The first Brainy Breakfast in Wellington for 2023 focused on sustainability and the journeys taken to build sustainable and authentic change. Mike Kotlyar, member of the Marketing Association’s Central Region Committee attended and shares his thoughts.

We were privileged to hear from Laurie Foon, Deputy Mayor, Wellington City Council and Cameron Hayes, Marketing Manager Sustainability, Tourism New Zealand.

Laurie is well-known as a pioneer in sustainable fashion and has been a champion for sustainability throughout her career, while Cameron has the task of creating behavioural change to ensure visitors to our country behave in a sustainable way as they experience New Zealand.   They both generously shared their mahi, their journeys, and lessons with attendees.

Sustainability isn’t a new trend; however, we’re seeing a fundamental shift in the conversation around the environment and climate change right now. This came up in the presentations. Laurie in particular talked to the need for businesses to lead the change and show tangible sustainable outcomes in the way they do business. She referenced her own background as a business owner.

Laurie’s journey

Laurie’s journey started with her belief that as a young person finding her way in the fashion industry, she needed to make a tangible and meaning contribution to reducing environmental impact. Creating timeless, clothing for real people that was local and all about impacting the environment in positive way.

In the early 1990s she founded New Zealand’s first eco-fashion brand and created New Zealand’s first eco-fashion show as part of Fashion Week 2010. Her credentials also include an Absolutely Positively Wellington Award in 2017, she has been named a Kiwibank Local Hero, worked with some of New Zealand’s top sustainable businesses through her role at the Sustainable Business Network and eventually becoming Deputy Mayor of the Wellington City Council.

Get your own house in order.

Laurie’s first lesson on the sustainability journey was ‘get your own house in order first’. From sourcing to manufacturing her question was always “what can we do better?” - ensuring every process and touch point focused on the environmental impact.

Educate the consumer first – but in a balanced way.

Educating the consumer was critical. Storytelling focused on the brand values and much effort was focused on how to tell her story better at every touchpoint.  Care needed to be taken that the brand was also about her perspective on fashion, and this needed to have its voice to initially engage the consumer.

Be authentic.

Sustainability was crafted into the brand in a seamless and authentic away. The cynicism towards greenwashed brands still exists and whatever we do needs to be tested for authenticity and being tangible.  Adding markers of social proof visible presented as stories and other evidence is critical.

For Laurie sustainability was her ‘thread’ of purpose and telling the story galvanised customer loyalty and brand value.

Start with the willing… and what we can do.

As Laurie’s journey continued her next challenge at the Sustainable Business Nework was to work with Wellington businesses to launch their own journey in becoming sustainable business.  ‘Start with the willing’ and look at what we ‘can do’ was her approach, for some it was small steps that got the ball rolling.  

Good for business.

Laurie’s journey is proof that being passionate about sustainability for the good of the planet and everyone on it, being part of a solution, fostering a circular economy and making meaningful changes is also good for business growth.

Sustainable tourism.

Our second speaker Cameron Hayes, Marketing Manager Sustainability at Tourism New Zealand shared the journey of how the Tiaki kaupapa / the Tiaki Promise encourages sustainable tourist behaviour.

As Aotearoa opens back up to the world, it is more important than ever for all visitors here to protect and preserve what makes this place so special. Tiaki – Care for New Zealand is a collective kaupapa that inspires manuhiri to care for people, place, and culture throughout their travels.  

Cameron’s session talked about how Tiaki weaves mātauranga and tikanga Māori with marketing strategy and tactics to engage, create behaviour change, and get the message through to visitors and locals entrusted to take responsibility. Toitū te taiao, toitū te tangata, toitū Aotearoa.

While the campaign is in its early days and has a limited budget given its scope, there are already signs of success with 84% of visitors acknowledging its importance. During his presentation, Cameron shared some key lessons learned so far.

Creating behavioural change.

Success is all about creating behavioural change with local and international tourists and ensuring that everyone takes action.  Weaving mātauranga and tikanga Māori with marketing strategy and tactics is an approach that ensures local engagement and custodianship making up part of the experience for visitors and locals.  Wide consultation and engagement has ensured authentic support for the campaign with stakeholders across the country and tourism sector.

Many touchpoints.

The support is seen right from the Air New Zealand collaboration video that greets our international visitors on the plane to information touchpoints as they disembark to messages and information at tourist points, information centres and more. Each touchpoint encourages the visitor to behave as Tiaki.

Be inspirational.

Tikanga Māori serves as the inspiration and catalyst for action. This is weaved through strategically and tactically placed content right at point of introduction and provides a richness and history to messages. The  kaupapa is powerful and inspirational and links the need for sustainability. Its presence is a reminder for us all to travel in accordance with the principles of Tiaki.

Avoid straplines for the sake of straplines.

Cameron cautioned against straplines without meaning. They need to be about empowering your brand and helping build momentum.  The heart of the campaign is about offering guidance and encouraging appropriate behaviour.

Take simple and clearly articulated steps.

Small beginnings is the start of behavioural change in the way our visitors need to treat Aotearoa and its places.  This is achieved through a mix of strategic  initiatives combined with tactically placed initiatives like signs and other information needed to support behavioural changes.

In summary.

Consumers are looking at brands to demonstrate change and these expectations represent a fundamental shift. Authenticity trumps catchy messages, but equally our presenters encouraged brands and organisations to celebrate the mahi that they are doing in this space and to share their stories.  Just make sure that you can incorporate your sustainability stories in a relevant and meaningful way.  

If you have not started yet, start now!