“NO SHIT” 2: The catchy slogans
The second topic in this series of “NO SHIT” articles concerns the marketing hyperbole that we see multiplying in the ecosystem of ethics and sustainability.
Coluche laughed at the time with the detergent that washes “whiter than white”. It's still topical but a little less funny when it concerns brands advocating an ethical, eco-responsible and totally transparent DNA.
It remained a signature of the big brands struggling in an ultra-competitive universe and playing great slogans to stand out. It's disturbing when this type of process is used by young actors. Brands whose initial initiatives are original and interesting enough to dispense with this kind of catchphrase.
Let's take a concrete example with MEEKO:
The heart of our project is the protection of endangered species. Our first partner is the Sumatra Rainforest Institute, which works to preserve the primary forest of Sumatra through various actions. We support them financially through the sale of vegan and partly recycled sneakers, with an urban and timeless design. To go further, we organize skills sponsorship workshops where members of our community can contribute even more concretely for this NGO.
An idea for a viral hook to illustrate our comments above? We propose to you :
“MEEKO, the sneakers that save the orangutans. »
The orangutan is the favorite animal of the French in 2019 (empathy x1000). This kind of slogan would meet with some success, that's for sure. The message is clear, super easy to remember and spread. Yes, but this message is FALSE. This kind of shortcut can even serve the cause that we support. We humbly contribute to the preservation of the forest by supporting the SRI, that's all (and that's already not bad!). I hope people are aware that it will take more than sneakers to save the orangutans, the forest, the mountain, the oceans or the planet...
We believe that this type of message contributes to trivializing the environmental commitment behind it by infantilizing consumers. It is through the collective that we will be able to make things happen, a single brand will not do much.
This is why we have chosen to remain relatively sober in our communication. We may make less noise and fewer sales, but too bad. We prefer to have an enlightened community that does not stop at a catchy slogan to buy a product and support a project.
Here are some brands that we find inspiring in their humble and honest approach:
Patagonia: https://eu.patagonia.com/en/en/activism/
Veja: https://project.veja-store.com/fr/intro/
Hopaal:https://hopaal.com/pages/pourquoi-nous-existons
Reunited: https://reuni.co/pages/about
Do not hesitate to send us your comments on NO SHIT topics. We do not claim to have the truth within us 😊.
Thanks for reading.
The MEEKO team
