Science webinars are one of the most effective lead-generation tools for marketers — when done right. They’re a go-to product for driving audience engagement, brand visibility, and high-quality leads. But in 2026, it’s easier than ever for webinars to fall flat. The reasons are plenty: Competition is high, attention spans are shrinking, inboxes are crowded, and audiences are harder to engage than ever. 

But according to ACS Media Group lead-generation experts Quyen Pham and Anna Barthelme, the issue isn’t the format itself. Webinars, as a whole, aren’t failing. Webinars that are irrelevant to audiences, though, are another story. With hundreds of science webinars produced for leading brands, this team has seen what top performers share and where many fall short.

Relevance As the Real Driver of Performance for Science Webinars

If there’s one consistent thread across high-performing webinars, it’s this: They deliver something the audience genuinely wants.

We’ve noticed some of our top-performing webinars have been an hour, or even over an hour. It really does come back to topic relevance to keep the audience engaged.”

– Anna Barthelme, ACS Lead Generation Manager

“The webinars we see perform well are the topics that resonate with attendees,” explained Quyen Pham, Demand Generation and Revenue Marketing Manager at ACS. “These tend to focus on new and emerging topics — like AI, machine learning, or faster drug discovery processes — or include something attendees can take away that they didn’t know before.”

While most clients come to the table with a webinar topic in mind, Pham said her team regularly consults subject matter experts at C&EN BrandLab and leverages C&EN reader data to help shape the program. These insights are used to identify the strongest topic and narrative flow for both the brand and the audience.

When relevance is missing, performance can drop quickly. ACS Lead Generation Manager Anna Barthelme noted that it typically stems from topics that are too niche or focus on internal business priorities, like new product launches or organizational updates. 

That insight challenges a common assumption. Many marketers were trying to solve for format by developing shorter sessions and tighter runtimes. But the data tells a different story.

“We’ve noticed some of our top-performing webinars have been an hour, or even over an hour,” Barthelme said. “It really does come back to topic relevance to keep the audience engaged.”

What mattered just as much as the topic itself was how it was packaged. Webinar titles that spelled out clear outcomes consistently outperformed vague or overly technical ones.

“You only have a moment to catch people,” Barthelme said. “So making sure you’re using those eye-catching keywords is very, very helpful. If the title is filled with acronyms or just fluff, it won’t hit the mark.”

Engagement, Not Attendance, Defines Success

For many teams, success still means one thing: registrations.

Pham and Barthelme have a different philosophy, challenging marketers to think beyond this single conversion point and focus instead on what happens during and after the webinar. How engaged are attendees, really?

This means assessing: 

• The number of questions asked during the webinar
• The number of attendees who asked those questions
• The number of responses generated from in-webinar polls
• How long each attendee stayed once the webinar started
• Follow-up questions at the end of the webinar
• Follow-up actions after the webinar concludes, like downloading resources or returning to the on-demand version of the webinar

This shift in thinking has changed how success is measured across campaigns. While some clients still prioritize volume, others are far more focused on quality.

“We have clients that are very happy with lower lead numbers as long as they’re higher quality,” Barthelme noted.

The Role of Speakers and Why “Salesy” Doesn’t Work

Content planning may be the top priority for a successful webinar strategy, but speaker selection should not be overlooked. Speakers are the delivery mechanism for the information being presented, and they can significantly impact performance.   

Both Pham and Barthelme noted that credible, engaging speakers significantly boost performance.

This includes:

• Recognized industry experts
• Senior company leaders
• Presenters sharing real-world use cases

What not to do or say during the webinar is equally important. Overly promotional or product-heavy webinars tend to quickly deter audiences. As Barthelme noted, if a session feels like a sales pitch, engagement drops. Audiences are looking for insight, not advertising messaging or product demos.

Building a Promotional System

No matter how strong the content is, a webinar will not succeed without promotion. The best webinar strategies take a holistic view, identifying opportunities to promote the live webinar as well as repurposing content for post-webinar engagement. 

We never think about webinars as a one-off content asset. There are so many ways to repurpose the content.

– Quyen Pham, ACS Demand Generation and Revenue Marketing Manager

“We use a three- to four-week promotional schedule, layering email — our top registration driver — with banner ads, newsletters, and targeted placements to build awareness and momentum over time,” Pham noted. “We monitor performance closely and make messaging changes if we’re not hitting early registration targets.” 

Segmentation based on behavior, keywords, and past engagement plays a critical role in reaching the right audience. Expanding reach to new audiences while avoiding oversaturation is key to performance, Barthelme added. 

While registration numbers and attendee conversion rates matter, what sets high-performing webinars apart is what happens after they end. “We never think about webinars as a one-off content asset,” Pham explained. “There are so many ways to repurpose the content.”

That could mean using the information to inform white papers, executive summaries, short-form video clips, and nurture experiences designed to re-engage audiences who missed the live session or wanted to go deeper. And with webinar transcripts and AI tools, that process has become faster and more scalable.

A Case Study in Getting It Right

When brands get these elements right, the impact can be significant. 

Pham and Barthelme shared an example of a recent high-performing webinar that put these best practices into action and exceeded expectations. Centered on a trending topic of digital chemistry strategy, the webinar generated more than 1,200 leads and drove a 32% attendee conversion rate.

They attributed its success to: 

• A relevant, high-interest topic
• Strategic promotion and audience targeting
• Full-service support — from content development to technical execution

Most importantly, the webinar delivered engaged leads that fit the client’s target audience: medicinal, synthetic, and computational chemists aligned with the client’s goals.

A Mindset Shift: Rethinking Your Strategy

Webinars aren’t broken, but some strategies associated with them are. High-performing webinars succeed because they respect the audience, Pham and Barthelme emphasized. They deliver relevant, engaging content and extend value beyond a single event.

“It always comes back to knowing your audience,” Barthelme said. “Try to imagine a single audience member when you’re creating the webinar. And before you do anything else, ask yourself: ‘What’s in it for them?’ ”

Host Your Next Webinar with ACS Media Group

Looking for help executing your next webinar campaign? Contact us at acsmediagroup@acs.org or download our Lead Generation Playbook for details on webinars, lead generation products, pricing, and more.

