Dive Brief:
- Within one year, 3 in 5 people plan to boycott brands that don't act on climate change, according to a new report from Dentsu International and Microsoft Advertising revealed in a press release.
- The interest in climate change is also starting to extend to how ads are delivered and consumed. One in seven of those who consider that ad delivery and consumption are having a negative environmental impact claims to have already taken action with regard to how they engage with those brands.
- Additionally, 91% of consumers also want brands to show by example that they are environmentally friendly. More than three in four say that, within five years, they want to be spending money only with brands that are practicing green and sustainable advertising.
Dive Insight:
Time is running out for brands that don't tackle climate change.
That's the conclusion of "The Rise of Sustainable Media," a report by Dentsu International and Microsoft Advertising which calls for more transparency and collaboration across industries. More than 24,000 people from 19 countries around the world participated in the research.
While a large percentage of consumers are saying they want to do more to combat climate change, most of them are overwhelmed by options and conflicting information. Nearly half think companies should provide direction through product information and advertising.
One company that is taking action is Corona, whose island in the Caribbean Sea is set to become the first fully Blue Verified Island by next year. The vacation getaway features constructions made of 100% natural materials, aiming to lessen their environmental impact. Other companies have set net-zero goals. For example, Boom Supersonic is designing a 55-passenger supersonic airliner that can fly from New York to London in 3.5 hours instead of 6.5 hours.
Other brands are using AR to not only communicate sustainability messaging but to bridge the divide between brand purpose and consumer trust. Since a majority of millennials willingly spend more on sustainable products but often find it hard to do the research, AR can turn products, packaging and places into digital discovery channels, surfacing their sustainability efforts through a QR code or a simple URL.
The report also points to how concern over climate change is starting to extend to other areas of business, including how ads are delivered and consumed. More than three quarters (77%) of people globally say that, within five years, they only want to be spending money with brands that are practicing green and sustainable advertising. However, only 15% think browsing the web has a negative impact on climate change while 17% say the same about watching TV, 14% about gaming and 11% about streaming music.
The advertising industry has begun to address these demands. Per the report, the advertising and media industry has started to move spend to low- or no-carbon providers. Other green strategies being embraced include shortening the journey from data center to audience, using recycled paper for out-of-home advertising and carbon-eating paint for murals.
For service-oriented businesses like agencies, it's not always clear what steps are required to reduce carbon emissions. This is why a few smaller agencies have started working with startup Green Places, which advises them on how to become carbon neutral, including through offset options.
