Six billboards celebrated Britannia's sustainability report. So I read it: water use nearly doubled, CO2 emissions are up, and plastic waste has surged.
now imagine if they used all the money spent on this advertising campaign to instead just remove all these billboards from continuing to junk up the local environment...
This is the first time I have loved reading a case study so clean, crisp and clear! Highlights the basic hygiene of fact-checking before assuming and accepting the actuals!!
Wonderful analysis. I’m curious whether the company could claim any tangible successes - is there anything substantive that might justify the campaign?
Thank you for this excellent reporting, Paulina. My ad agency works on campaigns to reduce food waste, expand renewable power, and other efforts to reduce CO2. We’re evolving from measuring engagement to measuring actual reductions in food thrown away and increases in clean energy customers. It’s harder data to get but it’s possible and increasingly it’s what clients that work in sustainability—government agencies and nonprofits—demand.
When Cannes awards a retail campaign we can take for granted that if the client was happy and the ads strike judges as clever it deserves an award. Climate work is different and obviously old school, corporate Cannes should not even have climate-related awards unless they’re going to rethink and restructure their entire organization.
This is astonishing. How on earth can a report like that be allowed to win a sustainability award? This needs major traction to hold Cannes to account
now imagine if they used all the money spent on this advertising campaign to instead just remove all these billboards from continuing to junk up the local environment...
this is madness! brilliant reporting, thanks for bringing this into light!
Thank you, this is a brilliant analysis. It makes me think of how many other brands do the same with little to no scrutiny, and accountability.
This is the first time I have loved reading a case study so clean, crisp and clear! Highlights the basic hygiene of fact-checking before assuming and accepting the actuals!!
Greenwashing 101!
Wonderful analysis. I’m curious whether the company could claim any tangible successes - is there anything substantive that might justify the campaign?
Just like in Sports, cheating and lying [doping] should lead to awards being removed/lost. That’s the least we could do.
Amazing. Keep up the good work!
Thank you for this excellent reporting, Paulina. My ad agency works on campaigns to reduce food waste, expand renewable power, and other efforts to reduce CO2. We’re evolving from measuring engagement to measuring actual reductions in food thrown away and increases in clean energy customers. It’s harder data to get but it’s possible and increasingly it’s what clients that work in sustainability—government agencies and nonprofits—demand.
When Cannes awards a retail campaign we can take for granted that if the client was happy and the ads strike judges as clever it deserves an award. Climate work is different and obviously old school, corporate Cannes should not even have climate-related awards unless they’re going to rethink and restructure their entire organization.
Great reading between the lines. More power to you!