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A number of marketers, TV producers and film executives have told me that climate stories don’t sell. However, there’s plenty of evidence that proves the contrary. This summer, the tornado thriller Twisters played to sold-out theaters across the U.S.This coming December, in honor of the 10th anniversary of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar, Paramount Pictures is re-releasing the sci-fi film that takes place against the backdrop of catastrophic changing weather patterns and global drought.
What sets us (humans) apart from other inhabitants of Earth is our imagination. This might be our most redemptive quality — because, through the power of story, we can evolve. Whether storytelling is immersive or investigative, scripted or unscripted, or fact or fiction, if a moral argument is at play and if a character is transformed, consumers will be captivated. If the world can come together to form a united front addressing climate change, it could be the most transformative story of our time.
Some organizations leading this charge include climate-focused newsrooms and media companies, such as Grist and Drilled, as well as nonprofits such as Daughters for Earth, the Environmental Media Association, and the marketing and advertising collective, Creatives for Climate.
From Immersive to Investigative
During the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity in 2023, a group of secret green agents (members of the Creatives for Climate team) descended upon the promenade to hand out greenwash swatches that explain various shades of greenwashing and help people easily identify them. The cleverly designed swatch is downloadable for free on the Creatives for Climate website and was distributed at an ideal time. In 2023, the ESG data and research company, RepRisk, reported instances of greenwashing rising 35% overall, with greenwashing in the financial services and banking sectors increasing 70%.
Founded by Lucy Von Sturmer, Creatives for Climate is the leading network and membership platform for creative climate action, spanning 40,000 entrepreneurs, employees and ethical agencies. When Von Sturmer started the network collective, she was looking to answer how the power of influence, marketing and persuasion could be activated to scaling solutions, instead of pollution. Companies can take a cue from Creatives for Climate and hold themselves accountable and incorporate standards for themselves that are compliant with government regulations and meet consumer demands.
It was through Von Sturmer that I met Amy Westervelt, an award-winning journalist and founder of the investigative climate news platform Drilled.
What started as an audio project in 2017 grew into a multi-media destination for audiences seeking deep investigations and long-form reports about the fossil fuel industry, policy, climate disinformation and forces obstructing climate action. Investigative journalism and accountability reporting are foundational to the climate movement and to business at large. Without accountability as individuals, communities and companies, our society is lost.
The fossil fuel industry has been unified in its messaging for decades and continues to spread misinformation to slow down the world’s transition to renewable energy. Imagine what companies focused on climate-positive practices could accomplish if they formed a united front on their messaging and overarching narrative. The climate movement could set an example for other communities around the world that face narrative challenges. Through unified storytelling, solidarity and what seems impossible becomes possible.
The Rolling Stone Culture Council is an invitation-only community for Influencers, Innovators and Creatives. Do I qualify?
From the Pen to the Page to Production
While attending the EMA (Environmental Media Association) Impact Summit, organized by veteran environmental and entertainment leader EMA CEO Debbie Levin and EMA Creative Director Asher Levin, media, entertainment and corporate leaders converged to discuss how to position climate action as the North Star for Hollywood projects from the pen to the page to production.
With notable groups such as Climate Basecamp, led by Rainn Wilson and Dr. Gail Whiteman, speaking science to power, Josh Trickell, one half of the husband-and-wife documentary directing duo behind the regenerative agriculture-focused films Kiss the Ground and Common Ground discussing future plans for he and his partner Rebecca Trickell’s climate film studio, Big Picture Ranch, and Hillary Clinton speaking about how climate change is affecting brain development in children, it’s clear that climate-driven storytelling is only going to pick up more steam and capital. Companies can follow the lead of the EMA community, as it strives to integrate sustainability into every aspect of entertainment. The 2024 EMA Awards, which celebrate environmental storytelling and sustainable production in media, will take place on October 26.
From Fact and Fiction
The nonprofit Daughters for Earth, founded by Zainab Salbi, has put a creative twist on crafting stories about the female heroes the organization supports. As part of its Hummingbird Effect Campaign, Daughters for Earth sends a graphic novel celebrating a woman working at the forefront of environmental stewardship to donors. Each novel interweaves their stories, highlighting the science behind their work, as well as actional tips for tackling climate change in the everyday life of readers.
Tapping into the power of fiction, independent nonprofit media organization, Grist, holds an annual climate fiction short story contest. The competition invites writers from around the world to imagine a future in which creative climate solutions and community-centered adaptations are helping humanity envision solutions to the climate crisis. Grist’s Climate Fiction Creative Manager and Network Weaver, Tory Stephens, believes climate fiction has the power to transform the abstract into the personal, and that’s why it’s so powerful. By weaving together compelling narratives, storytellers can encourage audiences to see climate change not just as a scientific problem, but as a human one.
Companies investing in communications strategies to promote their corporate nature journeys and climate pledges can take inspiration from both Daughters for Earth and Grist’s Imagine 2200 project on how to tell imaginative and emotional, science-based stories.
Greenhouse gas emissions and nature impact reporting don’t have to be technical at all times. By combining human-centered and creative stores with nature-positive practices for doing business, a company can set itself apart from the crowd and accusations of greenwashing. From a company’s bottom line to consumer loyalty, this kind of storytelling sells.
