Max Ottignon is co-founder of Ragged Edge, a branding agency that has spent 18 years helping businesses clarify their message and communicate it in ways that get noticed. In his view, campaigns mean nothing without clarity about the underlying brand. In this episode, he joins Jenn and Harriet Richardson (Re:Co's Creative Director) to discuss why sustainability messaging fails when it’s framed as compromise and how purpose creates durable brands.
Choose Clients Who Walk the Walk
Communicating a brand’s vision is a lot easier when it has genuine purpose. The challenge comes when working with organisations that don't genuinely believe in what they're saying. As a designer or agency, you might change how they communicate, but you won't change how they behave. The most successful sustainable brands start with clients who are already doing the work.
Frame Sustainability as Winning, Not Compromising
People care about the environment, but on a day-to-day basis most make decisions based on what saves money or makes life easier. Asking people to compromise doesn't change behaviour. Flipping the message from sacrifice to positivity lets people choose sustainable options without feeling like they're giving something up.
Build Brands on Commitment, Not Trends
As Max says, “Brand is a commitment and you have to really believe it in your heart because you’re going to have to live it over time”. The companies that flip-flopped on sustainability obviously weren’t committed in the first place. Businesses with genuine purpose embedded throughout their operations create durable brands that survive cultural shifts.