Influencers have made a home for sustainability conversations on TikTok, but brands are finding it harder to bring their sustainability initiatives to the fore. Events that focus on sustainability in an open forum, such as this week’s Puma People’s Conference in London, are proving effective in engaging target audiences.
On Tuesday, Puma launched a first-of-its-kind event called Puma COP, styled after the annual UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. The event attracted East London’s Gen Zers with its focus on local BIPOC makers and communities. Online viewership and participation was available through a dedicated Puma COP website.
All things sustainability were discussed in a town hall setting alongside dedicated panels from Puma and its supply chain partners. The audience was encouraged to ask tough questions and offer critiques through the Slido app, accessible via QR codes in the panel space and online. Questions from attendees focused on how Puma is weighing its profits against overproduction, how it’s doing with Scope 3 emissions, and how a short-term focus that appeases investors can hinder long-term sustainability goals.
The underlining theme of the event was how brands can communicate directly with their audience while supporting sustainability efforts. The event also brought immersive digital experiences, permanent product displays and screen printing activations. Puma also showcased its Re:Suede sneaker, which was launched through a trial in April. Forbes found that 62% of Gen Z prefer to buy from sustainable brands and are willing to pay more for ethically produced goods. And while Shein’s merchandise isn’t going away, more Gen-Z consumers are focusing on asking tough questions of brands before buying from them.
At the event, Puma CEO Bjørn Gulden said that although the brand has done well – it scored highest on BoF’s sustainability index, above Kering and Levi’s – it still has a way to go. “We all know we haven’t done enough. The industry has done a lot [of good] in recent years, especially our suppliers, and we have changed. However, the only way we will continue to change is by working in partnership with our competitors.”
Event attendees said they wanted more interactive elements and clearer information on Puma’s sustainability efforts. “If [brands] really want to engage people, then they need to do just that and make it more engaging,” participant Rachael told Glossy. “Big brands will usually do anything to avoid the appeal. Seeing that [Puma was] the willingness to take criticism in front of people at their event was very cool.”
Puma’s head of sourcing, Anne-Laure Descours said the next generation has the right to engage directly with brands. “Today is about cooperation, commitment and maintaining a very positive mentality. There’s a lot of good will, energy and ambition out there to fix what’s going on [in the industry]”, she said at this event.
Other brands are turning to Gen-Z employees for feedback. Italian footwear brand Golden Goose hosted its first “Iheadon Forward” in July, where employees across its corporate and retail teams came together to brainstorm innovative ideas around sustainability.
European events like Puma’s have a direct advantage, as local brands like Stella McCartney and Marine Serre have long focused on attracting a younger, sustainability-focused demographic. Q&A-style events may become more popular as brands focus on speaking directly to their audience.
“Successful Gen-Z events are all about community engagement – tapping into a common bond or unifying interest among a core group of people and translating those values creatively into real-life, hands-on experiences,” said Larry Milstein. , co-founder of Gen-Strategy Z and marketing firm PRZM, which has partnered on events for Soho House and Sotheby’s. He added that brands should now look at their Gen Z-focused events as opportunities to promote hyper-local and social elements that bring inclusion and unique experiences together.
