Sustainability Advertising and Public Health
Mike Catherall
November 16, 2006
While the average consumer may continue to buy products heavily dependant on plastics and oil, fail to recycle, use too much energy and drive when they could walk, those with access to any form of media are aware the repercussions of their behavior. This awareness is powerful. It has enormous potential for change down the road when dramatic action is taken. Awareness, especially awareness without action, is the foundation for change.
What? How? In the same way that gyms make a killing every January, and Nicorette has built an empire. Residual guilt is a ‘way in’ that successful advertisers have been using for years. It builds up until you can’t take it any more, and you know that something has to be done, be it hit the gym, or sign a petition.
Essentially, awareness acts to ‘warm up’ the public in terms of legislation and more radical shifts down the road such as the Clean Air Act, or Air Care or the Kyoto Accord.
Public health is in the same arena as sustainability when it comes to awareness issues.
Take tobacco for instance. Twenty years ago, the dangers of cigarette smoking were only mildly available. There was not the push through advertising that we have today to make the dangers known. In the past, the media largely kowtowed to tobacco giants because of the revenue they provided to keep them afloat, but now those same coffers are replenished by anti-advertising campaigns. Public health messages.
There has been massive sweeps across North America to legislate anti-smoking laws in bars, restaurants, and even on sidewalks. This has been going on for years. Hong Kong just recently jumped on the bandwagon as well.
This kind of legislation would never have been possible with a ‘cold’ consumer. For years we have been hearing about the dangers of smoking, and second-hand smoke. There has been research to support it. But more importantly, there is an acute awareness of the dangers brought about by the media and advertising.
This is the direction I see sustainability advertising moving in the future.
What? How? In the same way that gyms make a killing every January, and Nicorette has built an empire. Residual guilt is a ‘way in’ that successful advertisers have been using for years. It builds up until you can’t take it any more, and you know that something has to be done, be it hit the gym, or sign a petition.
Essentially, awareness acts to ‘warm up’ the public in terms of legislation and more radical shifts down the road such as the Clean Air Act, or Air Care or the Kyoto Accord.
Public health is in the same arena as sustainability when it comes to awareness issues.
Take tobacco for instance. Twenty years ago, the dangers of cigarette smoking were only mildly available. There was not the push through advertising that we have today to make the dangers known. In the past, the media largely kowtowed to tobacco giants because of the revenue they provided to keep them afloat, but now those same coffers are replenished by anti-advertising campaigns. Public health messages.
There has been massive sweeps across North America to legislate anti-smoking laws in bars, restaurants, and even on sidewalks. This has been going on for years. Hong Kong just recently jumped on the bandwagon as well.
This kind of legislation would never have been possible with a ‘cold’ consumer. For years we have been hearing about the dangers of smoking, and second-hand smoke. There has been research to support it. But more importantly, there is an acute awareness of the dangers brought about by the media and advertising.
This is the direction I see sustainability advertising moving in the future.
Print
Email
