Marking World Environment Day, climate advertising non-profit Purpose Disruptors has has tapped in to the likes of AMV BBDO, Natwest and Kantar, to share insights on how adland can shift to be more ethical.
The report, entitled ‘Towards Reimagining Advertising’ is based on six months of learning based on sessions carried out with the RSA and King’s College London.
It explores how the advertising industry can shift from modern consumerist culture, bringing together brands, creative agencies, media agency, awards body to offer new perspectives on the relationships between these actors.
Key insights identified from the sessions include shifting how advertisers think about the future by adopting the Three Horizons model to shift mindsets from “business as usual”.
Subscribe to Marketing Beat for FREE
Sign up here to get the latest Christmas ads and more sent straight to your inbox each morning
Ideas generated to help shift the client included:
- Forming pitch committees and coding clients red, green or amber based on their climate impact to assist with selecting which client.
- Mandatory training for business and students on consumerism and climate change.
- Adoption of a democratic voting process wherein employees get to choose which clients they say “yes” and “no” to.
Ideas to help move towards circular business models:
- KPIs linked to climate impact.
- Agencies embedding circular thinking across all categories.
- Alternative agency rankings where those adopting regenerative business models are celebrated.
Ideas for positive climate impact
- All TV ads for a year to promote planet-friendly behaviours
- Refused without meaningful climate commitments
- Industry builds a ‘Buy nothing’ movement inspired by Veganuary
“This report is written by the industry for the industry. It is crucial at this moment in time that we reimagine advertising and its role in the future – radical innovation and transformation is needed now to ensure we make a positive contribution towards a thriving future,” said Purpose Disruptors co-founder Lisa Merrick Lawless.
Speaking about the report, Wales first future generation commissioner Sophie Howe said: “For too long, the relentless pursuit of a high-consumption lifestyle has been upheld as the pinnacle of success, driving environmental degradation and exacerbating societal inequalities.”
“The advertising industry, with its influential cultural footprint, has played a pivotal role in perpetuating these norms and narratives.”
