Perhaps one of the most prominent cultural moments to stay with us following this year’s COP26 conference in Glasgow were the words used by climate change activist Greta Thunberg in response to conference leaders' climate change proclamations —  her critical “blah, blah, blah…” sending powerful ripples through our collective consciousness.

I would hope the leaders were paying attention, because Greta’s response, which some say is harsh, is authentic and reflects a modern push towards holding corporations and brands accountable for working towards a more sustainable future. In other words, when Greta says “blah, blah, blah,” what she means is that the time to speak is finished and the time to act is now. 

But more importantly, the onus is on corporate leaders to enact true change. In this one simple statement, Greta Thunberg brought to light how the responsibility for solving the climate crisis has shifted from the individual consumer to those in power; namely the large organisations that must take action at scale to affect meaningful environmental change.

Inviting individuals to take ‘greener’ steps in their daily lives isn’t enough anymore. Now it is time for brands to actively show consumers their true commitment to sustainability. Indeed, the majority of UK consumers say they expect brands to act responsibly and drive positive environmental change.

In adopting a more thoughtful approach to their visual communications, brands can better connect with consumers, delivering on promises of transparency, authenticity, and a real commitment to sustainability.

Visions of sustainability: Now and then

The imagery around sustainability has changed dramatically in the past few decades. Back in 2006, when Al Gore launched his documentary, ‘An Inconvenient Truth,’ the image of the lone polar bear atop a melting icecap pulled at our heartstrings. This image portrayed the bleakness of the climate crisis and the need to act swiftly to rectify the situation. Back then, the term ‘environmentally friendly’ was commonly used to refer to actions that could help solve climate change.

Today, both the imagery and the phrasing around climate and sustainability have changed. Whereas a decade ago, sustainability was illustrated with imagery of reusable water bottles or the iconic polar bear, today, the images that resonate most with consumers are of institutional change; wind or solar farms, for instance.

Consumers now expect brands to be transparent about their commitment to sustainability and, broadly, towards ‘social good.’ This dovetails with environmental social governance (ESG) efforts on the rise at large organisations today.

In this demand for greater transparency, the words ‘circularity’ and ‘sustainability’ have become key search terms for brands using Getty Images’. Our research shows that consumers are drawn to these terms and their corresponding images because they fit better with the demand for increased authenticity from brands. Consumers want to see the specific methods brands are implementing to achieve a more sustainable future.

Visual representations drive sustainable behaviours

A recent survey at Getty Images revealed that visuals drive consumer behaviour around sustainability, with 55% of people saying they only buy products from brands that make an effort to show that they are eco-conscious. Hence the importance for brands to use visuals that accurately reflect their actions, whether it be investing in reforestation efforts or using renewable energy to power the manufacturing processes that make their products.

Visuals are not only a powerful way of demonstrating transparency, but by using the right imagery, brands can positively influence consumers to also do their part in contributing to a more sustainable future through positive habits such as recycling, investing in reusable products and using renewable energy.

Shifting trends in visual search

Visual media reflects the changing notions of how consumers view brands and creates a new visualisation of the world. At Getty Images, we have seen keywords such as ‘ESG’ increase by over +900%, ‘net zero’ increase by +500% and ‘circular economy’ by +375% in the last 12 months alone.

In news imagery, there’s been a +420% increase in the number of images related to ‘global warming’ and a +472% increase in images around ‘clean energy’ this year. These search trends reflect an evolution in the words we use, and an evolution in how brands choose to portray themselves to showcase their commitment to sustainability.

By improving on the types of visual imagery and the keywords driving them, brands are able to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and positively connect with consumers, who reward brands behaving consciously and authentically by mirroring it with their own behaviour.

After all, actions speak louder than words and when brands visually demonstrate their own positive actions through the imagery they use, consumers will hear more than just the ‘blah, blah, blah’ of promises. They will be able to see the result of a commitment to real action.