Advertising has always been about persuasion. But in an era of short-term gimmicks, data manipulation, and environmental waste, persuasion alone isn’t enough. Ishrath Nawaz doesn’t just push for sustainable advertising—he challenges brands to redefine what it even means.
For most, sustainable advertising is just a buzzword—a PR-friendly way to say a campaign isn’t harming the planet. But Ishrath takes it further. “Sustainability isn’t just about being eco-friendly,” he says. “It’s about how long an idea lasts, how ethically it influences, and whether it creates real value. If your campaign fades in two months, that’s not sustainable. If your brand’s impact stops at awareness, that’s not enough. True sustainability in advertising means thinking beyond the campaign itself.”
One of the biggest shifts in Ishrath’s philosophy is his belief that advertising shouldn’t just grab attention—it should serve a purpose beyond selling. He has worked on campaigns that completely blur the lines between marketing and real-world problem-solving.
Consider a luxury automobile brand that wanted a high-impact campaign to showcase its engineering expertise. Instead of another glossy commercial, Ishrath’s team developed an initiative where the brand built emergency solar-powered road lights in accident-prone areas. The installation process was filmed and turned into a digital campaign.
The result? The brand didn’t just promote its innovation—it demonstrated it in action. Sales saw a boost, but more importantly, the project became an ongoing initiative with measurable impact. The brand’s name was associated with actual road safety improvements, not just ads claiming to care.
“Advertising that doubles as a solution? That’s sustainability,” Ishrath says. “Because people remember brands that actually do something, not just talk about it.”
The traditional approach to marketing is built around short bursts of hype. Big budget, big splash, and then… silence. The brand moves on to the next campaign, leaving no lasting engagement. Ishrath rejects this entirely. He doesn’t believe in one-off campaigns—he believes in ecosystems.
When working with a heritage fashion brand that wanted to modernize its appeal, instead of relying on a seasonal collection launch, his team created a living, breathing content hub around craftsmanship. It wasn’t just a campaign—it was an evolving narrative. The brand opened its behind-the-scenes process to customers, allowing them to see, interact with, and even contribute to future designs.
This sustained storytelling approach meant that instead of getting a one-time PR boost, the brand saw consistent engagement year-round. Customers became part of the process rather than just passive buyers.
“The worst thing you can do is treat marketing like a disposable event,” Ishrath explains. “The brands that win today are the ones that build something people want to return to.”
There’s an unspoken rule in marketing: tell the best version of the story, even if it means stretching the truth. Ishrath believes that’s exactly why consumer trust in advertising is at an all-time low. Instead of sugarcoating, he advocates for radical transparency.
A global cosmetics brand facing backlash over greenwashing came to Ishrath’s team for damage control. Instead of crafting a polished rebuttal, Ishrath took an unconventional route—he convinced them to admit their flaws publicly. The campaign openly acknowledged past missteps while outlining concrete, time-bound sustainability goals.
The honesty paid off. Instead of defensive PR, the brand’s reputation actually improved, leading to a 20% increase in customer retention. More importantly, it set a precedent—brands that are transparent aren’t just forgiven for past mistakes, they’re trusted more in the long run.
“People can smell inauthenticity from a mile away,” says Ishrath. “The most sustainable strategy is honesty. Brands that embrace that don’t just survive—they lead.”
Sustainable advertising isn’t just about environmentally friendly campaigns—it’s about ethical persuasion, long-term engagement, and making every marketing effort count.
For Ishrath, that means:
- Creating campaigns that solve problems, not just sell products.
- Moving away from disposable marketing in favor of lasting engagement.
- Building trust through transparency, not clever storytelling tricks.
“The future of advertising,” he says, “isn’t about doing more. It’s about doing things that matter.”
