This is a conversation about meaningful marketing — what it is, who we’re working with, and how it aligns with our customer-first philosophy.

[This interview has been edited and condensed.]

What is meaningful marketing?

Beverly: Meaningful marketing starts with the person, not the brand. It’s human-centered, it’s ethical, it’s high-quality. Ultimately it’s built to earn and deepen trust with the people who organizations serve. Obviously, those people are most often customers, but they can also be donors, investors, communities, and more.

Over the years, consumers have become much more educated and sophisticated.  They can see through the marketing hype and judge for themselves the authenticity of corporate statements. Today, we all expect more from the brands and organizations we interact with; increasingly we see people support brands that demonstrate empathy, compassion, and a commitment to the social good. 

We’ve gone way beyond just buying a product or service from a company. We’re putting our trust in organizations and influencers, often forming an emotional connection. There are exceptional products out there, but all it takes is a controversial CEO or toxic company culture to compel consumers to look elsewhere for a similar offering. We’re not just buying the product or service — we’re buying into a set of values.

Can you talk about your approach? 

Katie: Our approach to marketing is human-centered and relationship-based, meaning that “customers” and “audiences” are people first. One of the tenets of meaningful marketing that is core to our work is that the messaging needs to be narrative-based because this is what connects us to one another and to our own humanity. Storytelling goes back to the earliest cultures. Through stories we connect, share our values, entertain, educate, inspire, and experience the world. 

Beverly: Facts and figures don’t typically inspire people — stories do. The climate is a great example. There’s so much science driving the design of extraordinary products to address the climate crisis. We often see companies focusing on the product specifications and the detailed science behind the product, rather than communicating how the product will change someone’s life or positively impact the planet. There’s a need to step back and say, “How can we tell a meaningful narrative, through words or images, that will resonate with someone?” 

The other tenets of meaningful marketing are:

• Details matter. It may seem obvious, but there are countless interactions with customers that add up to a positive or negative experience. We encourage marketers to really think about every touchpoint they have with someone – whether they are just beginning to learn about your organization or are a long-time customer.
• Be trustworthy. It’s always a good idea to admit when you’re wrong and even to embrace detractors, not just your brand evangelists. Organizations that greenwash miss an opportunity to inspire and endear trust (in addition to the other substantial risks). On the other hand, organizations that demonstrate a genuine commitment to improving lives today and for future generations, even in a modest way, have a strategic brand advantage that translates into deeper customer relationships and loyalty.
• Play the long game. There’s no honor in short-term results at the expense of long-term gain.

What does “playing the long game” look like in marketing?

Beverly: Developing relationships with customers does not happen overnight. A great example of playing the long game is the lead generation form that you often see on company websites. Is helpful content gated with an organization’s lead-generation form? What if you played the long game and trusted people to assess your value on their own? What if you allowed them to come back to you, instead of making it a quid pro quo interaction where they have to provide significant personal data to access the valuable content on your website?  

And similarly, one great interaction can cure a lot of ills.

Katie: Actively listening to customers and making every effort to understand their needs and desires has always been fundamental to good marketing. We encourage our clients to be flexible when new data emerges about what is resonating with their audiences. Through rigorous testing of messages, channels, creative, and narratives, we are constantly learning about what motivates and drives customer behavior. Again and again, we see that a willingness to pivot from initial marketing plans leads to better long-term results.

What types of clients do you work with?

Katie: Many people want to work with companies making good choices, particularly those companies that are positively impacting the environment or investing in their communities. But that doesn’t mean we only work with brands that are known primarily for their impact, such as Patagonia. In fact, we aim to work with any organization trying to do good — whatever that purpose may be. Our clients may be purpose-driven at their core or focused on one key social or environmental initiative.  They may be just starting out on their sustainability journey or leading the discussion.  Our role is to help clients tell their stories and develop meaningful marketing practices so that they can make positive change in the world.

What’s one thing you wished more marketers knew about meaningful marketing?

Beverly: Investing in meaningful marketing will directly benefit your bottom line. This is not philosophical; it’s practical. Customer trust means they want to do business with you — for a lifetime. Building your brand and playing the long game should not be something you’ll get to later “when you have more time.” It’s an essential and foundational element of growing and protecting a business and a brand. Anyone can make money when times are good. But if you’ve invested in meaningful marketing, you’ll have created connections with customers that help you through the inevitable downturns because they’re invested in you. 

This is part 2 of a two-part series on social impact and meaningful marketing. Read part 1 on our partnership and commitment to social impact here. 

See our “Invest in Relationships, Not Transactions” case study here for an example of meaningful marketing in action.