Marketing and Comms
How brands are evolving in the area of sustainability marketing and communications — and how their stakeholders are asserting their own needs and preferences.
Storytelling and Data: Using Two Sides of the Brain Is Better Than One
In nine earlier parts of this series, we discussed 19 pitfalls in the sustainable business metrics field. (Find the first 7 articles here and the last two here.)
Chevron, Southwest Gas Fined Nearly $1M After Failing to Report GHG Emissions
Chevron and Southwest Gas have been fined close to $1 million for late or inaccurate reporting of their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for 2011. This action marks the second time the Air Resources Board (ARB) has issued fines for violations of California’s Mandatory Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reporting regulation.Chevron USA will pay $364,500 for reporting incorrect information regarding operations at its El Segundo Refinery. In this case the data remained uncorrected for 243 days, according to ARB.In a separate matter, Chevron North America Exploration & Production Company of Houston, TX has agreed to pay $328,500 for late reporting of GHGs emissions from its San Joaquin Valley oil fields. That data was late or incorrect for 219 days.
How Can You Transform a Toxic Brand Into One That Is Loved More Than Before?
It was a Sunday of June 1999. I was strolling in a forest of Luxembourg with my children. When the phone rang, I saw a number from the office and fumbled. One my colleagues talked about a small crisis, and asked if I could get to the Coca-Cola office for a talk. I was over two hours away from Brussels. I assumed the “crisis” to be the petty worry of an overanxious manager, and considered myself lucky to have an escape.
Businesses Cannot Be Successful If the Society Around Them Fails
Once upon a time, the ‘S’ word — sustainability — was about as relevant to business as a fork in a sugar bowl. At best, a box to be ticked; at worst, seen as a serious impediment to the pursuit of profit.But the world is changing. Look at the business news and you’ll see the global heads of big businesses uttering that ‘S’ word with increasing frequency.
Chipotle's New Comedy Series Spoofs the Evils of Industrial Ag
This week, Chipotle announced the upcoming premiere of “Farmed and Dangerous,” a new original comedy series that satirically explores the world of industrial agriculture in America. Produced by Chipotle and Piro, a New York-based studio known for its unique work in film and television, the initial four-episode season will air Monday nights on Hulu and Hulu Plus beginning Monday, Feb. 17, 2014. The comedy integrates Chipotle’s values and commitment to serving “Food with Integrity” without any explicit Chipotle branding.
FTC Says Diaper Claims Didn't Pass the Smell Test
What do dirty diapers and deceptive ads have in common? (We’ll pause a moment so you can add your own punch line.) Now that’s out of the way, the action against Portland-based Down to Earth Designs — consumers know them as gDiapers — is the FTC's latest effort to ensure the accuracy of environmental marketing claims. But even if green isn't your game, the case also offers insights into what the FTC calls "unqualified claims."
Messaging Sustainability: From Boring to Cool
There, we said it. Sustainability, that thing we all want — that we speak about ad nauseum — it’s dusty, dull, boring. What seems fundamental to the human spirit is that we all seek advancement, progress and growth. We went from the Ice Age to the Stone Age to the Space Age and changed our world drastically along the way. Don't Be Preachy Today, technology and the web have increased connection and made communication easier and faster. We might be addicted to it, but technology is almost always perceived as progress. Progress is action; it is exciting. While we may have moments of nostalgia for the past, we all almost universally want to sign up to the great wild unknown of the future.
New TV Ad Hails RFS as Economic Driver, Asks EPA: Why Mess With Success?
With the open comment period on the proposed EPA rule to roll back the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) coming to a close on January 28, Americans United for Change (AUFC) is launching its next in a series of TV ads asking rural Americans to join the final push to overwhelm Washington with comments in support of the RFS, family farmers and rural economies — and against another subsidy giveaway to Big Oil.
Westpac Banking Tops Corporate Knights' 2014 Global 100 Index
Corporate Knights, the Toronto-based media and investment advisory company, released the 2014 iteration of its Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the World (Global 100) index today at the World Economic Forum in Davos.In its tenth year, the Global 100 index has come to be a widely followed analysis of corporate sustainability; companies named to the Global 100 are the top overall sustainability performers in their respective industrial sectors.
Food Brands, Farming Groups, NGOs Urge Obama to Enact Federal GMO Labeling Law
A group made up of over 200 organizations including food companies, organic farming and environmental groups have signed a letter urging President Obama to enact labelling laws highlighting products that contain genetically modified ingredients.
