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For Giving Tuesday, Charlotte Zamboni and Nicky O'Malley talk about how brands are engaging with Black Friday now, how our experience of it is different during a cost of living crisis, and how this impacts on charitable giving.

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As part of this, we've launched our "5 Minute GAP" series, a collection of five minute conversations that will share how we work and what we're working on. We'll talk about what we're trying to achieve and why, how we function as an organisation, and the thinking behind our plans and strategy.

 

We'll be regularly sharing these conversations, which will feature different members of our team and trustee board, as well as external experts.

 

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If you prefer to read rather than watch, the transcription is here:

Charlotte: So what did you think in terms of Black Friday this year? Did it feel as kind of dominant and pervasive as in previous years? Do you think we're still as obsessed as ever and kind of getting our bargains and buying as much as possible randomly at the end of November?

Nicky: It's interesting, isn't it? I think year on year it’s started to tail off in terms of the extent to which brands really hook into that. But it was really interesting this year. I did note some really lovely examples from across different brands in terms of how they were promoting themselves. And actually, lots of companies tend to steer away from it entirely now and actually genuinely don't post at all for that weekend. And they make that moral decision to be outside of the impetus around it because it is that... I think it's really challenging for brands to find a space to get it right. If they are environmentally aware, it's difficult to get that moment right, isn't it?

It's challenging and I think we've talked about it before, haven't we? That sort of greenhushing. Brands can be nervous to do the wrong thing. So in some cases, they try to stay out of these conversations. But there were some really lovely examples I thought of brands showing their values and aligning with charities and causes that were really their heartland and resonated with their hearts and their communities. So, yeah, I thought that was lovely. I thought it was an interesting year. It's interesting to watch the discussion around it this year.

Charlotte: Yes, definitely. I agree that it felt as though it was slightly less kind of furiously “buy buy buy!” I don't know how much of that is the sensitivity around the cost-of-living crisis as well. And brands are having to play that very carefully. While obviously discount is beneficial for some people, the whole notion of excess buying that Black Friday is associated with is something that I think they're all wanting to navigate carefully.

And you're right, you know, you can't spend half the year talking about your kind of environmental position and then wholeheartedly back Black Friday. So I think it's becoming, rightly, complicated and a little bit toxified around the edges, not as much as it could be, I still saw an awful lot of brands that I quite respect doing sort of 30% off. And you know, I suppose it's tough times for businesses. So to a certain extent they are using it as a moment to raise their profile. But yeah, interesting to see that the conversation has become a little bit more recognising of the impacts for people and planet in the world that we find ourselves in this particular winter.

Nicky: It's interesting that you brought up the cost of living crisis, because actually, we have to be really mindful of that. And people are genuinely watching... we’re all going to be watching the pennies this year and some people to a huge degree deciding whether to turn the heating on or buy Christmas presents. So, it's really important to be mindful about that need for cost cutting and saving money. And I think us in the environmental sector need to be mindful of those really deeply felt challenges whilst also looking at the stats behind it. You know, we know that often deals that are promoted on Black Friday are actually… transpire to be the same price or better actually at other times of the year. So effectively it is really a tool to force that consumption into that moment. And so I think the knowledge piece around helping people to be aware of that and that it is that forced consumption and therefore the rising emissions factor, that intertwined with that that we're against not the concept of saving money and being mindful of family finances. You know, I think there's something around that intersection. It's just important to be to be mindful of.

Charlotte: Yes, I completely agree. And actually, you know, it's really interesting to hear how that's being navigated with the kind of giving and philanthropy place as well. You know, I watch a little bit of the Children In Need and positioning that in the context of “we know this year is difficult for you”, it’s softening some of the sort of ask. And it's interesting, isn't it, in the context of Giving Tuesday, which is such an important counter to Black Friday and so important that we kind of do juxtapose Black Friday with, not just the fact that we also give some money away as well as save some money, but also what it says about our nation and our world, that we're compassionate people and that we do care about others, and that that caring is on a mass scale.

I mean, Giving Tuesday is huge now and global and it sends such a strong message around the fact that we all do need to live as global citizens. But it is tricky times and it's difficult to ask of people. And that's why, I suppose, the role of business comes in, isn't it, that business can soften some of that ask because it can represent giving in the context of an organization, rather than always putting the pressure on struggling individuals.

Nicky: On the individual. Yeah. And obviously for us as an environmental charity, we'd like them to be giving to the environmental sector. Obviously at that point they can give to whichever charity resonates for them and their staff and their votes. But I suppose historically that sort of money and those sorts of donations would have gone into the health sector a bit more. And looking after kids in the health sector, whereas actually and all of those things remain as vitally important as they always have been, but I think we're particularly interested in drawing that link between the environmental impact of consumption. And therefore for us, I think we see Giving Tuesday and the Big Give as an opportunity to counterbalance that consumption with that support for the environmental charities like ourselves.

Charlotte: Yes, I agree. People quite often think that environmental action happens just by default. We're not necessarily seen as a charitable sector and a sector that needs the support of business and public. And we know there's so many intersections between the harms to people that come through environmental harms. So if you want to support causes that connect with people, the environment... we know the immediate and the long term damages created by kind of environmental harms. So it is a way of doing that. But as you say, it's really important that people see the environmental sector.

You know, we're a small organization. We need income to do the really important campaigning, mobilizing and awareness raising that we do. So again, Giving Tuesday is a fantastic opportunity for organizations such as ourselves to reach out and put that ask out for support.