*Disclaimer: This article is not a political article, nor is Boon.Today affiliated with any political stance or party. It is written purely from an apolitical viewpoint in light of Boon.Today’s mission in the advertising industry*
When I look back on the past year, despite all the uncertainty, I can’t help but reflect on the impact that everything has had on our planet.
There are the positive aspects, which include less cars on the streets, less planes flying in the sky, less people travelling into untouched nature and less overall strain on the environment.
On the other hand, there is the unfortunate side of the misuse of PPE (protective personal equipment which include single use masks, aprons and body coverings), which when not discarded properly ends up in oceans, river beds and lakes.
There is also the increase in illegal deforestation, and the lack of pressure being put on governments to act on climate change, as protests can no longer take place.
Therefore, when Joe Biden, signed an Executive Order on his first day in office to rejoin the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, as well as an Executive Order to weaken car emissions standards and energy efficiency standards, it got me thinking about what the advertising industry can learn from this.
More specifically, if we look at the other Executive Orders signed, they mostly included responses to the Covid-19 pandemic, Covid-19 relief and support, Covid-19 worker protections, Immigration and Civil Rights.
So what does this teach us?
This teaches us that we need to take better care of ourselves, our neighbours and our planet. Climate change is real, and so is Covid-19, and there is no better time than right now to join the fight against tackling climate change.
The advertising industry, as one of the biggest and wealthiest industries in the world, has a lot to learn from this move, especially as the world begins to get back to normality once the vaccine rollout is well underway.
Businesses and corporations need to have a purpose beyond their business strategy.
They need to use their power and influence to show how they are supporting others in this time, and how they will continue to do so well into the future.
But I am not just speaking about using plastic-free packaging, or emitting palm oil from your products (although these are extremely important!), I am speaking about the power that your advertising can have on your local, national and even international community.
You can support a local, national or international association that is fighting against climate change, Covid-19, or anything that is in-line with your company’s values, via your advertising campaigns.
By supporting this association, it has never been easier to spread awareness about what is important to your business and to show public support for issues that matter the most to you.
Think about how many people see your adverts? And how much money you put into these adverts?
If just 1% of that money went to support an association of your choice, think about the impact that could make on this association, and your company.
In this advert, the TV channel Canal33 collaborated with the brand Cristaline in order to raise funds for the NGO Water.org which provides safe water for families around the world. Their engagement rate was up 49% and they donated money to this association which means a lot to them!
Now, more than ever, the advertising industry needs to step up, take a stance and be driven by a purpose. A purpose that gives them a reason to keep being the most influential industry in the world.
Imagine if, from every single advert created last year, 1% of that money went to support associations across the world. Imagine the good that would have come from that. If you can imagine it, make it a reality today and speak to one of the members of the team to hear how quick, easy and simple it is!