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The post What High-Performing Science Webinars Have in Common (and Why Most Miss the Mark) appeared first on ACS Media Group.

Marketing to scientists is hard. Scientists are skeptical, technically demanding, and quick to disengage if something feels off. At C&EN BrandLab, a custom content studio with ACS Media Group, we specialize in creating content and leading content-driven campaigns for this exact audience.

Jesse Harris and I both started working at BrandLab in 2024 as senior editors. We’ve spent the last two years developing custom science content marketing campaigns for companies across the chemistry and life sciences industries, from CDMOs to instrumentation manufacturers. We sat down recently to reflect on what those two years have taught us — the lessons we expected, the ones that surprised us, and a few things we’re still figuring out.

Below is an edited version of our conversation.

Join Jordan and Jesse for a Live Webinar on June 30: Thought Leadership is Made for Scientists: How Marketers Can Help Scientists Shine 

How to Deal with Skeptical Science Audiences

Jordan: Scientists are famously skeptical folks, right? They question, they inquire, they go, “Really? Are you sure about that?” And so I’m curious, when you think about what makes good content for this specific audience, what comes to mind?

One thing I think a lot about is flipping that idea of skepticism on its head. I really like the perspective that Hamid Ghanadan talks about in some of his writings, where skepticism is also an element of curiosity. The idea is to lead your content with “how do we engage curiosity” as a way to think about content for scientists. How about you?

Jesse: It’s something that is hard for me to put together in one pithy take. The one thing I would say is that getting your facts right is really important. That’s something that I’ve noticed working with partners during the writing process. You have to get the right nuance and explain things accurately and clearly.

At the same time, It’s easy to over-index on thinking about scientists as Spock-like rational actors who are just craving data. I think the way scientists are taught to communicate and the way scientific communication functions does us a huge disservice. We’re so focused on data and facts and results and experiments that we lose sight of narrative and context and problems.

One of the things that I know we have run into so many times is the importance of a title, the importance of email subject lines. If you get those wrong, if they’re not clear, if they are using too much jargon, they won’t resonate. And that sort of flies in the face of the Spock-like-scientist stereotype. Having a good title makes a difference, no matter how technically proficient your audience is.

Jordan: This goes beyond marketing, beyond science. It’s how to be a good communicator, right? The original question of “how do you engage with skeptical scientists?” becomes “how do you engage with an audience? What do you know should be true about your audience? How do you pull them in and keep their trust?”

Jesse: You have to have an almost sixth sense for finding what’s interesting for them and to be able to pull on that. Sometimes there is this idea that B2B content is boring. I really reject that because I think that technical audiences want technical content.

An outsider looking in could find it dry if they don’t fully understand the relevance, the context, or the players in the story.

But questions like, “how does this data system function within the drug development environment?” or “what are the advantages and disadvantages of different classes of biopharmaceuticals?” That’s genuinely fascinating to a relevant audience if you can have a clear, compelling take.

Misconceptions (and Instincts) in Science Content Marketing

Jordan: My next question has to do with the misconceptions or challenges marketers have with reaching a scientific audience. One that I think of, which is related to your point about boring content, is the assumptions we make about what content is interesting.

I will think something is interesting and do as much work as I can to stay attuned to what the audience is telling me, and follow popular articles on science news sites and journal articles that are trending. But it takes effort to step into that role, right? And to imagine yourself as the audience.

Do you have more to say about potential misconceptions or the difficulty in setting yourself within your audience’s experiences?

Jesse: One challenge is that you can’t rely on data to tell you what is or is not interesting to the audience. There are no tools you can use to get that information. It’s not like LinkedIn will tell me what the average scientist knows or about a given topic, or differences between what the average pharmaceutical chemist knows about different biological modalities.

You have to use your instincts a surprising amount. This is something I have been feeling recently: I develop and lean more on my instincts the more that I do this job.

Jordan: It is so encouraging to hear you say that because I have felt the same thing. Within our role, we often get asked by people, “How do you think this will resonate with your audience?” Well, I have survey data and recent trending topics that I dig into, but it’s also….Vibes. Instincts. We’ll call it instincts.

There is a whole discourse there about how much you absorb over your years, embodying a certain role and thinking about certain subjects, and how that gives you those instincts that you need to be successful. I think that’s true. Before I was an editor, I was a science writer who interviewed scientists. And before that, I got my PhD in chemistry, applied for grants, networked with other scientists, and followed science news and blogs. I have strong instincts for what the ACS audience is interested in because of that immersion. Still, it can be intimidating and scary sometimes, to say, “I’m making this decision and this is the decision that everything is telling me is the right one to make.”

Jesse: And that’s something that, as scientists, both of us are a little allergic to. It’s this sense of: I know what a good campaign looks like most of the time, and maybe I can’t call this 100%, but I have a pretty good sense as to whether this will work. And you have to trust that there’s a combination of seeing the right things and pulling it together in a way that makes sense, and that you can trust that.

I still do whatever I can to watch and read about what’s happening in the environment, so I can try to calibrate my instincts, too. I don’t trust them fully. So, it’s a weird relationship that I have with these instincts.

Last Thoughts for Science Content Marketing

Jordan: Is there one thing you want science content marketers to reckon with, and what would that be? Is there something our field needs to think about more carefully?

Jesse: It’s actually about staying on top of the fundamentals of marketing. Many science marketers come from a scientific background, and that means that they can get fixated on the science itself. They might talk about features and the nitty-gritty points, losing sight of the big picture. But focusing on things like positioning, strategy, and marketing effectiveness is truly important in doing good work. Good strategic thinking is so helpful for many aspects of work.

Jordan: You’ve written extensively about that, like on the Marketing Elements blog, and there is a need for that within our industry. I will “yes, and” your answer.

If I had to say, it would be more from the perspective of how marketers work with scientists, especially if you’re in an organization where you’re selling products to scientists and you have scientists working in your organization. I would love to see more genuine partnerships between folks who are working in the marketing space, along with the scientists working in that organization’s labs. And really, it’s this idea of coming back to how we center people within our marketing and not just listing out features of a product.

We should be working to understand the sort of people you’re trying to reach and doing that through partnership with your scientists — helping your scientists be better communicators and better able to understand the broader impacts of the work they’re doing. I want there to be a real connection between those facets of an organization.

