As we approach CHARGE North America (18-19 May), we’ve been asking our top speakers and partners to reveal their approach to branding in energy. In this article, we speak to Diana Castellanos, Head of Marketing & Communications at Atlas Renewable Energy
1. Congratulations on winning the CHARGE World’s Best Green Brand in 2022. What advice would you give to other companies considering entering?
It has been a great honor for Atlas Renewable Energy and our Marketing and Communications team to receive this award, not only for what it means but also for how thorough the selection process was. For companies considering entering, I would advise presenting a solid branding strategy that showcases real and tangible evidence of your company’s commitment to sustainability and innovative approach to accelerating the adoption of sustainable solutions, products and services.
2. What impact does ESG have on brand identity now, and how important will it be in the future?
ESG has increasingly become one of the most regarded aspects of a brand. Not having a well-thought-out ESG strategy and not making this part of your brand’s DNA will result in a lack of public trust and decreased customer loyalty. Even employees will question if they want to work for a company that is not committed to better practices. Your company’s approach to ESG will surely make or break your reputation. I think that, very shortly, companies will have to integrate a strong ESG strategy as a testament to their commitment to making things better for society and the environment. This commitment needs to be substantiated with actual actions – being true and devoted to always talking the talk and walking the walk will make a massive difference to a company’s outlook.
3. What do you think are today’s top branding and communication challenges?
Being relevant and authentic tends to be the biggest challenge in every industry. The amount of information that we receive daily is overwhelming. Therefore, personalization, even for a B2B business, is crucial. Customers and stakeholders experience with your brand is more relevant than ever and both individuals and companies are more inclined to be associated with brands that represent their values and beliefs while providing a great customer experience, reliability, competitiveness and all the other traits we tend to ponder about when choosing.
4. What lessons have you learned about simplifying complex concepts/technologies for branding and communications?
Simplifying any complex concept requires, as a first step, a deep understanding from our side as communicators. Then we must determine what makes this concept, technology, solution, etc., relevant to our audience. We must ask ourselves why they need to know about this and how they can benefit from it. Only then are we ready to put it in plain and easy-to-understand language, tying it to symbols and analogies they already know.
5. What advice would you leave brand and marketing leaders going into 2023/24?
I believe consumers and companies will be even more conscious about their choices in the near future; therefore, it will be crucial for brand and marketing leaders to ensure that the products, solutions and services they market have practical value and are aligned with social and environmentally responsible practices. To market these products and services we must continue to find innovative ways to establish deeper and meaningful connections with our audience. To achieve this, AI data-driven intelligence, product placement through influencer marketing and a more robust strategy toward misinformation and ethical practices will most likely be the focus of marketing and branding departments in the coming years, in my opinion.
