MARKETING AND COMMS -
Is there any better platform than Instagram to turn the jealousy of wanderlust into environmental awareness? Followers scroll through the feeds of travel influencers, admiring the photos of scenic destinations and express their enjoyment with a 'like' and their envy in the comments. The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and ad agency TBWA\Paris saw this as an opportunity to highlight how many beautiful places are being lost to pollution, clear-cutting and other forms of environmental destruction.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Environmental charity Hubbub has launched a campaign that challenges male gym-goers to replace half of their animal-based protein with plant-based alternatives.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
From #DeleteUber to sexual harassment allegations, the Greyball scandal and a recent European court ruling that declared it a transportation business and taxi service, it’s fair to say 2017 has been a pretty rough year for Uber.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Over the past decade, Danish energy company Ørsted has effectively transformed itself into one of Europe’s leading sustainable energy companies, transitioning away from oil and coal in favor of offshore wind. The company has already reduced carbon emissions by 52 percent since 2006 and is on track to achieve its science-based target of 96 percent by 2023.
LEADERSHIP -
Starbucks is harnessing the power of new media to highlight the efforts being made by real people across the United States to effect positive changes in their communities. The coffee giant has brought back its Upstanders original series for a second season, which features stories of ordinary people showing extraordinary courage.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
D&AD and Advertising Week have unveiled the winners of the second annual D&AD Impact Awards, which recognizes creative ideas that have made an impact and ultimately have contributed to creating a safer, more equitable and sustainable world for all. The Awards’ coveted ‘Pencils’ are given out across 12 categories aligning with the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
From Visa’s recent Hurricane Harvey spot to Boost Mobile’s “Boost Your Voice” and Whirlpool’s “Care Counts” campaigns, advertising is undergoing a paradigm shift, with brands across industries increasingly moving towards purpose-driven messages that address some of the biggest environmental and social challenges the world faces today.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
With sustainability increasingly informing consumers’ purchasing habits and behaviors, it is becoming imperative for brands to effectively — and authentically — communicate what they are doing to address key social and environmental issues along the supply chain. In an effort to shed light on its sustainability efforts, Nespresso is shifting away from its signature star-studded spots to a new ad campaign focused on the farmers and communities that are the backbone of the brand.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Leaving Cannes last week, I felt even more schizophrenic than I did during my hard-working years in ad land. On the one hand, it’s been the best year ever in the Festival’s history for advertising that does more than sell snake oil - call it ‘Goodvertising,’ if you will. On the other, it seems like most agencies and marketers are treating the biggest issues of our time as a new trend, as if doing good is simply the ‘new black’ or perhaps pink (judging from the number of women’s equality campaigns on show).
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Google and Common Ground — an alliance of six major advertising holding companies — believe Generation Z could be the key to unlocking an SDG-aligned future. To drive widespread awareness and mobilize action among mission-driven youth around the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, the two organizations have launched The Common Future Project action campaign.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
With Earth Day 2017 quickly fading in the rearview mirror, I’m reminded of the challenge we face every other day of the year: maintaining high awareness and action on sustainability issues. Government agencies and nonprofits have traditionally shouldered the greatest responsibility for year-round efforts aimed at influencing behaviors that benefit individuals and society. But a growing number of forward-thinking businesses and brands are beginning to invest in the kind of genuine behavior change programs known as “social marketing” – or, when done by a corporation, “corporate social marketing.”
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Following its announcement that it is the only national restaurant brand that doesn’t use added colors, flavors or preservatives — artificial or natural — in any of the ingredients it uses to prepare its food, Chipotle Mexican Grill has launched a new ‘As Real as It Gets’ campaign celebrating its commitment to using only real ingredients.
The ad spots see actress Jillian Bell, actor Sam Richardson and writer, actor and comedian John Mulaney ‘get real’ about their desires, fears and secrets as they kick back inside a burrito-shaped lounge.
BEHAVIOR CHANGE -
Cleaning up supply chains and designing impacts out of products through the application of circular principles are essential components of reducing waste, but a more holistic approach to the problem of waste is needed. Consumers are increasingly educated on matters related to sustainability and recycling is more prevalent now than ever, yet litter continues to be a major issue across the globe. To initiate sustainable behavior change, the nonprofit Keep America Beautiful and the UK Government unveiled new litter strategies.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
With a growing number of consumers demanding transparency from brands about the products they use every day, companies are faced with a new world order — come clean or face extinction. Of course, baring it all is a lot easier when the items in question feature ingredients and materials that are responsibly sourced and safe. Such is the case for natural oral care company Hello, the latest personal care brand to get real about what goes into their products.
CLEANTECH -
Hydrogen fuel cell technology is changing the way we think about mobility. The effectiveness of fuel cells in reducing emissions speaks for itself — the vehicles emit nothing but water vapor — which is leading more companies to invest in hydrogen for a low-carbon future. Toyota has long been a leader in the transition away from fossil fuels.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
As Georgetown University linguistics professor Deborah Tannen says, “We tend to look through language and not realize how much power language has.”
We rarely realize it, but language is the lens through which we form perceptions about people, places and products. From my involvement in corporate marketing, I know that companies and advertisers are keenly aware of language’s power for consumers.
Marketing specialists pore over focus group data and behavior studies to understand what makes consumers tick, carefully selecting words to evoke emotions, motivate us and shape our tastes. The right phrasing can make a world of difference.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
Ahead of International Women’s Day on March 8th, Proctor & Gamble has launched a new campaign dubbed We See Equal along with an ad spot highlighting its latest gender equality initiative.
MARKETING AND COMMS -
The political unrest seems to be good for advertising with a conscience, as this year’s Super Bowl saw the highest number of Goodvertising campaigns ever.
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE -
Two years after it pledged to eliminate artificial additives from its menu by the end of 2016, Panera Bread has released a new campaign in celebration of meeting its goal.