There’s a fungus among us. Biobranding — the use of organic forms in branded content — has become a popular marketing tool recently, which makes us wonder what’s beneath the surface of this evergreen trend.
Stock media that looks alive
Natural materials suggest a raw, unrefined constitution that brands know consumers value. According to a 2021 report commissioned by the World Wide Fund for Nature, we’re living in the Eco-Wakening, an ecological reckoning characterized by a global swell of interest in green consumerism. People consistently want to see sustainability communicated in brand messaging and are often more likely to interact with products that reflect their ideals. Where typical marketing language may fall short of speaking to these principles, subtle aesthetic pairings and thoughtful execution communicate brand values on a more subliminal level.
A sustained ecosystemic force
Using eco-friendly alternatives to traditional products has been popular in Western culture since the 1960s and 70s, and in 1989, most Americans were likely to spend 10-15% more on products that were sustainable. Today, at least 72% more consumers buy products that are safe for the environment than in 2014. Across industries worldwide, we’re seeing a desire for transparency and environmental resonance. In turn, companies are developing stronger optical identities that reflect an understanding of this global shift toward sustainable business practices and means for production which directly support our broader ecosystem. We can expect to see an even more expansive visual language for environmental consciousness forming in the near future.
Whether used as a marketing tactic or applied thoughtfully with a desire for lasting ecosystemic unity, biobranding speaks to an urgent shift in priority for all of us. Our planet and all its inhabitants depend greatly on our combined efforts to maintain a steady course toward fully sustainable ecological communities across the globe.
Make your marketing materials more than just aesthetic with our crop of biological curiosities.
Author Dee Lamar Mills (they/she) is a non-binary transgender storyteller with their eyes on a bright star somewhere far beyond the perimeter of this galaxy.
