abusesaffiliationarrow-downarrow-leftarrow-rightarrow-upattack-typeburgerchevron-downchevron-leftchevron-rightchevron-upClock iconclosedeletedevelopment-povertydiscriminationdollardownloademailenvironmentexternal-linkfacebookfiltergenderglobegroupshealthC4067174-3DD9-4B9E-AD64-284FDAAE6338@1xinformation-outlineinformationinstagraminvestment-trade-globalisationissueslabourlanguagesShapeCombined Shapeline, chart, up, arrow, graphLinkedInlocationmap-pinminusnewsorganisationotheroverviewpluspreviewArtboard 185profilerefreshIconnewssearchsecurityPathStock downStock steadyStock uptagticktooltiptwitteruniversalityweb
Article

18 Jun 2007

Author:
Carlos Grande, Financial Times

Consumption with a conscience

The question of how advertisers should address increased public awareness of global warming and its implications for consumer behaviour is one of the themes of this year's [Cannes Film Festival]. It follows a recent rise in the number of companies in the automotive, energy, retail and travel sectors using environmental claims to market their products and services. They include Airbus [part of EADS], Renault, Procter & Gamble's Ariel laundry brand and most of the UK grocery sector, as well as advertisers with a longer record of green communications such as Toyota, BP and Body Shop [part of L'Oreal]. Last week MTV [part of Viacom] also began airing a series of worldwide television commercials about global warming, modelled on previous campaigns for HIV/Aids prevention... A 2006 survey of attitudes by the Pew Research Center...found that consumers in Japan, India, France and Spain were most agitated by global warming. Less than half the Chinese or US respondents were concerned about the issue... Oliver Gray, director-general of the European Advertising Standards Alliance, said: "...we have to remind people: if you make a claim that you are greener or more environmentally friendly, you have to be able to substantiate it. It is the same as any other claim made by an advertiser."... Toyota, EasyJet, Volkswagen and some power companies are among the UK advertisers to have been found guilty of exaggerating the green benefits of their products... For the advertising industry's critics...it will always be difficult to see it as environmentally friendly given its fundamental role in stoking demand for ever more consumption... [S]ome of the most successful "campaigns" in this area could not be described as advertising in any conventional sense. [refers to campaign by Leo Burnett (part of Publicis)]