Sustainable marketing as a catalyst for change

What can marketing really achieve today – beyond sales and consumption? Maximilian Mauracher, co-founder of the Berlin agency NEW STANDARD.STUDIO, is radically rethinking marketing: as a tool for sustainable change. In conversation with Prof. Dr. Bert Neumeister from the master's degree program in Digital Marketing, he explains how design, communication, and attitude belong together – and why young talent with fresh ideas is now more in demand than ever. A conversation for everyone who sees marketing not just as a profession, but as a lever for change.

PLEASE TELL US LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF, NEW STANDARD.STUDIO, AND YOUR WORK.

Maximilian Mauracher: „I am Maximilian Mauracher, co-founder and CEO Managing Director of NEW STANDARD.STUDIO, a strategy consultancy and creative agency for the circular economy. We work at the intersection of sustainability, communication, and design with the goal of helping companies understand, improve, and visualize their impact. My background is in branding and strategic communication, but my motivation is now stronger than ever: to accompany companies through real change. Together with our interdisciplinary team, we develop communication strategies, visual identities, and campaigns, but we also support companies in strategy development, goal setting, and implementation. We believe in design as a catalyst—not only for attention, but also for transformation.“

ARE STRONG AND CONTEMPORARY BRANDS ALWAYS SUSTAINABLE? 

Mauracher: „Today, strong brands must be sustainable – anything else is no longer acceptable. But a good story alone is not enough. Only when attitudes are backed up by genuine action can trust and relevance be established. In our work, we see that consumers – whose role is changing significantly in the circular economy because they are no longer just consumers, but so much more – and partners are looking very closely. A brand that is consistent, credible, and transparent has a better chance of success in the long term – including economically."

IS THERE A CONTRADICTION BETWEEN SUSTAINABILITY AND PROFITABILITY?

Mauracher: „The supposed contradiction between sustainability and profitability is often a misconception. In the short term, sustainable business practices may require investment, but in the long term, they create resilience, innovative strength, and new markets. When implemented correctly, sustainability is not a cost driver but a competitive advantage. Brands that understand this grow more responsibly—and more successfully.

The brands of companies that only invest in performance marketing or short-term success these days lose their significance in the long run; they erode. There is a reason why big brands invest a lot of money in brand-building communication—so that they remain big brands.

But: How a brand is has little to do with sustainability. We locate that internally, in performance – the product, service, or business model can be sustainable. The brand then reflects that externally – but anyone who is only a sustainable brand with little behind it will be skating on thin ice with the upcoming regulations."

CAN YOU GIVE US AN EXAMPLE OF HOW MARKETING MEASURES CAN SUCCESSFULLY SUPPORT A COMPANY'S SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY?

Mauracher: „We have a great example among our customers, right here in our region: Since 2020, we have been working with Montanwerke Brixlegg AG, Austria's only copper smelter that produces 100% recycled copper – which is unique worldwide. We then looked at the company's corporate and sustainability strategy, which quickly became one and the same. The topic of circular economy, where the company was already performing well, then became the core of the brand – the new claim Championing Circularity underlines this, and we completely turned B2B marketing on its head, earning praise even from direct competitors. This holistic approach, i.e., consistently working on an issue that is essential to the company both internally and externally, improving it, and communicating it to the outside world as a USP, is driving the company to take further ambitious steps.“

HOW DO YOU INVOLVE PEOPLE FROM OUTSIDE THE COMPANY IN YOUR WORK? FOR EXAMPLE, IN THE PROJECT: NEIGHBOURHOOD DISCUSSIONS?

Mauracher: „That is essential for us. Anyone working strategically or in the field of sustainability and communication today must focus on external stakeholders. At first glance, this may complicate projects, but it ensures a much better result. It is important to us to approach projects with an open mind – in other words, to say that we don't yet know what the best solution is, but that we are curious and want to find out together with the company and its stakeholders. Involving target groups at an early stage creates so much more clarity and orientation – I wouldn't want to do without it anymore.

Local impact is also important to us—we are based in Berlin, a big city that often seems very anonymous, which is why we love projects that take place on our doorstep and make an impact. The neighborhood discussions, held at long tables throughout the district—where 300,000 people from a wide variety of backgrounds live—have led to great conversations and moments. These are the small but wonderful projects we are passionate about. And at the same time, we generate exciting insights for our work with public clients and NGOs: only when we step outside our bubble can we find new solutions with an open mind. In concrete terms, this means we organize discussions in the neighborhood, bring civil society actors together around one table, create spaces for exchange, and translate complex topics into accessible, tangible experiences. This creates trust, acceptance, and genuine participation. For us, sustainability is not an elite project, but a social issue.

Last year, for example, we opened our own repair and rental shop in a shopping center so we could see how people actually feel about these issues and what they think about them. Repairs are free of charge because the shop is located in an area with lower household incomes, and we wanted to see what would happen if price was no longer a relevant factor in people's decisions. And lo and behold: suddenly, everyone wants to have their things repaired and use them for longer. This shows that we can also inspire people who are not particularly interested in sustainability to adopt sustainable lifestyles – we just have to make it really accessible to them. We gain a lot of insights from projects like this – no market research in the world could replace this direct experience and exchange.“

WHAT SKILLS SHOULD MARKETING STUDENTS HAVE IN ORDER TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR CAREERS IN THE FIELD OF SUSTAINABILITY?

Mauracher: „From my point of view, what is needed above all is systemic thinking, curiosity, and the ability to explain complex interrelationships—but in a new, emotional, and fresh way. Sustainability is not a solo issue, but touches on design, business, social issues, and politics. Those who can build bridges here—between stakeholders, disciplines, and target groups—have a clear advantage. If we want to transform our economy from linear to circular – and that is at least the political goal across the party landscape – then we need new stories, new narratives, new status symbols. Marketing must change in order to still be meaningful in times of climate collapse and polycrises – so anyone who wants to gain a foothold in this area needs to have a very clear idea of the power of marketing and what they want to use it for. And a good dose of adaptability can't hurt either...“

Links:

• NEW STANDARD.STUDIO | Website
• NEW STANDARD.STUDIO | LinkedIn
• Digital Marketing | work-friendly full-time master's degree
• Marketing & Communication Management | pt