And I’ll admit, part of that is coming from someone trained in science who is interested in science communication and how it intersects with marketing. But I think that some of the challenges that come with effective marketing stem from not having a good understanding of scientists as people and as an audience. Similarly, it’s having the scientists in your own organization struggling to fully articulate their perspectives and be largely cut off from marketing.

So, forming relationships and having mutual training within these organizations, I think, would greatly benefit the quality of content marketing in the science industry.

Create Impactful Content That Connects with Scientists

If you’re looking to go deeper into how to create science content that resonates with real scientists (beyond just choosing a good stock photo) the BrandLab team has an on‑demand webinar you might find helpful.

In Creating Content that Scientists Can Resist, two of our scientists turned content marketers unpack what makes technical storytelling credible, compelling, and trustworthy. You’ll learn how to translate complex research, elevate SME insights, and develop content that connects with your scientific audience.

Watch On-Demand

The post Science Content Marketing Lessons from 2 Science Editors: What 2 Years in a Content Studio Taught Us appeared first on ACS Media Group.

For years, marketers have debated whether email is losing relevance. But despite the claims, email remains one of the most powerful channels for science marketers. It’s a direct line of communication to your audience, arguably the best place to build a genuine relationship. 

But the rules are changing fast.

Today’s younger and digitally native audiences have new expectations for who can show up in crowded inboxes and earn their attention. At the same time, fatigue from too many messages has made traditional email strategies less effective than they once were.

Science marketers need to rethink their approach, from subject lines and timing to the value each email actually delivers. It’s all about evolution, and those who adapt will see benefits. Here’s how to upgrade your 2026 email marketing strategy.

Audience Expectations Have Changed 

“Email is such an integral part of all of our lives,” said Shane Hanlon, Executive Editor at C&EN BrandLab. People still check their inboxes regularly; it’s often the first thing they do in the morning and the last thing they do at night.

What’s changed is what audiences expect to see once they open their inbox: high-value messages that help solve a problem, answer a question, or serve a specific need. Emails should have clear utility and be easy to consume. 

“Emails that are just large blocks of text with heavy language don’t get as much engagement,” explained  Bek Ergashev, Assistant Director of Marketing Operations and Analytics at ACS, noting a shift he’s seen with younger, more tech-savvy audiences more quickly dismissing low-value emails. “AI slop is real,” so be cautious when relying on automation to develop the content. 

Instead, conversational tone and thoughtful design are increasingly important.

There’s something that feels special about a human curating something for your attention.”

– Shane Hanlon, Executive Editor at C&EN BrandLab

For science marketers specifically, one of the biggest misconceptions is that scientists are more tolerant of dense or lengthy content. Hanlon strongly disagrees.

“Attention still needs to be grabbed,” he explained, regardless of the audience type. Scientists may be willing to go deeper, but only after the initial hook, which means packaging is just as important as the writing.

“Headers and taglines make a world of difference,” Hanlon emphasized, noting that marketers often invest heavily in content creation but overlook the gateway to engagement.

He also pointed to the power of curated newsletters. When content feels intentionally selected rather than mass distributed, audiences respond differently.

“There’s something that feels special about a human curating something for your attention,” Hanlon said.

This is also where giving audiences more control over what they receive becomes increasingly important. Rather than relying on one-size-fits-all campaigns, make it easy for your audience to self-identify their interests. Curated e-newsletter subscriptions, focused on a specific scientific discipline or career stage, for example, allow audiences to opt into content that feels directly relevant to them. 

Email series can also play a role here. Think: educational series around emerging research areas or topic-based nurture tracks that allow audiences to sign up for content they’re most interested in.

Email Fatigue Is a Hidden Threat

While engagement tactics are evolving, many organizations still face a more fundamental challenge: sending too many emails.

Ergashev said large organizations, in which multiple business units independently email the same audience, are particular offenders.

“People don’t see disparate units; they only see one entity,” he explained. “If they get six emails a day from the same organization, they see them as over-emailing, even if those emails were from different business units.”

Over-communication creates fatigue and ultimately damages long-term engagement. Email service providers watch audience signals to determine senders with low engagement, and many deprioritize them in their audiences’ inboxes. 

To monitor and address email fatigue at ACS, Ergashev’s team analyzes audience saturation using AI tools, identifying when contacts are “oversaturated” and automatically filtering them out or recommending pauses to rebuild interest.

“Give them time to miss us,” he said.

Email Metrics That Matter

To truly understand engagement, it’s critical to look beyond vanity metrics. 

“Open rates, unfortunately, are just vanity,” Ergashev explained, noting that automated email opens from platforms like Apple Mail distort performance data. 

At the same time, inbox algorithms are getting smarter. In addition to prioritizing senders, AI now sorts messages based on relevance, meaning engagement signals matter more than ever. 

AI is sorting emails before people even see them, so delivery no longer guarantees visibility. AI might put your email in a folder your audience doesn’t even know exists.”

– Bek Ergashev, Assistant Director of Marketing Operations and Analytics at ACS

“We say emails were delivered 98% of the time, but we don’t actually know what ‘delivered’ means anymore,” Ergashev said. “AI is sorting emails before people even see them, so delivery no longer guarantees visibility. AI might put your email in a folder your audience doesn’t even know exists.”

Rather than rely on open rates, Ergashev and his team look at a broader set of indicators to understand the overall health of an email program, including:

• Deliverability
• Inbox placement
• Sender reputation
• Unsubscribe trends
• Non-vanity engagement metrics, like Click-to-Open Rate (CTOR) and forwarding activity

Email forwards, in particular, represent high-value engagement, since someone is essentially recommending your email to another person. “If somebody forwards your email, that’s a massive engagement,” Ergashev said.

The Future of Email Engagement in Science Marketing

Ultimately, the new rules for your 2026 email marketing strategy aren’t about abandoning the channel, but about evolving with audience behavior and tracking best practices over time.

“What’s important is asking your audience what they want and using your data to see what they engage with,” Ergashev said. “It’s an iterative process. We test content, learn what works, and keep refining.”

