Why “Better for the Planet” Doesn’t Sell
What Climate Founders and Teams Should Say Instead
Welcome back to Changemakers, the newsletter for founders, storytellers, and leaders shaping the future of climate, nature, and innovation.
This edition comes from a pattern we’re seeing across every sector we work in. Whether it’s foodtech, carbon marketplaces, circular fashion, or regenerative materials, the story often sounds the same. The intention is good. The product is smart. The potential is real. But the message blends in. And that blending is costing belief.
Today’s topics..
→ This July: A Sprint for Founders Who Need to Show Up Strong
→ Spotlight: Real Change Happens in the Cart, Not the Campaign
→ Why Familiar Messaging Kills Good Products
→ The Belief Gap Between Buyers and Brands
→ A 4-Part Messaging Shift to Earn Trust and Action
→ How to Make Your Story Land, Without Saying “Sustainable”
Drop us a note anytime at mission@brighterfuture.studio or reach out to me directly at aaron@brighterfuture.studio, alternatively, you can view our capabilities deck and detailed flagship cases here.
A Sprint for Founders Who Need to Show Up Strong
Special One-Time Offer from Aaron C. Leaman (Founder of Brighter Future):
If you’re at a point where you know your brand, communications, or investor materials need to evolve, this is your chance to build something solid, fast. Every year, we open three Sprint slots for purpose-led teams with under £1M in funding, outside of our usual cost structure. It’s our way of making high-quality brand and communications work more accessible to early-stage companies driving meaningful change.
Each Sprint includes:
Founder Origin Story Development
Mission, Vision, and Values Creation
Brand Identity and Style Guide
Landing Page Design and Build (Webflow)
Investor-Ready Pitch Deck Design with Editable Template
We shape each Sprint around your current phase and budget. If you’re building something that matters and want to show up with clarity and confidence, reply to this email or reach out directly.
Spotlight: Real Change Happens in the Cart, Not the Campaign
Late on a Tuesday evening, a woman stands in front of the chilled aisle at Lidl.
She’s tired. Budget is tight. She needs something easy to cook.
She sees a familiar pack: minced beef. Next to it, something else. Same style packaging. Slightly different label.
Hybrid Mince – 50 percent beef, 50 percent plant protein.
It’s cheaper. Looks the same. She grabs it and heads home.
Dinner gets made. No complaints. In fact, her teenage son says it tastes better than last week’s. It’s only when she’s putting the empty pack in the bin that she notices the back:
35 percent lower carbon footprint. Lower saturated fat. Same protein.
She pauses. She didn’t choose it because it was better for the planet.
She chose it because it was better for the moment.
But it turns out, it was better for the planet too.
That’s what real change looks like.
Not a campaign. Not a mission.
Just a small, repeatable decision.
And that decision was easy.
Why Familiar Messaging Kills Good Products
We see it everywhere.
Climate-smart. Planet-positive. Ethically sourced.
These words were once bold. Today, they’re background noise.
They no longer inspire action. They don’t differentiate. And for many, they create distance.
When sustainability is the lead, it feels like a lecture.
It asks people to care before it gives them a reason.
To stand out, your message needs to feel personal, useful, and timely.
Because if you sound like everyone else, or worse, if you sound out of touch; you’ll be treated like everyone else.
The Belief Gap Between Buyers and Brands
Surveys say people want sustainable products.
Actual purchasing data says otherwise.
Taste and price are still the top factors in food
Convenience and cost lead in packaging, fashion, and transport
Only a small percentage of consumers change habits based on environmental messaging
Even purpose-driven buyers respond more to relevance, identity, and social reinforcement than abstract impact claims.
People are not buying emissions reductions. They’re buying dinners their kids will eat, products that save them time, and choices that make them feel smart.
A 4-Part Messaging Shift to Earn Trust and Action
If you’re working on a climate, circular, or low-impact product, here’s what we’re helping clients do to reframe their message:
1. Start with relevance
Show how life is better today. Make the benefit immediate.
Shorten the distance between the problem and the payoff.
Example:
Instead of saying:
“Our materials are sustainable and low carbon.”
Say:
“Save £300 a month on packaging — no workflow changes needed.”
