A guide to best-in-class sustainability imagery
Speak producer Ellie Gascoigne shares her perspective on creating compelling visuals to accompany sustainability content, thinking outside the box with picture research – and demonstrating the ‘human’ side of environmental initiatives.
Wind farms. Green trees and glass office buildings. Solar panels. Workers in hi-vis jackets and hard hats. If you’ve ever typed ‘sustainability’ into a search engine or set out to learn more about a company’s environmental practices, these are probably some of the first images you’ve seen.
As evolving consumer values encourage brands to make ‘green’ changes to their practices, it has become increasingly important for them to communicate their progress in this area. A case study from Harvard Business Review revealed that firms prioritising sustainability benefit from improved financial performance, lower operational costs and increased investor interest. Plus, with 65% of consumers wanting to buy products or services from purpose-driven brands that advocate for sustainability, companies should invest time and resources into communicating these eco-friendly strategies.
Your organisation’s sustainability-focused content has to, first and foremost, be genuine and underpinned by a solid strategy. But, as part of this, you shouldn’t neglect a crucial detail: imagery.
Whether your comms team is struggling to visually capture complex climate-related topics or has yet to determine a clear approach, opting for all-too-common image options is bound to leave viewers feeling disconnected and unwilling to engage with your content. A lazy attitude to imagery may even imply that your strategy, too, is an afterthought – and not being treated with proper attention.
So, what can brands do to avoid falling into this trap?
1. Invest in photoshoots to show the real work being done
Image: Patagonia
Photographer: Keri Oberly
A 2016 study by Climate Visuals, which explored the seven key principles of visual climate change communication, suggested that viewers respond more positively to natural rather than posed images. With many on high alert for signs of corporate ‘greenwashing’ (when a firm makes false or misleading claims about its positive environmental impact), natural and authentic photography may be an important factor in maintaining audience trust.
From action shots to on-the-ground snaps, these images can be captured through commissioned photoshoots. Yes, these may have a greater upfront cost than stock imagery, but they will demonstrate the substance behind your strategy, help your visuals stand out from competitors – and enable audiences to see your efforts for themselves.
Patagonia appears to be ahead of the curve in this area. The clothing brand is well-known for its focus on addressing the environmental crisis – whether it’s championing community-owned energy or defending the natural wildernesses. Through a combination of on-location action shots and aerial-view imagery, the fashion brand’s choice of visuals helps to contextualise the impact of its environmental initiatives.
From highlighting the recycled materials used to create its products in Mexico to spotlighting workers repairing wetsuits in local US communities to reduce landfill waste, the brand’s content helps demonstrate the real work being done to give damaged clothing gear a new lease of life.
Image: Patagonia
Photographers: Ryan Struck, Buddy Pendergast
Image: Corona, Sungai Watch, Oceanic Global, Ichthion Ltd.
Image: Autodesk
Over on Instagram, beer brand Corona allows viewers to see its plastic pollution programme in action through on-the-ground photography.
Similarly, Autodesk uses reportage-style imagery to showcase the work of Heirloom – a startup supported by the software company – which aims to remove one billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2035.
2. Demonstrate the human impact of your initiatives
Humans naturally connect with other humans – and Climate Visuals’ study found that imagery capturing the impact of climate change on ‘real people’ could have a more powerful effect on audiences.
Instead of resorting to stereotypical inanimate symbols such as wind farms or solar panels to illustrate your content, pick visuals that will help your viewers relate to the subject matter quickly and easily.
For example, in one post highlighting Patagonia’s work with textile artisans in India, audiences are introduced to weaver Kankuben Mansukhbhai Manvar. She beams at the camera from the loom in her home.
Unilever also does this well. The consumer goods company puts people front and centre in its campaign to support regenerative farming and help improve soil health in Iowa. Viewers are drawn in by an introduction to Doug Honeck, a farmer supported by the initiative, before moving on to read information about the programme in a slideshow graphic.
Image: Unilever
Documentary by: The Climate Pledge
Director: Laura Checkoway
3. Get creative with picture research
Time and budget constraints may make it impossible for you to commission photoshoots for every content campaign. But brands can still use stock images (purchased from stock libraries) or sourced images (obtained from individuals or companies) without resorting to dull, tired or uninspiring options.
Instead of turning to the first mainstream image library that springs to mind, research alternative sources that will help your pictures stand out and stay relevant to your subject matter. There are plenty of lesser-known image libraries that work with specialist photographers.
Take Connected Archives, which boasts an international pool of photographers and a wealth of eye-catching imagery. The archive also features curated photography collections focused on trending topics – including an album called Mother Earth, which is full of artistic nature images.
Image: Connected Archives Image: Connected Archives
Photographer: Franz Grünewald Photographer: Alecio Ferrari
Atmos, a pioneering magazine that focuses on stories of climate and culture, uses an abstract visual approach to engage its viewers. By finding photographers online and sourcing otherworldly images such as close-ups of colourful mould and a sea slug releasing ink, Atmos is doing more than plainly illustrating a topic. It is choosing visual representations that add deeper insights and context to the subject matter.
Image: Atmos, Aron Sanchez-Baranda, University of Michigan
Image: The Nue Co.
The Nue Co., a health brand that prides itself on being a sustainable company, takes a similar approach. For a post exploring the sun’s antibacterial properties, the company chose a close-up view of the sun’s surface – similar to visuals found in NASA’s image library. The result is more impactful than a typical picture of the sun, which audiences are likely to have seen in some form countless times before.
Key takeaways
As useful as stock image libraries can be in broadening your photography options, they can’t always provide you with photos that will bring your climate-related corporate comms to life.
If you want your sustainability content to communicate a real commitment to helping tackle the climate crisis, visuals can’t be an afterthought. Audiences with a keen finger on the dial of climate news are bound to have seen it all before – and it will take more than serene images of wind farms and solar panels to hold their attention.
So, invest in photoshoots that show the real work your brand is doing, demonstrate the human impact of your initiatives and think carefully about picture research. Tailored imagery that supports an authentic sustainability strategy will help you build a more genuine connection with your audience – and tell the stories that really matter to them.
Lead image: USGS/NASA/Landsat 7
Need advice on creating best-in-class sustainability assets? Contact Gabrielle Bridle from our client services team at gabriellebridle@speakmedia.co.uk or on LinkedIn.
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