Moving forward, the most successful science marketers will:

• Treat email as a long-term relationship channel.
• Prioritize audience value over brand announcements, and consistently deliver that value over time.
• Invest in packaging and storytelling to deliver content worth engaging with. 
• Monitor holistic engagement metrics that demonstrate the email program’s actual impact. 
• Invest in tools and technology to gain insights into email engagement.

In a fatigued inbox, the brands that win will be the most relevant, not the loudest. 

And as Hanlon’s advice suggests, the path forward is surprisingly simple: “Make better emails.”

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The post Email Isn’t Dead, But Your Strategy Might Need an Upgrade appeared first on ACS Media Group.

Marketing in the small-molecule drug development space requires navigating a highly technical and regulation-dense landscape. CDMOs work with large pharmaceutical companies and small biotechs to refine, scale, and manufacture drugs — and often can’t publicly reveal the work they’re doing. That combination of secrecy, complexity, and constant innovation makes storytelling and marketing difficult.

Finding the right story, the right angle, the right people to talk to — it’s all part of the challenge.”

– Jesse Harris, Senior Editor at C&EN BrandLab

Recently, a multinational CDMO partnered with C&EN BrandLab, our custom content studio, to demonstrate innovation, build trust with scientific decision-makers, and generate an ongoing pipeline of high-quality leads. C&EN BrandLab works with brands and organizations across the scientific enterprise to deliver engaging, credible content through ACS platforms, including C&EN. Here’s how this partnership came together to drive results through a full‑funnel B2B science marketing campaign.

Finding the Big Idea: Start with the “Nugget”

Every strong scientific campaign begins with a question worth answering. Harris described the process as searching for a “nugget” — a detail, historical thread, or surprising fact that sparks genuine curiosity. For this campaign, that spark came from a simple question: How has small-molecule oncology drugs evolved over time?

It was a question to which Harris, a trained chemist, didn’t know the full answer. “If I don’t know the answer and would be interested to learn more, that’s usually a good starting place,” he said.

This became the seed of the narrative. From there, the team developed an outline, looking for anecdotes and scientific shifts that could anchor the story. The goal was to build a narrative that scientists would respect and that broader audiences could follow. This process created the backbone for a long-form native content feature that would eventually serve as one of the campaign’s most engaging assets.

Choosing the Right Formats: Matching Story, Audience, and Intent

Once the story was clear, the next step was to identify the right vehicles to deliver it. 

Technical White Papers and E-books: Lead-Gen Workhorses

These formats are “the currency scientists respond to,” explained Heather Lockhart-Neff, account and marketing manager at C&EN BrandLab. Chemists trust technically rigorous content, especially when distributed through a respected scientific publisher. Historically, C&EN BrandLab has significantly exceeded its lead guarantees because of the quality and relevance of these technical assets. 

Technical white papers and e-books formed the bottom-of-funnel core of the campaign, which was the primary goal at the beginning of the partnership.

Native Feature: Broader Education and Brand Building

Once a foundation for lead development was established, the C&EN BrandLab team introduced higher-funnel assets to build broader awareness and brand affinity. They created a native article rooted in storytelling, which takes an in-depth look at the past, present, and future of driving innovation in small-molecule oncology drug development. 

This asset allowed the team to reach a broader audience through video and interactive features while also showcasing the CDMO’s history of innovation. Because it wasn’t gated, it cast a wider net. 

It also performed exceptionally well. “The piece delivered an average time on page of three minutes and 26 seconds, which is well above typical benchmarks for long-form digital content,” Lockhart-Neff said. “That level of engagement validated the decision to invest in a story-first, narrative-driven approach.”

Infographic: Education Through Visual Storytelling

An additional campaign asset — an infographic focused on optimizing solid forms in small molecule drug development — offered an interactive way to communicate the complexity of small-molecule development, using motion, interaction, and simplified visuals to keep its audience engaged.

Repurposed Client Videos: Adding Context and Value

The CDMO also had several promotional videos available for use in the campaign. C&EN BrandLab incorporated them directly into content pieces to extend the use of these existing assets. 

The program used each asset for a distinct purpose: visual formats increased interest and dwell time; ungated formats helped with reach; and gated formats qualified interest and generated leads, exceeding the client’s guarantees. Together, the assets formed a holistic funnel. 

Executing the Campaign: Distribution as Strategy

With assets in place, the team shifted to focus on distribution. As our custom content studio, C&EN BrandLab is uniquely positioned to leverage the reach of ACS’ trusted platforms, including C&EN, enabling the campaign to connect with scientific audiences without relying on external media buys.

“Chemists trust ACS and read C&EN,” Harris said. “Pharmaceutical scientists already consume content there. Even graduate students entering the industry rely on ACS resources. It’s a channel ideal for both present and future decision-makers.”

This built-in trust is core to C&EN BrandLab’s success: ACS’s reputation with scientists helps to earn and keep attention. 

Adapting as the Campaign Evolved: Agility as a Competitive Advantage

Though it unfolded smoothly over time, this campaign wasn’t a single, preplanned arc; it unfolded over years and evolved as client needs shifted — managing new brand identities, launches, and priorities across that time. 

When an unknown bottleneck delayed approval for one e-book, for example, Lockhart-Neff accelerated design work instead — flipping the typical process to keep momentum. “We wanted to make their lives easier,” Lockhart-Neff noted, “even if they were hitting a roadblock internally.”

Standing Out in an Era of Audience Fatigue

Scientific audiences are feeling the same attention pressure as everyone else: fewer resources, more emails, more noise. Harris outlined two essentials for cutting through:

1. Exceptional content packaging. “Titles and subject lines are underrated,” he said. “However important you think they are, they’re more important than that.” A strong asset can underperform without strong packaging. It’s critical to understand your distribution channels to package your content effectively.

2. Genuine innovation at the product level. No amount of clever messaging can compensate for content that isn’t meaningful. “If you’re not introducing something truly new, people won’t care,” Harris warned. The CDMO’s focus on speeding development timelines and advancing core technologies gave this campaign the credibility it needed.

Lockhart-Neff added that it’s important to engage external partners to bring fresh perspectives and disrupt internal echo chambers.

When organizations self-reference too much, their messaging goes stale.”

