Upending Doom

Imagine a future where we save the world through our purchasing power.

Upending Doom examines our place in a moment of planetary crisis. According to the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, we would need 2.3 planets by 2050 to sustain our current growth trajectory. As we approach the #2050challenge for net zero emissions, consumers are demanding to know when & how businesses will achieve this goal.

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Why is this important for Brands?

Individual consumers are feeling powerless in the face of absolute oncoming environmental catastrophe, & asking – what power do we have in comparison to the global impact that brands could have on a worldwide scale? Studies show that in the US, just 5% of its plastic is recycled, with 85% ending up in landfill & 10% incinerated – a horrific statistic that lays bare the fact that consumers' efforts are going to waste.

However, consumers are waking up to the immense collective purchasing power they wield and putting their money into brands that are answering the ecological problems of our time.

What's driving all of this?

Regenerative capitalism is a radical new idea that sees brands, organisations & governments working to restore & build rather than exploit & destroy. Brands such as PepsiCo, Timberland & Danone are leading the way, developing new approaches that offer a refreshingly optimistic antidote to the oppressive planetary doom & gloom.

Case studies show that this is happening right now:

Patagonia drops the word ‘sustainability’

instead replacing it with 'regeneration'. The brand is now backing organic regenerative farming, a system which builds healthy soil & that also traps carbon – a meaningful way to tackle climate change.

PepsiCo will implement regenerative farming across more than seven million acres worldwide

Speaking to the World Economic Forum, John Elkington, author & corporate responsibility & sustainability authority, stated, "This is pretty major. It's a bit like when Microsoft said it would offset its carbon emissions for its entire history as a business."

The Net Positive Project is a new way of doing business with major brands onboard

Objective is to put back into society, the environment & the global economy more than it takes out. Brands to sign up include AT&T, Dell, Hewlett Packard, Levi Strauss & Co, Target, IKEA, & Pepsico

THE "MIGHTY" QUESTION:

How might brands harness the purchasing power of their consumers to collaborate and generate more impact to create a better world?

THE "MIGHTY" SOLUTION

Insight activation sprints: Turn your insights reports from something that goes on the shelf into a cultural movement that quickly gains traction and ignites a chain reaction within your business.

We activate insights within your business by creating immersive storytelling experiences that inspire teams to act on the insights you've invested a lot of time and money in developing. Our activation sessions start by immersing your cross-functional teams in concise and actionable insights. We then get participants involved in activities designed to generate fresh ways to apply the insights to current work streams and future business plans.

Brand Exemplars

Several early-adopter brands & causes are already upending environmental doom with innovative initiatives:

Regenerative materials

Vans, The North Face & Timberland – all part of the VF Corporation - have created the world's first regenerative rubber supply system for footwear. The design preserves biodiversity, doesn't use chemicals & doesn't exploit labour practices like traditional rubber farming.

IKEA's cities of tomorrow

IKEA's 2021 book 'The Ideal City' reimagined the cities of tomorrow'; the book features their selection of inspiring solutions for 'a better everyday life for both people & the planet.'

Circular spirits

Pernod Ricard has created a closed-loop packaging technology for 'circular spirits' that reduce the waste & carbon emissions produced by the manufacture & transportation of glass bottles & other packaging.

Clean labels

Chlorophyll Water is the first ever bottled water in the US to gain Clean Label Project certification; the water has been tested for over 90 industrial environmental contaminants, including heavy metals, pesticide residues, & plasticisers such as BPA.

Regenerative vodka

Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action is the world's first vodka made entirely from regeneratively farmed barley; the system removes CO2 from the atmosphere, improves biodiversity & water use & provides better & more abundant crops.

Lab-grown perfume

Central Saint Martins Tetsuo Lin has collaborated with UK skincare brand Haeckels to create a lab-grown sustainable perfume made from extinct flowers; the fragrance avoids the need for the vast amounts of resources necessary to make regular perfume - from essential oil production to water footprint & land use.