Two respected marketing associations – one local and one international – have put their weight behind October’s upcoming Brands and Branding for Good conference saying that it offers marketers and advertising practitioners the ideal opportunity to learn about the global trend towards sustainability, and its impact on brands and their relationships with consumers.

“There should be no doubt amongst South Africa’s marketing and branding fraternity that responsible brands are more attractive to consumers, and are able to build more comfortable relationships with regulators, local communities, investors and the media,” said Executive Director of The Marketing Association of South Africa, Chris de Villiers.

“Brands and Branding for Good is the first branding conference to acknowledge that brands intending to stay relevant in the decades ahead, need to embrace sustainability or risk losing market share. In addition, it is the only local conference to date to seek to provide brand owners and their agencies with the opportunity to understand and appreciate the prevailing consumer shift and how to align their brands with sustainable values,” he said.

The Executive Director for the Chief Marketing Officer Council, Donovan Neale-May, has also endorsed the conference.

“Increasingly, studies show, consumers want to do business with socially and environmentally committed brands. It is also clear that brands can gain significant cost and competitive advantages from taking a close look at sustainability practices across their value chains. This win-win situation requires brands to communicate effectively on environmental topics and show commitment to delivering on green claims in brand messages.

“In an eco-sensitive world, brand custodians have to be mindful of retail trade recycling mandates, corporate procurement guidelines, as well as emerging regulatory requirements for carbon footprint reductions. This introduces more complexity to the go-to-market process while at the same time offering real opportunity for market differentiation and social responsibility,” he added.

They feel that knowing how good your brand is and believing in your product will be the most important thing a brand manager can acomplish and there is a line-up of international and local experts speaking at Brands and Branding for Good that will demonstrate that, in today’s world, sustainability and business success are not mutually exclusive goals, but that they go hand in hand.

The Marketing Association of South Africa is a professional and independent organisation promoting good marketing practice and governance in the advertising, marketing and media industries in the country.