(Newswire.net — December 7, 2016) — When discussing sustainable business models, most companies focus on production practices and sourcing of materials, as well as factors like longevity of products, but not many companies consider whether their advertising model is also eco-friendly. That being said, advertising can be more sustainable – and from catalogs to commercials, a few companies have finally taken notice. Taken further, these transformations have the potential to shake up mainstream marketing practices.
Consuming Catalogs
In this digital era, the holidays may be the only time that some of us realize companies are even still making print catalogs – don’t they just put all of that stuff online now? Actually, companies print glossy catalogs year round advertising their products. And while you may be able to toss them in the recycling if you don’t want the catalog, the destruction and waste that go into producing these catalogues in the first place remains a problem.
When it comes to manufacturing these catalogues, however, it’s typically independent companies, those that produce much smaller runs of their catalogs, which make the most ecologically friendly production choices. This is because these small companies are more likely to market their products to environmentally conscious consumers, the sort who would inquire into these production practices. This leaves the big companies, the ones churning out hundreds of thousands of catalogs each season, as those making environmentally destructive manufacturing decisions.
A quick look at these practices remind us why it’s so important to support companies like Patagonia and Gaiam, who use a high percentage of recycled content in their catalogs. As consumers, we should also encourage companies to test out a print-on-demand model for their catalogs, like California-based company GoodHumans. These are great ways to reduce deforestation and the carbon footprint of the advertising industry.
Conserving Commercials
Producing commercials is not known for being a low-cost or low-impact process, but rather an expensive one that can eat up resources in the name of future profits. When examined critically, it’s easy to see that this isn’t an effective strategy for companies or good for the environment, however, and that’s what inspired Jo Coombes, an experienced production manager, to develop AdGreen.
At AdGreen, the focus is on helping other production companies and managers reduce the impact of their own shoots, not on carrying out ad production. Coombes created a list of green production practices, some as simple as offering recycling cans on sets and shooting in nearby locations. Other suggested practices include using solar generators and low energy lighting and donating leftover props and foods to local organizations.
Seeking Greener Practices
In the near future, it may be much easier for businesses and individuals to track down companies that focus on sustainability through new .ECO domains. Expected to be live before the end of 2016, .ECO domains will be available to major players in the world of environmentalism, such as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund, but will also be available for purchase by eco-friendly businesses. Like .ORG and .EDU domains, the .ECO domain is intended to help people identify the core values and mission of an organization before they even read the website.
Marketing will never be an entirely sustainable practice – and it isn’t meant to be – but we can do more to help the industry approach net zero. That starts with supporting businesses that voluntarily adopt sustainable practices and putting pressure on larger companies to participate in these types of social change efforts.