Sustainability as the “New Black”: Transforming the Language of Marketing

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Long considered opposing forces, sustainability and luxury have begun to converge driven by a growing awareness of the planet’s finite resources and the urgent need for responsible consumption. As environmental consciousness continues to gain momentum amongst consumers, luxury brands are having to reimagine traditional notions of opulence and revisit the importance of transparency and traceability and the role of conscious consumer choices in shaping the future of luxury.

Accordingly, Professor Esterina NERVINO has taken a joint appointment as Assistant Professor with the Department of English and the Department of Marketing at City University of Hong Kong (CityUHK) to carry out research into these growing areas of concern and the importance of effective communication in sustainability.

Originally from Italy, Nervino feels that she is no stranger to luxury, having been born into a small town coincidentally called Diamante, the Italian word for ‘diamond’, synonymous with the world of luxury. Having more than 11 years’ experience in the academic and private sector combined, she has been studying how language and the use of images, colours, camera angle, and other semiotic resources shape the concept of luxury.

Especially in what she calls a new age of luxury, social media communication has been shaping consumer demand and driving a transformation in luxury. From the conventional definition and understanding of conspicuous consumption, social stratification and signalling, it has now evolved to conscious consumption, social equality and perhaps, importantly, sustainability.

Nervino says today’s luxury discourse is about the brand’s ESG commitments, efforts, achievements and going from “gold” to “green”.