Almost everywhere you look, you will see examples of companies and industries striving to work in a more environmentally friendly way. Consumer pressure, legislation and the realization that everyone must work together to literally save the planet have combined to drive business leaders to accelerate the pace of change. So much so that entire industries are radically revolutionizing the way they work.
That includes the marketing industry. These are just a few examples of the steps marketing companies are taking.
An overview of green strategies used by marketing companies.
Most marketing firms are working hard to zero out their operations. They are doing everything that most other physical companies are doing, including:
- Reducing energy and materials consumption.
- Getting their energy and materials from green sources.
- Switching to electric vehicles
- Reducing employee commuting by allowing more people to work from home.
The world’s largest marketing agency will be net-zero by 2025.
Take, for example, WPP plc, which is the world’s largest advertising agency. They have a goal of achieving net-zero for their operations by 2025 and making their supply chain net-zero by 2030. They know these are realistic targets because they have been actively working to reduce their carbon footprint since 2006.
Developing eco-friendly advertising materials.
The industry is well aware of the fact that a lot of materials and energy are used to produce and deliver advertising. Unfortunately, there is no way to reduce what is used to zero. But there are ways to make sure that the materials used are as environmentally friendly as possible. As well as, as far as possible, reusable or, failing that, recyclable.
Environmentally friendly digital signage
Take digital signage, for example. An advertising medium that is being used more and more. It is becoming easier and easier for stores, clinics, bars, restaurants and other businesses to obtain environmentally friendly digital signage. The amount of energy consumed by displays has been drastically reduced and continues to fall as new technologies are developed. If the company uses a green power source, the impact of running the displays is surprisingly low.
Solar-powered digital display advertising
It is now also possible to buy solar-powered digital displays. An option that is proving especially popular with billboard companies. They find that the higher purchase price is quickly covered by the fact that they don’t have to pay anything to run their displays. Billboard firms can change what is displayed on their billboards remotely. Giving them the opportunity to serve more customers at once from that billboard, which makes them more money.
Create less landfill waste
The fact that the content displayed on solar-powered billboards and digital displays can be changed remotely also contributes to their green credentials. Most billboards cannot be recycled. They are difficult to remove from the board. Plus, even if you can remove them, the glossy finish and chemicals used in the inks and glue mean they can’t be safely recycled. So, they simply end up in a landfill. Digital displays eliminate the need for paper, cardboard or plastic signs and banners, eliminating all that potential contamination.
Use of equipment made from recycled materials
In addition to being designed to consume less energy or to run on solar power, digital displays are increasingly being made from recycled materials. A great example of this is the Phillips 1B7QGJEB 24-inch display, which uses recycled plastics and metals. Phillips has also ensured that it does not contain substances such as halogen, lead or mercury.
Switching to the use of recyclable advertising materials.
Perhaps most importantly, when it is no longer possible to repair the display, everything in it can be recycled. Marketing companies encourage their customers to use this type of display screen technology. For example, by providing them to bars, cafes, restaurants, stores and clinics that rent digital displays from them.
When there is no alternative but to use paper advertising, greener alternatives to traditional posters and banners are being offered. For example, posters that are printed on recycled paper, with inks that contain fewer chemicals and are designed to be easily peeled off and recycled.
The above is just a sample of what the advertising industry is doing to go green. Thousands have already signed up to be part of the ad associations’ Ad Net Zero initiative. By joining forces, the industry is learning from each other, enabling them to move even faster toward a more sustainable future.