– Heather Lockhart-Neff, Account and Marketing Manager at C&EN BrandLab

To overcome attention fatigue, science marketers must invest time in framing and labeling assets for performance. Focus messaging on substantive, differentiated innovation rather than incremental updates, and actively bring in external perspectives to pressure‑test narratives.

Final Advice for Science Marketers in Complex Spaces

The post Behind the Scenes of a Full-Funnel B2B Science Marketing Campaign appeared first on ACS Media Group.

April is Earth Month, which means sustainability messaging is everywhere. Brace yourself for leaf icons and sustainability promises all over social media! For many marketers, this raises an uncomfortable question: how do you talk about environmental impact while staying honest?

That challenge becomes even sharper when your audience is chemists, engineers, and other scientists. These are people trained to spot weak evidence, sloppy comparisons, and misleading shortcuts. Not only that, but scientists really care about sustainability. Almost 50% of chemists said they were “interested” or “very interested” in this topic in a recent survey. If your sustainability story doesn’t hold up to scrutiny, you won’t just fail to persuade — you’ll lose credibility.

With the stakes this high, it’s essential to be purposeful and clear about your approach. Let’s explore where greenwashing risks arise and how to market responsibly.

Greenwashing — What it is, and How to Avoid it

First, it’s critical to avoid greenwashing. This is the practice of making products or services seem more environmentally friendly than they really are. This obviously includes lying, but it also covers many other forms of misrepresentation. Not only is the practice dishonest, but getting caught using greenwashing tactics could harm your brand’s reputation — and it could face legal action. Many scientists — especially chemists — are quite sensitive to greenwashing, so you should avoid the practice.

But what exactly counts as greenwashing? One useful framework is the “7 sins of greenwashing.” Remembering these “sins” helps us market responsibly and to avoid being duped by shady marketing practices ourselves.

The Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off

Imagine I invented a plastic that used 10% less oil to produce. Sounds good, right? But what if I did not mention that it also takes 100x more energy to manufacture? Not so good anymore…

This is an example of a hidden trade-off; there is an environmental benefit, but also a cost. While trade-offs are often necessary, it’s important to be honest about them. Don’t position your trade-off as a sustainability win when the broader picture is more complex.

The Sin of No Proof

You claim your product has less environmental impact than competitors’, but does it really? It’s not enough to believe you’re saving carbon emissions or protecting endangered ecosystems — you need real evidence.

This is especially important when marketing to scientists. They want experiments, peer-reviewed research, and high-quality data.

The Sin of Vagueness

Have you ever seen a product that claims to be “green,” “eco-friendly,” or “sustainable,” but you are unsure what makes it special? Was it made using solar energy? Does it use sustainably sourced ingredients? Is it handmade by GMO-free penguins in Antarctica?

While the product may be environmentally friendly, the buyer should understand the real benefit.

The Sin of Worshipping False Labels

Buyers (both B2C and B2B) rely on packaging and label information to make purchasing decisions. Adding green colors, “seals of approval,” or nature-themed iconography suggests that the product is sustainable. Using these signifiers to make something “look” more environmentally friendly than it really is would be deceptive.

The Sin of Irrelevance

Imagine I told you I had invented a new type of plastic that required 10% fewer rare earth metals to manufacture. That sounds nice, but should you care? Does plastic production even require rare earth metals (they don’t)? This is an example of greenwashing because you are implying the environmental benefit is more substantial than it is.

The Sin of the Lesser of Two Evils

Imagine I told you that a 2026 version of a gas-powered heavy-duty SUV had 10% less CO₂ emissions than the 2025 edition. That’s nice, but the comparison is dishonest. All gas-powered heavy-duty SUVs are terrible for emissions, so you should pick a totally different type of vehicle if you care about carbon.

Don’t select your comparison only because it makes you look better. Measure yourself against a realistic alternative.

The Sin of Fibbing

This includes lying, exaggerating, misrepresenting, or otherwise obfuscating environmental impact. Yes, this does happen. Just ask VW.

These greenwashing practices are still used by many marketing professionals. Recognize them, avoid them yourself, and call them out if you see others in your organization using them!

Supporting Claims with Quality Evidence

Scientists are an analytical bunch. This is well-known, but many people misunderstand how scientists interact with facts and data. It isn’t enough to throw any random numbers in their direction. Rather, you should think of scientists as data enthusiasts or connoisseurs — they want facts that are high quality, fresh, and precise.

This is especially important in the field of sustainability, where there is a lot of information online, but the quality is inconsistent. Watch out for “zombie facts” and “zombie stats,” which are claims that are repeated online but are wrong or unverified. Here are a few samples you might have come across:

Versions of “facts” like this show up on the internet all the time. Do not trust them without verification! While the people sharing these points are often well-intentioned, they are repeating facts that fit with their existing beliefs. You need to rise above this standard when communicating with a scientific audience.

You should also verify that your data is up to date. Sustainable technology and regulation are changing rapidly. Consider solar panels — their costs have dropped over the last 20 years, leading to a surge in demand. Global use doubled from 2021 to 2024… just three years!

This means that any statistic on solar technology more than three years old should be viewed with suspicion. Scientists working in this field will know that your fun facts from 2015 are wildly out of date.

It is also worth remembering that the details matter when sharing sustainability-related statistics. Let’s say that you come across the claim that ACME Inc. emitted 1 million tonnes of CO₂ from 2011 to 2020. Seems clear enough, right?

• Was that 1 million tonnes per year or 1 million tonnes total?
• Was that CO₂ emissions only, or was this “CO₂e”, which includes greenhouse gases beyond CO₂?
• Does this include only direct emissions (scope 1), or does it cover indirect emissions (scope 2 and 3)?

The answers to each of these questions could give you a very different picture of ACME Inc.’s environmental impact. You need to be clear on what the original source claims and ensure that you get the details right when you reshare it.

“But wait a minute,” I hear you say. “Fact checking, assessing recency, confirming details; isn’t that a lot of work?” Yes, it is. You need to use critical thinking and research skills here. It’s not enough to search the internet for a fact you like to drop into your white paper or blog post. Getting this wrong erodes trust.

Tell a Sustainability Story

While data is essential, it’s not enough to deliver a compelling, memorable message. It is best to weave it into a story.

