• by Diana Verde Nieto , November 4, 2009

Today's communications reality consists of multiple media channels, new technologies and consumers who not only have a short attention span but are increasingly choosing when, where and how to consume media. In the past, a company was in control of its own image, but consumers now have "access all areas" thanks to the proliferation of digital communication.

Traditional marketing is simply no longer sufficient in connecting with consumers. This new reality demands a new approach to engaging them, which is where CSR as branded content comes in.

CSR is a commitment by organizations to take responsibility for the impact of their business on the environment and society.

CSR as branded content combines all the different aspects of your brand, not only your marketing campaigns but also your CSR reports, including environmental targets and strategies, supply chain activities and employee engagement all translated into a compelling story told in a language that is accessible to consumers.

This content creates an emotional connection with consumers and builds connections between the brand, its CSR initiatives and the viewers. By producing these new consumer experiences brands gain significant interest. When brands focus on what is important to consumers, they volunteer their time and attention.

Events that encompass CSR are an example. Innocent Smoothies, a brand underpinned by their overall approach to sustainability, host an annual festival in London, the Innocent Village Fete. The event is a physical representation of what the brand believes in: community, sustainability, healthy living and, of course, fun.

The annual event has helped to turn customers into supporters by hosting memorable brand experiences that aim to make people's lives better, while raising money for a good cause. It allows Innocent to promote its new smoothie flavors to attendees, while giving them the opportunity to wander around the farmers' market, visit charity stalls and enjoy the music.

Consumers have a growing interest in green products and services, but a limited understanding about what these are. Research shows that people are more likely to research product choices and compare features before making purchasing decisions and turn to online search tools when they do so.

For example in a survey by Prospectiv in 2007, 70% of consumers in the US said they use the Internet to research everyday grocery products. For marketers, this means establishing a broad presence in search results across both the general and green vertical search engines in order to intercept consumers when they actively seek category, product or brand-specific information across a range of green issues.

Many organizations are concerned with optimizing search from a brand perspective but not from a brand reputation perspective. A quick search on Google about Nike's ethics reveals the majority of the results are not created or commented on by the company itself, not because they are have poor CSR policies and activities but because the good work that they are doing in this area has yet to be optimized.

When brand information is in the public domain, embedding sustainability will encourage positive comments and ultimately have a positive affect on the brand, because the company is being transparent about where it is in its journey. It is therefore crucial that external communications and internal practices become aligned.

You can't stop people talking about you but you can show a willingness to be honest and open. This means joining the dots between brand communications and corporate responsibility and sustainability initiatives, because in the eyes of consumers, there is no difference.

In our experience, CSR provides a goldmine of stories that can form the basis of branded content. However, companies are often doing good work behind the scenes through CSR initiatives that brand marketers don't even know about. At the same time, these brand teams are looking for meaningful stories to create engaging messages and capture their consumers' attention. Departments need to work more closely together to facilitate better communication and information sharing.

Linking branding and sustainability should create a virtuous circle, by communicating the good that your company is doing, the success that this brings will justify an ever increasing focus on continually improving your sustainability policies and activities. If nobody knows what kind of company you are, then the incentive to progress and change associations is not there.

Businesses must make the relationships between the CSR team, marketing team and advertising agency seamless in order to bring their sustainability stories to the forefront of branded content. Action needs to be taken now so that organizations avoid being left behind their competitors, using CSR in branded content presents an opportunity to drive innovation and present sustainability stories to consumers in a relevant and engaging way.

The brands of the future will be the ones that integrate sustainability into their vision and communicate this effectively.