A Year for Storytelling?
by Sally Payne
It feels cliché to say 2024 will be a turning point for the climate. We could say the same of every recent year - and many have. But when there is growing consensus that the planet is running out of time; when increasing extreme weather events have caused death and destruction; when COP28 outcomes were generally seen as not going far enough; and when we’re entering a year of elections and the largest global democratic exercise in decades, 2024 can’t help but feel crucial for the environment.
While the 2010s saw the setting of landmark environmental targets, the 2020s has seen many already broken. Companies including Unilever and Amazon have rowed back on targets or been publicly called out for missing them. And the UK Prime Minister announcing a delay to the UK’s targets on electric vehicles shows that governments as well as corporates are seeing good intentions collide with a challenging economic and political reality.
As reality hits, appetite is moving away from targets, and towards tangible, demonstrable progress. For leaders to drive real action, and quickly, they must inspire change in others. This must start with a powerful story.
The science and evidence base is important - the IPCC warning that the remaining carbon budget will likely be used up before 2030 was a wake-up call. But data must be paired with human, emotive storytelling to inspire change and keep the climate high on the agenda.
We’ve seen definitively that the public does care about sustainability and expects businesses to play their part. One of the most prominent 2023 examples of climate marketing was Apple’s skit starring Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer. The ad, a Board meeting with Spencer as Mother Nature challenging the company on efforts to go carbon-neutral, triggered mixed reactions and accusations of green-washing – and cringiness. But in showing that Apple is progressing on its journey, not just setting targets, it’s arguably a high-profile success.
More surreally, was Kim Kardashian’s effort. To advertise her brand’s new bra, the megastar appeared as a climate scientist warning of rising sea levels, glaciers melting, and importantly, that the bra’s built-in nipples were "...unlike the icebergs... not going anywhere.” While absurdly tongue-in-cheek, the company donated 10% of bra sales to an environmental network. She was slammed by Greenpeace for making the climate ‘a punchline’, but the product quickly sold out, and millions of social media views means at least a few fans would be inspired to read a bit more into the climate emergency. Though, admittedly, more fans probably just bought the bra.
These examples are consumer-focused, yet creative storytelling is essential for corporate communications too. Most organisations will have some timebound targets on elements of corporate responsibility. Some will be legal requirements, others necessary to meet customers, shareholder or stakeholder expectations.
To achieve them all, change will be required - from influencing governments to enact policy change, to inspiring employees to volunteer locally, to working with suppliers on scope 3 emissions. Most changes will be complex– stories themselves can’t resolve everything. But they can gain cut-through when there is an abundance of information, and attention of audiences is competitive.
So what can companies focus on in 2024?
Storytelling: Classic stories involve elements of learning, dramatic conflict and ultimately, change. They usually start with an event which kicks off a journey ‘into the unknown’ towards a goal. The journey involves gaining knowledge and alliances on the way, usually with some setbacks. These storytelling fundamentals lend themselves to corporate responsibility, so find them in your company’s narrative. What’s your goal and what inspired you to start the journey – an innovation, customer need, surprising data perhaps? Then, using the right channels, tell stakeholders about your journey. Paint a picture of a positive future with your goal realised, and what you need from audiences to achieve it.
Pragmatism: No matter how worthy your efforts, your company’s ‘happy ever after’ is probably not single-handedly saving the planet, or lifting the world out of poverty. The good news is that audiences don’t want to hear that. In a complex world, we are craving positivity, yes, but also pragmatism. We’ve seen this in our own focus groups this year. The recent Resolution Foundation report, Ending Stagnation, cries out for a move away from boosterism and fatalism, and towards ‘achievable versions of the future’. Companies should take note - both for storytelling rooted in realism, and to avoid costly ASA rulings.
Simplicity: An obvious point for all communications, but particularly corporate responsibility initiatives. The language used to discuss issues like climate or upskilling can be jargon-heavy and inaccessible. You may need to articulate the workings of a new innovation or technology, but it’s key to bring it back to the human impact as well.
Risk is increasing, and companies are under maximum scrutiny for their sustainability progress, and how they communicate it. But storytelling, done right and backed by evidence, can help bring stakeholders with you, support your goals and help you earn reputation in a competitive landscape.
Sally Payne is a Partner at 5654 & Company, and a former senior communicator at Heathrow Airport.