In a world where pressure on resources keeps rising and the consequences of our linear consumption are becoming impossible to ignore, the importance of the circular economy is finally being recognized. At NEW STANDARD.S, we help companies develop circular business models, products, and services—but their success doesn’t depend on ecological benefits alone. It hinges on how we communicate them.
The challenge is to craft new, positive narratives that turn consumers into reusers, repairers, sharers, and borrowers. But how do we make this shift in roles appealing?
FROM CONSUMERS TO ACTIVE CONTRIBUTORS
Traditionally, consumers have been cast in a passive role: they buy, use, and dispose—they consume. In a circular economy, however, they take on a far more active role. They become reusers who give products a second life; repairers who extend their lifespan; and sharers who make better use of shared resources.
These roles offer not only ecological advantages but also personal enrichment. By highlighting these positive aspects, we can paint a picture of circular living that empowers people—not as victims of sacrifice, but as creators of their own sustainable future.
FOCUSING ON CLEAR BENEFITS AND CO-BENEFITS
Effective communication for circular products and services must clearly emphasize what’s in it for consumers. The benefits go beyond reducing one’s footprint: they include cost efficiency, customization, and the joy of reusing.
Take Camper’s Roku shoe as an example. It’s made from six interchangeable parts that can be combined and replaced individually. The concept speaks not only to sustainable values but also to hedonistic needs like creativity and individuality. Sustainability becomes not a duty—but a form of added value.
SERVICE DESIGN AS A KEY TO ADOPTION
Circular services often face challenges—especially when it comes to convenience or price, compared to linear alternatives. That’s where good service design comes in.
If circular offers are less convenient or more expensive than buying new, they need to be complemented with innovative services or attractive add-ons that make them desirable. Again, the Camper Roku shows how thoughtful design and the freedom to personalize can increase both utility and enjoyment.
NEW NARRATIVES FOR A CIRCULAR FUTURE
Communication around circular products and services must go beyond sustainable product benefits. At the end of the day, people buy things because they need them or like them—most often for functional or aesthetic reasons, not ecological ones.
That’s why we need to place people as active shapers of change at the center of our stories—and highlight the many-layered benefits of a circular lifestyle. By developing fresh, optimistic narratives and improving service and experience design, we can make circular offerings truly appealing—and help make circularity the new normal.
Your circular product or service isn’t scaling yet?
We’d love to help you optimize the service and experience design and craft new narratives that truly connect with your audience.