best-brand-sustainability-ad-campaigns-by-companies-and-digital-agencies

Best Brand Sustainability Ad Campaigns by Companies and Digital Agencies

As consumers, we have the power to shape brands’ behaviors about sustainability. Whether you have realized this power by now or not, we have it, and we think we should use it to build our own future.

In this article, we want to show you how we actually affect brands’ actions by sharing different examples from various sectors. We’ll look at some proactive, conscious, and sustainable strategies together. 

Let’s start with the basics. 

From what we eat to how we travel, we emit tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. We should be aware of the damage we cause to the environment and find ways to make it up for it. Cutting carbon footprints is the first step that everyone can start taking today.

In all sectors, companies are trying to increase their brand sustainability by promising to reduce their carbon footprints. And we see that it really affects consumer behaviors. 

Customers check if their favorite brands are working on any social responsibility projects and if they make any official announcements right after any phenomena around the world, etc. And when a brand catches our attention with its sustainability ads, we remember its name when we need to choose between that brand and another one.

Best Sustainability Advertising & Marketing Campaigns

We have gathered the best sustainability campaigns by brands and digital agencies in the categories below:

  • Automotive
  • Fashion
  • Cosmetics
  • Food & Beverage
  • IT & Technology
  • Nonprofit organizations
  • Digital Agencies

 

Best Automotive Sustainability Ad Campaigns by Brands

The research shows that in one year alone, Volkswagen’s carbon footprint was greater than the annual greenhouse gas emissions of Australia.

We cannot turn a blind eye to how helpful cars are in our lives. But obviously, the car industry has to change these numbers and reduce its footprint. We don’t think that it is very possible for us to live without cars. Until all cars become lighter, smaller, and electric, we should monitor and analyze brands’ efforts to protect the planet instead of just highlighting our responsibility towards it on Earth Day

Land Rover – Reimagine Strategy

Land Rover is one of the automotive companies with clear statements in its sustainability campaigns. It has a target to be a net zero-carbon brand by 2039.

Tesla – Fully Electric

As the first automotive brand to provide fully electric vehicles only, we can say that Tesla is a pioneer in the sustainability context. Besides its products,  Tesla’s marketing strategy and campaigns also demonstrate how it is important to follow the path of sustainability.

Best Fashion Sustainability Ad Campaigns by Brands

Did you know that the water footprint of a single white cotton t-shirt is 2.700 liters?

We’re not here to say much more about this except to ask you this, “Would you still buy that shirt if you saw its water footprint on the price tag?” We think that you would give it a second thought if you needed that shirt that much.

The majority of fashion brands are aware that they cannot become net zero in the blink of an eye. Their supply chains, their prices, and maybe even their customers will be affected. But they are also aware that they cannot survive in the market without focusing on sustainability. 

We hope one day we will all be conscious consumers, and we know for sure that not all brands will love this. Anyway, let’s see what the most sustainable clothing brands are.

H&M

H&M published a sustainability report in 2021 and has been recycling old clothes and encouraging customers to bring such pieces. In return, H&M gives special discounts to celebrate this sustainability-focused behavior.

h&m-sustainability

Levi’s

Levi’s is another fashion brand that cares about sustainability. In 2021, the brand published its sustainability report and highlighted what it has been doing to cause less harm to the planet:

Best Cosmetics Sustainability Ad Campaigns by Brands

The brands in the cosmetics industry are among the most attention-grabbing ones, as everyone’s eyes are on them. Let’s see some examples of cosmetics brands caring about sustainability.

Lush

Lush is known for its environmentally sustainable projects. It is one of the leaders who have been trying to make brand sustainability possible. You can learn more from its sustainability policy, but here’s a summary of what Lush does in its sustainability journey:

  • uses 100% recycled bottles and bags,
  • focuses on producing solid products to use less water and save 450,000 liters per year only by selling shampoo bars.

lush-sustainability

Lunette

According to research published by Stanford Magazine, in the United States alone, approximately 12 billion pads and 7 billion tampons are discarded each year.

The solution can be menstrual cups, as they are not only more environmentally sustainable but also cheaper and healthier! 

lunette-sustainability

On Lunette’s YouTube channel, the team answers FAQs about the cups.

