Starcom has announced the launch of a new micro-site that includes a report on sustainability challenges within the industry.
The ‘Future Tensions in Sustainable Advertising’ report intends to address the idea that advertising, growth and product sales are ‘at odds’ with sustainability.
The Publicis Media-owned agency outlines several challenges that the industry faces including the fact that greenwashing advertising that focuses on sustainability measures faces increased scrutiny from consumers. The report also noted that advertising itself has a ‘significant’ carbon cost which can diminish the power of sustainability messaging.
The micro-site offers ways in which the industry can overcome the challenges surrounding sustainability through media planning and buying.
The agency claims that sustainable initiatives require ambitious and ethical goals, and also calls on advertisers to ‘speed up’ change around the world.
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“Dare to challenge what ‘success’ looks like. Measure, challenge and embrace pioneers who will ensure that every campaign you produce makes a difference. By re-evaluating the rules of business, marketers can innovate to achieve sustainable growth for the next century and beyond,” the report said.
Starcom chief executive Nadine Young added: “80% of marketers care and are concerned about the environment and the role we play in it. So, there’s no doubt that sustainability is high on the agenda both for media agencies and our clients. However, there are various challenges that come with tackling the sustainability issues that we face as an industry.
“This report hopes to help brands understand these challenges and outline how we can start to tackle them in a manageable way and to have immediate effect. As we all know, if we don’t start now, it will be too late and advertising also needs to play its part in forging a more sustainable future.”