• Where exactly is the environmental benefit coming from?
• How big is the impact in practice? Can you give a comparison?
• How did your team discover or develop this environmental benefit/feature?

Take this sample:

“Nano-Plex coatings emits 20% less CO₂ than traditional polyurethane coatings.”

Meh. It is an interesting fact, but it lacks the context and drama to stick. It’s better than nothing, but not by much.

“Our team developed the new Nano-Plex coating to meet the needs of homeowners who wanted a protective stain for decks and fences that was environmentally friendly. Polyurethane coatings offer effective water protection, but did you know that each gram produces 5 grams of CO₂? Nano-Plex has 20% less greenhouse impact, thanks to our proprietary nano-solvent technology, which captures CO₂ rather than releasing it.”

While this is longer and may not be appropriate for all applications, it is much more memorable. We set up the tension (the need for a coating that was environmentally friendly), which is then resolved. We have also linked the benefits of environmental sustainability to the product’s features.

This is a relatively simple example. It would be better to introduce characters, setting, and more plot, but this is a start. Once you find these compelling stories, you can retell them through different formats and channels.

Don’t Force It

But what if your brand doesn’t have a sustainability story to tell? How do you engage in the conversation? Should you sit out the whole month of April?

Here are a few ideas on what you could do:

• Are there any environment-related companies or organizations using your product/service?
• Are there any interesting sustainability-related facts that you can share, even if they are not unique to your product?
• Does your company engage in any environment-related philanthropy or community service?

But honestly, if you don’t have a clear sustainability story to share, consider spending your time and energy as a marketer elsewhere. Don’t fake it. Your product/service/company doesn’t need to do everything. People can smell when you are being inauthentic.

Take this extreme example:

While you probably won’t get dunked on like BP, forcing your brand into the wrong conversations is how you get greenwashing. No one expects your company to participate in every themed celebration throughout the year. Pick where you can have the most relevance and then show up in a way that breaks through the noise.

Craft Sustainability Marketing Scientists Trust

If you’re navigating sustainability marketing for scientific audiences, BrandLab can help. Our work is led by Ph.D. scientists turned marketers who know how to turn complex data into trustworthy, resonance-driven content, without overstating claims or risking greenwashing.

Start with our custom content guide, or schedule a consultation to learn how we work.

Download the Custom Content Guide

The post Sustainability Marketing for Science Brands: How to Avoid Greenwashing and Build Trust appeared first on ACS Media Group.

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It’s no secret that stock photo libraries are filled with outrageously bad science stock photos.

Like this one, with a “scientist” crouched in a wheat field for no reason:

Or this one—that corn must be overdue for its flu shot:

Or this one, which was featured in a viral Twitter thread from 2022 documenting the worst science stock photos:

It’s easy to point out these bad photos, and they’re good for a laugh.

But, as funny as these images are, they point to a real challenge: science marketers rely on stock photos to represent complex work and concepts, but finding “good” science stock photography is exceptionally difficult.

For this article, I met with Matt Radcliff, executive producer for ACS Productions, and Jesse Harris, a fellow senior editor with BrandLab, about the challenge of sourcing science stock photos. We talked about what these photos tend to miss, how generative AI fits into the conversation, and the number one thing to prioritize when selecting science stock photography.

Authenticity, Above All

Sometimes you’re just looking for a stock photo that will set a tone for your content, break up text, or give a piece some color.

But, when you start to use stock photography to represent people at work performing tasks and interacting with their environment or real scientific entities, aesthetics aren’t good enough.

Take this science stock photo as an example:

It’s an image of a person dressed in a lab coat staring intently at a glass test tube filled with a bright blue fluid. It conveys a tone of serious, scientific curiosity.

But if you’re trying to communicate with scientists, that’s not what they see.

Instead, they see:

1. A piece of glassware that would never be handled in that way
2. Personal protective equipment (PPE) missing
3. Colorful liquids that are relatively rare in most research labs…

In short, the scientists in your audience may end up seeing this as an example of choosing to use a “nice” image instead of doing the work to understand what their work actually looks like.

Photography is a form of communication. When stock photos are used well, they can provide both an aesthetic role and communicate credibility. Misrepresenting science or scientists-at-work is a missed opportunity to connect with your audience.

What Makes a Science Stock Photo Feel Authentic?

In my role as an editor with BrandLab, I often track down stock photos to use in our white papers, e-books, and other sponsored content.  Over the years, I’ve spent hours looking for good stock imagery options, trying countless iteration of search terms, going down rabbit trails of different photographer portfolios, and calling to mind the science labs I’ve worked in and have visited.

It’s hard to identify science stock photos that feel authentic if you don’t know what it looks and feels like to work as a scientist. But the physical experience of working in a lab is a core element of what it means to be a scientist, and scientists form community around these shared experiences.

So, short of going back to school to get a chemistry or biology degree, how can marketers train their eyes for authentic representations of science?

Shadow a Scientist

Ask to spend a day shadowing one of your organization’s scientists in their lab or manufacturing center. Observe what’s happening. Write down what you hear, smell, see, and feel. Watch to see how their body moves, what PPE you put on, and when. Ask questions, lots of questions.

Get Feedback

Ask a scientist you work with or someone from your organization who trained as a scientist to critique stock photo options you are weighing. “Does this follow lab safety?” “Is the model using this equipment correctly?” If they do identify issues with the photo, ask how distracting they are.

Draft Guidelines for Your Organization’s Use of Stock Photos

A list of non-negotiables for your brand’s use of stock photos can make it easier to sift through the thousands of options. Rules like “If someone is shown in a lab, they need to be wearing a lab coat,” will mean you can ignore photos where lab coats are missing.

Can You Spy the Problem with these Science Stock Photos?

The photos below are not bad science stock photos. I’ve even used one in a white paper.

But there are subtle details in each that could be a problem, depending on the context. Can you find them?

This is a decent photo, but the model’s hair isn’t tied back. There might also be an issue with wearing gloves while using a tablet, but it does depend on the lab and the chemicals they use.

I like that the lab feels a bit older and worn in. That is fairly typical for academic labs and even some industry labs. And the model’s PPE seems appropriate. However, there’s a lot of glassware filled with bright blue, yellow, and green liquids, which is not common. More importantly, there’s a safety issue: those liquids are unsecured and staged in odd places, including next to a computer.