The Body Shop

Here is a lovely brand sustainability project by The Body Shop. The brand has been focused on collecting empty packages to recycle and gradually making its packaging 100% recyclable

Kiehl’s

Don’t we all love brands like this? Kiehl’s works on sustainable formulas and packaging as a part of its “Future Made Better” journey.
kiehl's-sustainability

Best Food & Beverage Sustainability Ad Campaigns by Brands

Let’s start with another fact.

The water footprint for a cup of coffee, which you cannot start the day without, is approximately 140 liters.

According to a study published by National Geographic, only in the USA 500 million straws are used per day. Let’s imagine how the material choice for such products can affect the environment.

Corona

Instead of the plastic six-pack rings, Corona has more sustainable beer packaging now.

corona-sustainability

Guinness

Here is another alternative to plastic from Guinness’ sustainable beer packaging.

guinness-sustainability

Best IT & Technology Sustainability Ad Campaigns by Brands

Before we dive into the examples from the industry, it’s worth noting that it’s ultimately your decision whether to believe in the sustainability ads and pledges made by IT and tech brands.

Here’s our selection from the IT & technology industry:

Samsung

Some companies release their sustainability report every year to keep their consumers updated with the latest status. Samsung, for example, stated in its 2022 sustainability report that the brand aims to collect 7.5 million tons of discarded products by 2030.

Samsung-sustainability

Apple

We all know that big companies have been declaring one after another that they will be carbon neutral in the near future, and of course, Apple is one of them. In its 2021 ad campaign, the brand stated that every single Apple product will be 100% carbon neutral by 2030.

Best Nonprofit Organizations (NPO) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) Sustainability Ad Campaigns

Nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are doing amazing work to promote sustainability around the world. To help spread their message and inspire change, they create some pretty awesome ad campaigns. Let’s take a look at some of the best NPO and NGO sustainability ad campaigns.

Greenpeace

Back in 2018, Greenpeace created an ad campaign that really tugged at our heartstrings. It’s called “Rang-tan,” and it aimed to raise awareness about the environmental impact of palm oil production. The ad features an adorable orangutan who shows us just how devastating deforestation caused by palm oil can be. We think it’s an incredibly powerful ad campaign about sustainability; what do you think?

WWF

In 2020, WWF launched an advertising campaign called “Stop Wildlife Crime.” In this campaign, WWF uses striking images of animals with slogans like “Don’t buy wildlife products” and “Demand justice for wildlife.” We all hope that WWF inspires both individuals and governments to take action to protect wildlife.

Best Sustainability Actions by Digital Agencies

We admire how fast digital agencies adapt and lead when it comes to taking real actions for social phenomena such as diversity, inclusion, and sustainability.

Of course, these creative marketing companies work with a lot of brands from different sectors to broaden their vision. But, we have to give them credit for being so good at it. Although these are not quite sustainability-focused ads, they are very creative actions to inspire others. 

Propeller

Propeller is a 360° digital agency with offices in London, Manchester, and New York. This agency has done a lot of great work focusing on a greener future. For example, it made partnerships with Feeding Britain & Feeding America, One Tree Planted, and TerraCycle®, as stated in its press release.

Luminary

Luminary is an Australian digital agency that is known for its NGO partners. Since 2019, the agency has been carbon neutral, with its emissions offset by the Yarra Yarra Biodiversity Reforestation Project in Western Australia. It has also had team tree-planting days and switched to aluminum bottles and reusable coffee cups in its offices, replacing plastic bottles and throwaway coffee cups.

Also, Luminary is officially certified as a B Corp, confirming its commitment to corporate social responsibility.

The Crowd

The Crowd is a well-known global marketing agency providing services in Australia, the Netherlands, Spain, the UAE, China, the UK, Germany, and the US. It released a sustainability marketing guide in 2021 analyzing why businesses must work for the planet. Additionally, The Crowd stated that they are making improvements to become a B-Corp-certified agency.

Last Words

If we want to consume sustainable products, brands will have to produce them. Eventually, they will come up with the best environmental sustainability ad campaigns. 

And if you want to get some professional help promoting your sustainability-focused services or products, you can check out the top advertising agencies. And if you are planning to merely focus on the digital side, here’s a list of digital marketing agencies