By: Teri Arvesú González
Sustainable marketing didn’t die. It just stopped being a “marketing” department problem and became a business operating system.
The “Adjective Era” died because adjectives are easy to hijack. In 2026, an adjective like “sustainable” is a target for political backlash; a fact like “90% recycled aluminum” is just a spec sheet.
By stripping the adjectives, you move the conversation from ideology (which people argue about) to utility (which people buy).
There is only good business and bad business.
The brands currently being “cancelled” or facing backlash aren’t being targeted because they have values. They’re being targeted because their messaging was unsupported by their operations. They were sloppy, defensive, and performative.
While the loud voices argue over “woke” vs. “anti-woke,” the winners are quietly building Resilience, and have replaced the term “Sustainablity” along with other adjectives. For those of us practicing and marketing Sustainalbity, Resilience and Longevity is what we were talking about in the first place, before terms and symbols got hijacked.
The 2026 Reality Check
The “Lazy Narrative” says Gen Z and Gen Alpha stopped caring because inflation made things expensive.
The data says otherwise:
* The Premium is Real: PwC confirms consumers will pay ~9.7% more for sustainably sourced goods.
* The Trust Gap: 78% of consumers value sustainability, but skepticism is at an all-time high.
* The Talent War: Climate anxiety is a top-three concern for Gen Z. If you don’t stand for something, you won’t just lose customers—you’ll lose your best employees.
The new “flex” isn’t a viral social campaign. It’s Traceability. ---
What to do Monday Morning (The Framework)
If you want to communicate your values without triggering the “culture war” alarm, stop using virtue-signaling language and start using Value-Signaling language.
The Bottom Line
Silence isn’t a strategy; it’s a vacuum. And in 2026, vacuums get filled by other people’s narratives.
Don’t go louder. Go truer. Build a brand that is so integrated, so resilient, and so transparent that “sustainability” isn’t what you say—it’s just how you work.
To provide the most robust attribution for 2026, I have compiled the primary sources and digital trails for the data mentioned.
Note: Since we are currently in January 2026, some “2026” citations refer to the Q1 trend reports and executive summaries released this month by these institutions.
Data & Methodology:
* Consumer Pricing: Data based on PwC’s 2024 Voice of the Consumer (Sample: 20k+ global shoppers).
* Market Sentiment: Sourced via IBM IBV’s Consumer Trends.
* Labor Trends: Ethics and retention metrics provided by Deloitte’s 2024/2025 Global Insights.
* Operational Data: Based on Accenture’s 2025 “Destination Net Zero” analysis of the G2000.
About the Author: Teri Arvesu Gonzalez
Teri Arvesu Gonzalez is a 15-time Emmy® award-winning media executive and the founder of The TAG Collab, a consultancy and platform dedicated to helping mission-driven companies align purpose, brand, and strategy from the inside out.
Formerly the Senior Vice President of Social Impact and Sustainability at TelevisaUnivision, Teri has spent over two decades at the intersection of journalism, civic tech, and corporate social responsibility. A recognized expert in navigating brand resilience and long-term value creation, her work focuses on moving organizations beyond “performative storytelling” into the “Reality Era” of business—where specific, measurable data and operational integrity drive growth.
A third-generation American and veteran News Director, Teri is a frequent speaker on CivicTech, AI in journalism, and the math of win-win leadership. Through The TAG Collab, she provides strategic frameworks that help brands stay relevant to Gen Z and Gen Alpha by prioritizing transparency and “Value Signaling” over traditional marketing buzzwords.
📌 Connect with Teri:
* Podcast: The TAG Collab
* TikTok