This is a good photo! The model is working in a biosafety cabinet with the glass partition down and nothing obstructing the front grill’s airflow, and they seem to be using a pipette correctly. The liquid in the tube with the orange cap is pale pink, a common color for cell culture media. The only potential issue is that the model isn’t wearing safety glasses; but, if there’s no risk of splashing or of getting harmful chemicals in their eyes, they might not need safety glasses. PPE is contextual.

What about Generative AI?

We can’t really talk about stock photos in 2026 without also discussing generative AI. Generative AI has expanded what marketers can create, but it’s also expanded how easily inaccuracies can slip through.

When it comes to using AI to generate imagery for your brand content, Matt recommends caution:

In addition to checking AI-generated images for errors, you should also consider why you’re using a photo in the first place. If you’re looking for something to communicate authenticity and connection, artificially generated images of scientists at work probably aren’t the right fit. Similarly, if your goal is to accurately convey the structure of a molecule, how confident are you in your ability to assess and correct the accuracy of an AI-generated image?

One role generative AI can have in using science stock photos is the way it can make photo editing easier and faster. For example, you find a stock image that is nearly perfect, but the model isn’t wearing goggles or gloves. You don’t want to use an image that shows improper PPE. In a case like this, it’s reasonable to use AI-based tools to quickly add gloves and goggles to the person.

These are the sort of edits that someone who is trained in photo editing software can make relatively easily on their own. In this case, AI makes that process easier for marketers who do not have that expertise.

One more note: using generative AI may also introduce risks involving image licensing and copyright concerns. In addition to whatever brand standards your organization has set, weigh the ethics of your use of generative AI.  

What Else Should You Look Out for in Science Stock Photos?

Keep an Eye Out for Representation

For a long time, science stock imagery reflected stereotypes of who can be a scientist. That limitation is improving, says Matt, but it’s an issue to be aware of when selecting photos.

Stock photography can provide representation in a stand-alone piece of content. It cannot, and should not, represent the extent of your organization’s commitments to support and foster an inclusive workforce. There is a fine line between choosing stock photography that represents the diversity of science and using stock photography to tokenize groups.

Safety is in the Details

Safety is a non-negotiable in the lab. The challenge for marketers is knowing what behaviors and equipment are considered “safe”. And it’s complicated by the fact that safety is contextual and depends on the lab, the substances being used, and the tasks being carried out.

Eating in the lab? That’s a hard no. Wearing gloves? It depends.

Are Graphics Accurate?

Every time I see a helical structure of DNA in a stock image, I check to see if it’s right-handed. Similarly, when I see a chemical structure, I’m looking at bond geometries and connections. If a graphic of a real chemical or biological entity is shown in the stock photo, I consider whether it makes sense to show that specific structure in context.

Is it Time for a Photoshoot?

With all the issues surrounding stock photo usage, I’d advise organizations who have labs to consider building their own collection of stock photos, taken with their employees in their lab spaces with their equipment.

This is no small investment. In addition to the employees’ and photographers’ time on the day of the photoshoot, there’s also planning and prep time, and the photographer will need to edit the photos. You’ll also need a system in place to store the images, tag them with the proper metadata, and make them available to others in the organization. You’ll also want to take new photos every few years so that your images don’t feel too dated.

Hosting a photoshoot and setting up a photo library may not be feasible, especially if your organization does not have lab spaces or scientists to photograph. If you can’t build and host your own library of photos, invest that time in honing your instinct for authentic science stock photos through audience research, shadowing scientists, and asking lots of questions.

Create Impactful Content That Connects with Scientists

If you’re looking to go deeper into how to create science content that resonates with real scientists (beyond just choosing a good stock photo) the BrandLab team has an on‑demand webinar you might find helpful.

In Creating Content that Scientists Can Resist, two of our scientists turned content marketers unpack what makes technical storytelling credible, compelling, and trustworthy. You’ll learn how to translate complex research, elevate SME insights, and develop content that connects with your scientific audience.

Watch On-Demand

The post How to Choose Science Stock Photos that Aren’t Terrible appeared first on ACS Media Group.

In-person scientific conferences and trade shows (like ACS Spring and Fall) are one of the richest opportunities for science marketers to learn, connect, and gather insights that fuel better storytelling and smarter campaigns. They also offer a valuable chance to assess competitors and gain fresh marketing ideas. Yet it’s easy to approach them on autopilot—sticking to familiar routines, collecting swag, and sitting through sessions without truly engaging. To turn conferences into true strategic value, not just busy days, we break down the practical, people-centered tactics every science marketer should use before, during, and after the event. Read below our top tips for attending science conferences.

Arrive With a Plan: Let Your Goals Drive Everything

The most important part of conference preparation happens before you ever set foot on the show floor.

Start with your goals: Why are you attending? What does your organization need from you? What do you hope to gain?

This upfront intention-setting becomes the blueprint for your entire conference experience. It guides which sessions make your shortlist, which booths deserve time, and how you allocate your energy across learning, networking, and exploration.

Another smart preparation strategy is to scan conference websites for content and potential connections. “I take a deep dive into the conference agenda, especially the keynote sessions and any major trends in the program,” said C&EN BrandLab Senior Editor Jordan Nutting. “For example, if I see lots of talks on PFAS or liquid chromatography technologies, I’ll plan to attend a few sessions and visit related vendors to understand why those topics are getting attention.”

You can also use LinkedIn in the lead-up to conferences to see who else might be attending, which can help set up meetups or conversations.

Equally important: connect with your team ahead of time. “Conferences are a major investment,” said Nutting. “Coordinating with colleagues helps ensure the whole team benefits.”

Pack Light But Smart

Overpacking materials is unnecessary. Instead, bring the things that truly support productive interactions:

Think of materials not as “handouts,” but as conversation enhancers that make it easier to demonstrate your work and spark deeper dialogue. And if you do need collateral, coordinate early with your team to ensure everything is ready well before you leave for the event.

Make the Exhibit Hall Work for You

The show floor can be chaotic, but it’s also where some of the richest face‑to‑face conversations take place. The key is approaching it with intention and sincere interest. Rather than focusing on what you need to say, start by building a personal connection and letting the conversation unfold naturally.

