Episode 59: – Marketing - a people powered movement for change - Jackie Marshall, The Fairtrade Foundation

The challenge for the marketing team is, “needing to take what are serious and complex issues and convey them in a format that is easily understandable.” Want to know how marketing can drive a “people powered movement for change?” THIS is the episode you don’t want to miss. We jumped at the opportunity to talk to Jackie Marshall at Fairtrade an organisation with market leading levels of audience recall, awareness and engagement. One of the most trusted and recognised ethical labels out there today across a multitude of products we see as we do our weekly shop, from coffee to cocoa and wine to flowers. Coming up to their 30th anniversary, Fairtrade have always placed workers and farmers at the heart of their work using their platform to facilitate and amplify their voices fighting for their rights, land, health and future. Their transition to a new global branding called ‘The Future is Fair’ is, as Jackie tells us, “all about embedding the purpose of our work into the brand and moving to a more optimistic lens for the future and enabling a unified approach, which is really important given the increasing global connectedness of the challenges we are facing.” Supply chains are a critical part of the value chain and they are facing increasing challenges and direct impacts from climate change, Jackie talks about how farmers have a wealth of knowledge in tackling climate change but increased heatwaves and drought, combined with strong rainfall and flooding is placing huge pressures on them, and when you add to that the fact that many don’t earn a living wage, (a cocoa farmer can earn as little as 74p per day), the work Fairtrade do is so needed in ensuring farmers are paid fairly and receive the Fairtrade Minimum Price which is consistent and enables them to not only live their daily lives, but to plan ahead and come up with solutions to keep their crops alive and thriving. You’ll have to tune in to hear some of the incredible ways they do this. At Can Marketing Save the Plane we’re consistent about the significant role marketing plays in driving a more sustainable future and the importance of the words and language we use. Jackie explained how the marketing teams at Fairtrade’s biggest challenge is, “needing to take what are serious and complex issues and convey them in a format that is easily understandable.” You’ll hear how they wrap their messages into marketing activation which is relevant and motivating to their audience, and critically in a way which makes people care about something that they don’t see and that happens thousands of miles away. Now that is powerful marketing! Showing the impact of what buying Fairtrade products does, large campaigns, using research and insights from their audiences and shared activations are just some ways the marketing team meet their objectives, and their results speak for themselves. Tune in to hear the details – SO MUCH value and learning that all Marketers can take from this. We love Fairtrade and all the wonderful and important work they do, they and their marketing teams are a true exemplar in driving a “people powered movement for change”. This is sustainable marketing at its absolute best! For more information about The Fairtrade Foundation… Linked in - The Fairtrade Foundation  Twitter- @FairtradeUK URL - www.fairtrade.org.uk And to connect with Jackie Linked in - Jackie Marshall  Twitter - @J_Marshall__ ____________________________________________________________________________ You’ll find the Podcast on all the usual pod platforms - and also on The Global Player and via The Marketing Society. If you love it, do share it and spread the word. Talking about climate change and the role we play is one of the most important things we can do. So join the conversation. We’re all in this together. Our podcasts are recorded purely via online conferencing platforms, we apologise for any minor sound quality issues.