Tip: Lead with what improves right now.
If the benefit is immediate, the belief will follow.
2. Be specific
Replace vague words like “green” or “eco” with real, measurable details.
Consumer Example:
→ “£1.42 cheaper per meal”
→ “Twice as compact, easier to store”
→ “No plastic. Just pulp, starch, and water”
B2B or Technical Example:
→ “Cuts average fleet fuel costs by 12% across last-mile delivery”
→ “Meets upcoming EU Scope 3 reporting standards, no extra integration required”
→ “Switching saves 14 hours a week in manual sorting and packaging”
Tip: The more precise your claim, the more credible it feels, especially in procurement or investor settings.
3. Speak to the buyer’s identity
Help them feel proud of their choice. Respected. Clever. Prepared.
This is the kind of social proof that spreads naturally.
Example:
“Finally, something my kids actually eat that doesn’t cost more — and I feel better serving it.”
— Customer testimonial from a hybrid meat brand, in the same tone as its audience
Tip: Use testimonials that mirror how your customers speak.
Not lofty praise, but real, human phrasing.
If your customer says, “It just made sense,” that’s stronger than “This is an amazing sustainable innovation.”
4. Position sustainability as an earned insight, not a lead message
Let them discover it. Let it be the reason they feel even better about a decision they already made.
How to Make Your Story Land Without Saying “Sustainable”
Most climate brands open with what they think people want to hear.
“Good for the planet.”
“Sustainable and green.”
“Do the right thing.”
But this framing doesn’t land. It feels distant, generic, or even patronising.
People don’t want moral pressure. They want relevance.
Here’s how we help founders reframe that message into something buyers actually feel:
Instead of:
→ “Built for climate impact”
→ “Do the right thing”
→ “Sustainable and green”
Say:
→ “Built for your team, your customers, and your goals”
→ “£1.40 cheaper per meal, no compromise”
→ “The smarter choice. And yes, it happens to be better for the planet too”
But we don’t just mean say it.
You need to show it.
That means pricing, design, packaging, product experience, every element should reinforce the message before a single word is spoken.
When your offer looks smart, feels good, and delivers value upfront, people believe.
And that belief earns you the right to say more.
A Messaging Approach That Builds Belief
The best-performing brands we’ve supported don’t try to guilt or educate.
They remove friction. They make the right thing feel like the easy thing.
They don’t pitch sustainability. They make someone feel smart for choosing well.
And because of that, belief follows.
Final Reflection
We work with climate and circular economy teams across Europe and beyond. And again and again, we see the same pattern:
Clear product
Smart team
Good science
But a message that doesn’t land
The language of sustainability has become table stakes.
To win real belief, the message needs to feel personal, practical, and clear.
You don’t need to shout. You need to show.
Better storytelling is not about adding emotion.
It’s about removing assumptions.
Start with what matters to your buyer. Then earn the right to say more.
Explore Our Services
Whether you’re just starting or striving for new heights, these services are built to deliver results.
Communications Consulting, Content Development & Execution: High-trust, high-impact strategic communications to sharpen your voice and align your message across channels, from newsletters to social, speeches and more.
Investor & Partnership Storytelling: Success fee driven pitch support that helps you earn belief from day one, whether for pitch competition, partnerships or investment rounds, we’ve got you covered.
Brand and Identity Design: Strategic and visual foundations to help you show up with confidence and coherence across every touchpoint; from logos to brand systems, we build the assets and structure to scale.
Website Design: Tailored Webflow builds that communicate your credibility and value.
High-Level Design Support: Need reports, investor updates, or partner materials? We offer tailored design execution across your business-critical communications.
Know Someone Who Needs Support?
Refer a founder to Brighter Future Studio and earn a 10% commission on their first project. Let’s help more purpose-led teams win with brand and story. If this story resonated, or if you’re preparing for a high-stakes moment of your own; we’d love to help.
Thanks for reading.
If you’ve made it this far, feel free to share this with a founder, partner, or investor navigating these challenges. Or reach out directly to talk.
Best,
Aaron C. Leaman
LinkedIn | Capabilities Deck
Founder, Brighter Future
Personal: www.aaroncleaman.com
Company: www.BrighterFuture.Studio
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