This people‑first mindset extends to networking throughout the event. Effective connections aren’t made through pitches; they’re made through genuine curiosity. Ask about challenges they’re seeing, projects they’re working on, or even their favorite session so far.

When in doubt, invite the other person to talk about what excites them. Those moments often lead to surprising insights and future partnership opportunities.

“When you’re genuinely interested, the interaction feels more authentic and less like a pitch,” said Nutting. “It makes the conversation two‑sided rather than transactional.”

Capture What You Learn in Real Time

In the flurry of sessions, demos, and hallway conversations, details can disappear quickly. Capturing insights as they happen is essential. A simple notebook works surprisingly well. Writing things down helps crystallize ideas, reveal patterns, and set you up for deeper reflection once the event is over.

If you’re using LinkedIn (and you absolutely should), connect with new contacts immediately while conversations are fresh. It’s an easy way to keep the relationship moving and preserve context that might otherwise get lost in the whirlwind of the event.

Avoid the Trap of Staying in Your Lane

One of the easiest mistakes to make at a conference is approaching it too narrowly—spending all your time at your booth, sticking strictly to your discipline, or attending only the sessions that feel familiar. As Nutting notes, “Follow your goals, but stay open. You never know what useful insight or connection you might gain by stepping into something unexpected.”

These serendipitous experiences can spark new ideas, offer fresh perspectives, and deepen your understanding of both your audience and the broader industry.

Informal networking is one of the best ways to create these unexpected connections. “Some of my best conversations have happened in food lines or at shared tables,” Nutting said. “You meet people you might not otherwise approach, and those interactions can be incredibly enriching.”

Staying flexible, curious, and willing to engage outside your comfort zone helps you get far more out of a conference than what’s printed on the agenda.

Turn Post-Conference Momentum Into Action

Once the conference wraps, move quickly to preserve the insights and connections you’ve gained. A little immediate action can significantly amplify the value of your time onsite.

1. Share your insights with your team. Summaries, trend notes, and key takeaways ensure your colleagues benefit from what you observed. Highlight emerging themes, attendee challenges, new ideas, and anything that could inform upcoming projects or strategy.
2. Follow up with new connections right away. Reach out within a few days, while conversations are still fresh. A quick LinkedIn message is often all it takes to keep a relationship alive and set the stage for future collaboration.
3. Repurpose your insights into content. Conferences are rich with stories, data points, and observations that translate beautifully into content marketing or internal assets. Even small moments can spark compelling content later.

Measuring Success Beyond Lead Counts

For some teams, lead counts or badge scans are the most straightforward metrics, and they’re certainly important when evaluating marketing outcomes. But for many science marketers, success also includes a meaningful qualitative dimension.

Consider whether the conference helped you:

• Build new relationships
• Deepen your expertise
• Gather insights that will shape future projects
• Spark new ideas, stories, or opportunities

Not every meaningful outcome can be captured with a number, and often these qualitative gains drive the most significant long‑term impact.

Final Tips for Attending Science Conferences

The post Attending a Science Conference? Essential Tips for Marketers and Scientists appeared first on ACS Media Group.

Heading to ACS Spring 2026 in Atlanta, GA? Make time to connect with ACS Media Group and our C&EN, ACS Publications, and CAS teams for can’t‑miss opportunities throughout the meeting.

• Join the Chem Social and connect with C&EN journalists and fellow attendees.
• Explore “The Future of Chemistry and Technology for Managing Pollution” with insights from our expert panel.
• Meet 2026 Priestley Medalist Jennifer Doudna and get a signed copy of the C&EN issue featuring her on the cover.
• Learn how chemistry creators captivate audiences and spark curiosity during “Beyond the Beaker: Why We Started Creating” in the Periodic Talks Theater.
• Engage with the C&EN, ACS Publications, and CAS teams in the Expo Hall to explore our services and snag some fun prizes.
• Schedule a one-on-one meeting with the ACS Media Group team to learn about our advertising solutions and explore opportunities for your business.

We’re excited to connect, celebrate, and explore the future of chemistry with you. See you there!

Chem Social with Chemistry Trivia Challenge

Presented by C&EN and ACS on Campus

The Future of Chemistry and Technology for Managing Pollution

Monday, March 23, 1:30-3:20 PM EDT
Periodic Talks Theater, ACS Spring 2026 Expo Hall

C&EN’s Future of Chemistry series brings together leading minds to explore bold ideas and innovations shaping the future of chemistry.

Join us for a panel that examines chemistry’s crucial role in mitigating the impact of pollution and waste throughout a product’s lifecycle.

Registration for ACS Spring 2026 is required to attend.

RSVP Today

Priestley Medalist Meet & Greet with Jennifer Doudna

Monday, March 23, 2026, 4:00-4:30 PM ET
ACS Booth (#823) Theater, ACS Spring 2026 Expo Hall

Jennifer Doudna, 2026 recipient of the Priestley Medal, will be signing copies of the C&EN issue featuring her on the cover. This event offers attendees a rare chance to meet and interact with the Priestley Medalist while getting their copies autographed.

Registration for ACS Spring 2026 is required to attend.

Beyond the Beaker: Why We Started Creating

Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 11:30 AM ET
Periodic Talks Theater (#1541), ACS Spring 2026 Expo Hall

Join us for a lively conversation with chemistry content creators who are making science accessible, entertaining, and impossible to scroll past. Confirmed speakers include André Isaacs (DrDre4000), Kim Hilton (Chemical Kim), Phil Cook (ChemTeacherPhil), and J.C. (Dr. Chem Thug)

Hear how they launched their channels, what sparked their passion for sharing chemistry with the world, and how they’ve grown their audiences across platforms. You’ll also have the chance to ask questions, get practical tips for starting or improving your own science communication journey, and connect with peers who care about elevating chemistry in the public sphere.

Registration for ACS Spring 2026 is required to attend.

Add to Calendar

Connect with our Teams at the ACS Booth

Registration for ACS Spring 2026 is required to participate.

Request a Free Consultation with the ACS Media Group Team

Interested in sponsoring events or exhibiting at ACS Meetings and Expo? Contact us at exhibit@acs.org to learn more.

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