A lot of people ask us what we’re doing to build awareness of the B Corp™ brand. So we sat down with our Marketing Manager, Katie, to hear about the state of B Corp brand awareness in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand — and what to expect in the year ahead.
Let’s start with the big one. How well do people actually know the B?
Better than ever! Right now, 34% of people in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand recognise the B Corp logo. That’s a huge jump from when I started at B Lab. The first time we measured awareness in 2023, it was sitting around 10%! So seeing a third of people recognise the logo feels like a real milestone and a sign of how far the movement has come since we started in the region in 2013.
We also see that many of these people are actively seeking out B Corp products and services, and it guides their decisions on everything from purchasing to employers. I know that’s the case for me, so it’s amazing to know others are doing the same.
You’ve run a fair few campaigns over the years. Any favourites?
Plenty! There’s our annual B Corp Month campaign every March, which helped us reach 3.2 million social media impressions globally — and even more through B Corps’ channels. But my favourite to date has to be Better Business, our region’s first above-the-line advertising campaign. We couldn’t have pulled it off without some amazing partners. Huge thanks to The Hallway, Plaza Films (and the brilliant director Paul Middleditch), and Benedictus Media for their generous support in bringing our creative to life across TV and billboards. It was a true team effort, co-funded by B Lab AANZ and 47 Certified B Corporations across the region who rallied together to get our message out to millions of Australians and New Zealanders. We saw the biggest jump in awareness ever last year off the back of it, so we know the momentum is building.
What’s the secret to building awareness?
Honestly, it’s our B Corps. They’re the biggest contributor by far. They have access to their own distinct audiences, and the more they educate people about what it means to be a B Corp, the more people we reach. We try to give them the right tools to tell their story with confidence, whether that be the certification announcement guide for new B Corps, the campaign toolkit each B Corp Month, or easy-to-use, approved language on the new Brand Book site. That doesn’t mean we sit back. We still invest in storytelling on our own channels and pitch stories to media, but we know from other regions that B Corp storytelling is the fastest way to build awareness.
Importantly, awareness isn’t the only measure of success. We also focus a lot on building the right kind of awareness, which means measuring brand trust as well. We want people to not just recognise the logo, but also know what it means and see it as a symbol of a business doing things differently.
How can B Corps help us maintain that trust?
Coming from a marketer: following the guidance — like the new lockup with “Learn more at bcorp.com” — helps us protect the integrity of the certification and combat greenwashing. A lot of regulation has come into effect to help consumers navigate sustainability labels, and that’s a good thing. We want B Corp to stay one of the most credible and trusted logos out there, and that means pointing people to learn what it actually means. Being a B Corp has never been about perfection. It’s about accountability and transparency — and that’s what a B Corp’s directory profile offers.
Before you go: what’s coming up? Any plans you can share?
So much! Right now our focus is spotlighting the companies certifying on V2 of the B Lab Standards, as it’s such a huge moment to celebrate and inspire more companies to step up to the challenge. We’re also planning to rally the Aotearoa B Corps to use their collective voice ahead of the election. And we’re making the 2027 B Corp Month our most impactful yet, thinking about how we can activate in retail spaces and show up in new and exciting ways online and in person.
Got an idea for how we can celebrate this B Corp Month yet? We’d love to hear it — reach out to us.
