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A New Age of Activism + Finding Hope
This morning, I woke up, sat quietly for a while to gather my thoughts and greet the day. As my coffee dripped, I reached for my Mac and began reviewing the headlines. One face palm after another, I dip into a state of gloom. This has been my morning routine for over a month. I know I'm not the only one who has felt this way.
However, as the day continues, I am greeted with hope and opportunity from change makers across the globe. I am reminded that this is not over. We can fight together for social justice, for science, for action against human effects on climate change.
At Blue Practice, we are honored to advocate for those making the world better, driving sustainability and positive change. We recognize that now more than ever before, brands must use their power for good and consumers must understand that they too have purchasing power to delegate their support.
It is in this ecological age and political upheaval that we have seen the rise of brand-led activism. What does this mean exactly?
Brand-led activism for some companies is a way to resist the current administration's changes and illustrate their solidarity with certain groups. For others, it is a sexy new way to sell stuff.
This is a new approach to marketing, because conventional techniques encourage a separation of brands from politics so as to avoid alienating potential customers. But this is no longer the case, because in this new age of communication, it's all hands on deck from the public perspective - and while we'd hope that all brands are using their platform for good, unfortunately we must acknowledge that some are merely jumping on the bandwagon to make a profit in the movement.
So what can you do about it? First, be responsible. If you want to stand up for an issue that your brand supports, we say raise your voice! But understand the line between taking advantage of an issue to make a profit and encouraging your audience to care about (and ideally act on) an issue.
It's also important to use the right channels to advocate your message. Know your audience and your product or service. What is the most strategic way to drive positive change with your business? Does it require looking inward at your operations to make it more sustainable? Are you looking to persuade others to adopt the strategies your company has performed successfully? Are you unsure how to maximize your brand power for good? Well, that's where we can come in.
If you've got a sustainability story to tell and just aren't sure how to tell it, we're your people. If you're losing hope, find the faith. We're in this together, and the fight isn't over. It's just beginning.
-Lex Hundsdorfer, Manager, Blue Practice
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We are a proud partner of the People's Climate Movement. We encourage you to travel to Washington D.C. on April 29 or participate in a sister march near you for what should be the largest People's Climate March ever. Blue Practice will have a presence in both Portland and San Francisco marches. Join us!
We Resist. We Build. WE RISE.
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International News & Events
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Next month in Kansas City, MO on March 28, the Larta Institute, in partnership with InvestMidwest, will be hosting To Innovate or Not: View from the Farm, an exploration of innovation adoption. The Global Ag Innovation Network (GAIN) will look at which solutions get tested and adopted and which ones don't make it onto farms. GAIN is a national forum of thinkers and leaders in the agriculture innovation community that utilize the network to stimulate the creation and implementation of solutions to pressing challenges across current food and agriculture value chains. Register today. |
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We are excited about a live, interactive broadcast event tomorrow to be hosted by the World Economic Forum Global Future Council on the Environment and Natural Resource Security. Beginning at 8a PT, William McDonough and Circle of Blue director J. Carl Ganter will lead a discussion on reimagining how the world can respond more effectively to its water crisis. We invite you to join us: bring your voice and participate in this virtual town hall to share your ideas about how our values about water can inform water value. Register at CircleofBlue.org. |
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Blue Bulletin: Clips of the Month
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