerism.
But…it seems that I’m not living in a perfect world.
Mr. Bezos and his pals at Amazon get some of my dollars some of the time, and the convenience of my neighborhood Target can lure me in now and then.
While I’m not the picture of consumer perfection when it comes to mindful sustainability, I do put a lot of thought into what I buy and…
🌏Where it comes from
👷🏽Who makes it and how they’re treated
🏋🏽♀️How it will impact my body
🌳How it will impact the planet
🧪What it’s made of
🗓️How long it will last
♻️How it will be disposed of in the future
I’m pretty careful about the types of businesses I support…
And…even more than that…
I’m extremely choosy about the types of businesses I work with.
What are Brands With a Conscience?
Brands with a conscience think about the long game.
They know they have a responsibility to be stewards of the earth we share.
They care deeply about the health and well-being of their employees, partners, and customers.
They understand that they can run a successful, thriving business without letting profits be the only driving force behind all their business decisions.
They are change-makers and visionaries who see real hope and promise in shaking things up to bring a new standard to the producer-consumer relationship.
Brands with a conscience are all about
Connection
Authenticity
Community
Longevity
Sustainability
Ethical practices
Creativity
Honesty
Why are they the only kind I write for?
In the same way that I don’t want my dollars to benefit a company with unfair labor practices, poor attention to sustainability, and a profit-at-all-costs mindset, I absolutely won’t use my work to help that type of business grow.
I’m 100% committed to working only with businesses whose values I share.
Besides fantastic flexibility and independence, a huge perk of being a freelancer is the total freedom to say no thank you to projects with brands that just don’t align with what’s important to me…
And a big yes, please to projects I’m excited to stand behind.
My business is not all about the bottom line.
Yes, I do have bills to pay and kids to send to college. But…
My work is an opportunity to help create the kind of world I want to be a part of by building momentum for brands who are committed to doing what’s right.
Does it even matter?
That’s a really fair question.
Sometimes it seems like the train is too far out of the station. The produce–consume–waste cycle is frighteningly fast and discouraging.
Sometimes all the ick that’s part of consumerism today can be overwhelming.
But there’s also so much good happening! So many brands are building thriving businesses without all that…ick!
Instead, they’re giving us a ton of Ahhh! This is who I want to support when it’s time to spend my hard-earned money on
Food and drinks
Clothes
Furniture
Household products
Services
Gifts for my loved ones
I’m so thankful for the businesses that are dedicated to operating differently!
I believe what they’re doing really does matter.
And I want to help them grow.
The tipping point for social change
Research has shown that the tipping point for social change is only 25%. (1)
Just 25 percent?!
That’s not a whole mile, it’s just one lap around the track!
That’s not all year long, it’s just one season!
That means it does not take a majority of American consumers to change their values and habits in order to affect widespread change in our society.
Have you ever visited a farmer’s market or a local small business and felt a tiny bit of lightness and optimism? A little electricity in the air?
Sometimes when I walk into those settings, I pick up on a sense of community, creativity, and purpose. And I love it.
But what about when you walk the aisles of a big box store, seeing row after row of
Food that’s ultra-processed
Clothing that will start to fall apart after a few washes
Furniture that won’t stand the test of time
Home and beauty products full of toxins
It’s a completely different feeling, right? I can feel a sense of heaviness or discouragement in those settings – like I’m a little cog in a huge machine that has gotten completely out of control.
Some people have their finger right on the pulse of this and can explain exactly why it matters.
And others might not be able to put the feeling into words, but they can sense it. They get it.
Each year, consumers – especially Millennials and Gen Zers – care more about sustainability, transparency, and business ethics. (2)
Social change is happening, and our society is creeping closer to the tipping point that will skyrocket brands with a conscience to the forefront, and hopefully make them the norm.
How can copywriting help brands with a conscience?
If you’re a business owner, it’s essential to know this:
It has never been more important to make sure your audience understands your brand story.
Website copy, blog articles, newsletters, emails, social media content…all of it is crucial to expand your impact, grow your community, and continue spreading the goodness that brought you into business in the first place.
As a copywriter, I’m honored to work with brands with a conscience to help them grow a thriving business that this world really, truly needs.
Want to learn more? Book a free 15-minute discovery call.
References:
1. University of Pennsylvania: Annenberg School for Communication - Research Finds Tipping Point for Large-Scale Social Change
2. Harvard Business Review - Research: Consumers’ Sustainability Demands are Rising
