More people want their buying choices to align with their environmental values, yet the path to doing so remains unclear. Recent research shows that 80% of consumers consider the environmental impact of their purchases, and 79% say they want an easier way to identify environmentally responsible companies. Despite this interest, only 3% of product labels mention environmental or social sustainability—even though nearly one-third of products make such claims. This mismatch leaves well-intentioned shoppers unsure how to evaluate competing messages at the shelf or online. Certification and labeling help close that gap. Independent, verified sustainability credentials translate a company’s commitments into a clear and trusted signal. As purpose-driven purchasing becomes mainstream, the ability to demonstrate substantiated impact is moving from a value-add to a meaningful differentiator. Sustainability’s role in business has evolved rapidly. What was once seen as a corporate responsibility initiative is increasingly shaping growth strategies. Labels and certifications influence not only intentional “green” shoppers, but also broader audiences through what HBR calls a passive search effect: labeled products are chosen even when consumers aren’t explicitly looking for sustainable options. A credible certification helps products stand out in crowded or complex retail environments.

At a time when greenwashing is emerging as an important issue on Madison Avenue, the Institute for Advertising Ethics (IAE) is planning two industry events to discuss, educate and develop guidelines to help advertisers, agencies, PR and lobbying firms to build awareness and prevent it. The events follow a week of Congressional hearings about the practices of big and independent agencies and PR firms paid by fossil-fuel companies to distort what they are actually doing to about the climate crisis, as well as the release of a Congressional report citing examples by divisions of big agency holding companies, including Interpublic’s UM unit’s work for ExxonMobil. This also follows Interpublic’s decision to revise its policy of accepting new business from fossil fuel companies that don’t meet its own climate and ethical standards.

A study released today by R.R. Donnelley Sons & Company (RRD) revealed that marketers' preference for channels with proven return on investment more than doubled over the past year (38% compared to 15%). The Modern Marketers Report found that economic uncertainty, increasing privacy concerns, and consumer fatigue toward marketers’ digital strategies are driving the resurgence of “tried and true” marketing channels. In addition, managing vendors was reported as a more common top organizational challenge this year than it was in 2022 (23% compared to 7%). The Modern Marketers Report, the company’s fourth annual marketing industry report, compares 1,000+ US consumers’ purchasing behaviors and preferences and attitudes toward brands’ marketing tactics with how 500+ U.S.-based marketing professionals are planning, executing, and adjusting their strategies. “During the holiday shopping season, consumers are thinking twice before they open their wallets or provide their personal information to receive deals,” said Al duPont, Chief Commercial Officer at RRD. “Results from our latest report show that marketers pairing their most reliable channels with positioning that blends convenience and savings stand the best chance for fostering customer loyalty in an increasingly competitive market.”