Post Commits to Non-GMO Grape Nuts; More Cereals May Follow
GMO Inside, a campaign of Green America, learned from Post Foods on Thursday that the company has committed to rolling out Grape Nuts verified by the Non-GMO Project this month.In response to a request from GMO Inside, Post Foods responded: “We have an exciting update for you. Post has released a non-GMO verified Grape Nuts that is on the store shelves as of January 2014. Also, we are exploring some of our other cereals to see if there is potential going forward to add more non-GMO verified products to the Post Foods product line. We are always listening to our consumers and looking for ways to provide a good variety of products.”
New Greenpeace Report Reveals 'Little Monsters' in Children's Clothing
Hazardous chemicals have been found in children’s clothes and shoes made by major brands including Disney, Burberry and adidas, according to a new report, A Little Story About the Monsters in Your Closet, released yesterday by Greenpeace East Asia.
Food Companies Seek Federal GMO Labeling Standard, Challenge Washington's Campaign Finance Laws
The Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) — which represents food-industry giants including Coca-Cola, MARS, Kellogg, P&G, McDonald’s, Mondelez International, Starbucks, Hershey, General Mills and roughly 300 others — announced this week that it will petition to the chief U.S. food safety regulator and Congress to enact a single federal standard for the labeling of genetically modified (GMO) foods.
New EY Series Highlights Top Sustainability Concerns for Business in 2014
As companies begin their 2014 planning, it is critical to have a firm understanding of the regulatory and sustainability trends that will impact core business. In a new publication series Let’s talk: sustainability, Ernst & Young’s Climate Change and Sustainability Services group highlights the top concerns facing companies in these areas in 2014.
Embracing Conscious Consumerism Helping Brands Win Loyalty
This post is part of a series written by MBA and MPA candidates in Presidio Graduate School’s Managerial Marketing course, examining the role of marketing in advancing sustainability across all sectors.
Study: Full-Service Restaurants Just as Unhealthy as Fast-Food
Food served in full-service restaurants often is just as unhealthy as, or even unhealthier than, food served in fast-food restaurants, despite consumer perceptions that full-service restaurants are healthier, according to a new study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.Food prepared away from home is typically higher in calories and lower in nutrition than food prepared at home, and now makes up more than one-third of all calories purchased in the United States, the study says.
D&AD's White Pencil Teams Up with TIE to Create New League of 'Social Intrepreneurs'
Cross-Posted from Collaboration. The D&AD White Pencil, an award that highlights excellent creative ideas with a social purpose — now in its third year — is the world’s top prize for design, advertising or digital work that addresses key social, political or ethical issues.In order to demonstrate its increasing commitment to supporting positive change through creativity, D&AD is now collaborating with The International Exchange (TIE) — a leadership development programme that combines the expertise within agencies and studios with the needs of NGOs to create positive, sustainable change — to offer two TIE placements to this year’s White Pencil nominees.
New Campaign Encouraging Brits to 'Smart Swap' Healthier Food Criticized for Shortsightedness
Cross-Posted from Behavior Change. Last week, Public Health England unveiled its latest Change4Life campaign, which this year focuses on getting people throughout England and Wales to “Smart Swap” fatty or sugary foods for healthier alternatives.The campaign recognizes that it’s unrealistic to expect people to immediately switch from chocolate to fruit, for example, so it is hoping to incentivize making smarter food choices by offering participants money-saving vouchers for healthier foods and drinks and in-store offers from partner retailers such as Asda, Co-operative Food, Lidl and Aldi.
Consumers, Activists Declare Victory as General Mills Commits to Non-GMO Cheerios
GMO Inside, a campaign of national non-profit organization Green America, celebrated a victory yesterday after target General Mills announced that its original Cheerios cereal would now be produced without the use of GMOs.
McDonald's Pulls Employee McResource Site After Scrutiny Over Misguided Lifestyle Advice
As you may remember, McDonald's announced in September a partnership with the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, to increase customers' access to fruit and vegetables and promote these healthier options to help families and children to make informed dining choices. In keeping with this commitment, the fast-food giant attempted to do the same for its employees earlier this month by pointing out the difference between items such as a burger and fries and “healthier options,” apparently missing the irony of the situation.
