The ESG illusion: Why awards, agencies, and brands must rethink purpose-led campaigns

In today’s award-driven advertising landscape, where purpose-led campaigns dominate the spotlight, a deeper question is resurfacing, how much of that purpose actually translates into real-world impact? Can brands get by on powerful storytelling alone, or must their sustainability messaging be backed by meaningful action on the ground?

The controversy around Britannia’s Cannes-winning campaign may be one instance, but it points to a larger reckoning for the industry. As purpose becomes the currency of recognition, the disconnect between optics and outcomes is becoming too stark to ignore.

Time and again, similar concerns have surfaced globally.

For instance in the UK, climate-related advertising is facing growing scrutiny. The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has banned multiple campaigns including two from HSBC for presenting a skewed picture of their environmental efforts. While the bank highlighted its initiatives to cut emissions, the ads failed to mention its ongoing investments in fossil fuels, leading the ASA to deem them misleading. Even government-backed ads have come under fire, with some being pulled for exaggerating climate risks.

Last year, PepsiCo's ‘Green Vibes Only’ campaign was criticized for greenwashing, despite the company's increasing plastic footprint.

These moves reflect not just regulatory pressure, but a broader reckoning with greenwashing and growing demand for authenticity in sustainability claims.
Experts say the Britannia controversy is part of a larger trend, where purpose-driven campaigns are often led by storytelling, not substance.

Over the past decade, themes like sustainability and social impact have dominated award circuits. While this signals a welcome shift toward responsible messaging, without credible backing, many such campaigns risk becoming performative, crafted more for applause than actual change.

Sumanto Chattopadhyay, a seasoned advertising veteran who has led top agencies like WPP's 82point5 Communications and Ogilvy, explains why purpose-driven messaging needs to be rooted in truth and not just storytelling.

"With purpose-driven campaigns, brands can’t just rely on poetic claims or clever messaging, they need to back it up with real action on the ground. Unlike comic or exaggerated ads where the consumer expects dramatization, purpose-led work like sustainability or women empowerment requires factual integrity. If the brand’s actual practices don’t align, audiences will call it out, as they did in the Britannia campaign. You can’t say ‘ Nature Shapes Britannia’ on a hoarding while your own annual report shows rising plastic wastage. In the race to win awards, you can’t cross the line between creative storytelling and manufacturing facts," he said.

“Sustainability cannot be treated as a communications layer, it must be a core business strategy,” said Sanjay Tripathy, Co-founder and CEO of BRISKPE.

“When storytelling outpaces operational reality, it erodes consumer trust. The Britannia episode is not an isolated example, it’s part of a wider industry trend.”

Taking a firm view on the ethics of greenwashing, Sanjay Trehan, digital and new media advisor, said, “Sustainability should be at the heart of any responsible business,” he said.

“Playing with it in a smart-alecky manner detracts from the brand promise. You may win an award, but such triumphs are pyrrhic.”

The right way to avoid accusations of greenwashing, marketers and agencies must build checks and balances into the creative process. This includes independent review of ESG (Environmental, social, and governance) claims, verifiable data disclosures, and tighter collaboration between creative, product, and sustainability teams, experts said.

“Sustainability claims must be based on sustained action, credible data, and measurable impact,” said Trehan. “Otherwise, they are hogwash.”

Tripathy agrees. He said, “The narrative should emerge from what the company is doing, not what it wants to be seen doing. Third-party validation and independent review processes must become the norm.”

According to Sandeep Goyal, Chairman, Rediffusion, Sustainability has to be a way of life for a corporate round the clock and through out the year.

“It has to become not a ritual but your religion,” he said.

He also highlighted some of the ongoing sustainability-focused campaigns they’re working on. For Tata Power, this includes a broad initiative exploring various aspects of the 'Go Green' message, such as solar rooftops, electric vehicle charging, energy audits, and cooling-as-a-service.

Additionally, as part of the Eco-Drive initiative, they’re rolling out a school outreach program in Uttar Pradesh, aiming to engage around 1,000 schools on themes of sustainability at the grassroots level.

The row has also reignited debate over how advertising awards like Cannes Lions evaluate campaigns with environmental claims. As more campaigns with ESG themes dominate award circuits, many believe the system itself needs recalibration.

“There must be a higher bar for campaigns that make environmental claims,” said Tripathy.
“ESG audits or verified data should be mandatory, not an afterthought. Otherwise, we’re just rewarding the best storytelling, regardless of whether it’s grounded in truth or not.”

Trehan added, “The award can’t be judged in isolation. What impact did it create? Is the data credible? Was there third-party validation? All these aspects need to be looked into.”
Experts say the onus is now on brands, agencies, and the awards ecosystem to rethink how ESG stories are framed and evaluated.

“Creativity is a powerful tool, but only when backed by brand values and demonstrable change,” said Trehan. “It must come from a genuine desire to make a difference, not a copywriter’s illusion or delusion.”

A lot of experts believe that going forward, the most effective campaigns should be a cross-functional collaborative effort between creative leads, ESG officers, and operations.

“We need systems thinkers at the table, not just storytellers, especially with sensitive purpose driven camaigns” one expert said on conditions of anonymity.

As scrutiny around sustainability claims tightens, both online and in the boardroom, brands will need to treat ESG less like a storyline and more like a shared responsibility.

The stakes are higher now, and the audience is paying attention.