Integrating sustainability and corporate branding through advertisements

Integrating sustainability and corporate branding through advertisements
by Esther Teh  esther@helikonia.com.my	12 Nov 2014
Companies with the best sustainability framework and strategies will fall on deaf ears if not communicated effectively. Traditionally, companies communicate their compelling sustainability stories via the annual report or through a more contemporary means of the stand alone sustainability reports and even sustainability website. Additionally, companies could leverage on the use of advertisement to include and involve the public on sustainability. In the words of David Ogilvy, the advertising guru, “In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.” Advertisements can be a useful medium for companies to communicate about sustainability. In fact, advertisement is a powerful platform to create thought-provoking messages that can inspire public to think about sustainability challenges and the need to be more sustainable. The issues can include anything from supporting a social cause in the community, promoting healthy living in the marketplace, standing up for diversity in the workplace or even discussing big topics like climate change and supply chain. Here are some tips for companies who want to use advertisements to communicate their sustainability messages effectively: A sustainability campaign can also be a brand campaign. Hitachi through its multi-faceted, global advertising campaign entitled ‘It’s our future’ has equated its corporate brand to sustainability. Hitachi places sustainability central to its reputation by showing its investment in green products and sustainability practices. For further impact, the campaign uses children to question key decision makers to address the issues and challenges prevalent around the globe. Companies must ensure that their sustainability strategy is directly linked to its business identity. Ikea, through its ‘The Wonderful Everyday’ campaign pays homage to its Swedish value of being ‘thrifty and resourceful’ and making sustainability as a natural way of their everyday life. The advertisement also speaks about its commitment to sustainability by improving on everyday items such as only selling energy efficient LED light bulbs by 2016. Bring awareness to real and pertinent sustainability issues affecting the society. One example is Procter & Gamble hair care brand Pantene. Through its ‘Labels against women’ campaign in the Philippines, the advertisement brought up the issue of gender discrimination at work. Although, the impactful advertisement makes no association to the brand or the product, it portrays the company’s core values and principles of not tolerating discrimination in any form. Advertisements translate global sustainability strategies into local value and context. Advertisements become even more effective when the local community can relate directly to it. Lifebuoy through its ‘Help a child reach 5’ advertisement nails it in India where the rate of children’s mortality is high. According to the advertisement, two million children under the age of 5 dies of infections like diarrhoea and pneumonia every year. The company uses its knowledge and product to avoid deaths through the act of healthy hand washing habits. This is not just a case of a sustainability project but a real branding case for Lifebuoy. Use advertisement as the actual medium to solve sustainability issue. Halonix, a lighting company reframed a social problem in India of rape and sexual assaults as an opportunity. The company converted billboards advertising the brand into street lights at night, in their attempt to provide a safer city for women.  Another interesting example of the use of billboard is by Peru’s University of Engineering and Technology. The billboard creates drinking water from humidity in the air. This initiative leverages on engineering technology to solve a local problem of the lack of running water in the area. Clearly, companies can leverage on advertisements to be a force for good – to provoke an emotional response, create dialogue and inspire actions through the integration of sustainability messages into its corporate brand. Has your company thought about communicating sustainability in the form of advertisements?