Your client going green

In recent years the push to go green has reached a fever pitch, and that push has carried over to advertising, where there are a growing number of eco-friendly tactics for out-of-home campaigns.
 
There are three main benefits to using green out-of-home advertising, with the first and most obvious being it makes the brand look good in the eyes of consumers, building their credibility.
 
Second, because it's a relatively new method of outdoor advertising, green ads can often be more eye-catching than traditional methods.
 
Finally, green ads can offer opportunities where traditional advertising may not be available. For example, an advertiser might create a branded sand sculpture on a beach or sponsor a compost tumbler in an otherwise ad-free community garden.
 
To find out how to get your client using green advertising, read on.
 
This is one in a Media Life series on buying out-of-home venues. They appear weekly.
 
Fast Facts
 
What
Environmentally friendly advertising.
 
Who
There are a handful of agencies in the U.S. that specialize in green advertising, but any out-of-home agency can execute an environmentally friendly campaign.
 
How it works
There are a surprisingly large number of opportunities for out-of-home advertisers looking to execute a green campaign.
 
One method is using the elements of the earth itself, such as creating a branded sand sculpture in the summer, an ice or snow sculpture in the winter, or cutting a group of hedges to look like a brand's name or logo.
 
Advertisers can also create signs or billboards using moss or other plant life. PNC Bank created a "living wall," a 2,380 square-foot branded sign on the side of a building made from regional plants.
 
Another way for out-of-home advertisers to go green is to use environmentally friendly materials in their campaigns.
 
Examples of this include a sidewalk chalk campaign using biodegradable chalk, posters made of recycled or recyclable materials or "reverse graffiti" on sidewalks, which creates an image on the dirty ground by power washing it while using a stencil.

Last year in France an electric sign for Tropicana used 2,500 oranges, zinc and copper. The acidic juices from the oranges flowed through the zinc and copper spikes to power and light up the sign.
 
Finally, advertisers can also advertise on or sponsor community elements that are environmentally friendly.
 
This could include advertising on a city's public bike-sharing system, using branded gas-free pedicabs, advertising on local community recycling bins, or sponsoring compost tumblers at community gardens.
 
Markets
Green ad campaigns can be executed in any market.
 
Numbers
According to a Gallup poll taken last year, 51 percent of Americans are concerned about global warming.
 
How it is measured
Measurement methods vary based on the medium used. For example, ad campaigns on public bike systems combine rider counts with street traffic data to estimate impressions.
 
What product categories work well
Recent or current green advertisers include fast food, auto, technology, education, consumer packaged goods, beverages, entertainment and telecom.
 
Demographics
Demographics vary depending on what sort of campaign is being executed. Advertisers can target specific groups by using green advertising where their target audience is located.
 
Making the buy
Lead time varies but is typically three to four weeks.
 

Pricing also varies widely, but agencies suggest a minimum of $5,000 for an effective green campaign. Depending on the size and detail in the campaign, costs could run into six figures.
 
Who’s already used green advertising
Recent brands that have used environmentally friendly advertising include Turner, Green Giant, Virgin Mobile, General Mills, 3M, McDonald's, Tropicana, Aveda, Red Bull, Google and HBO.
 
What they’re saying
"It's attractive on a humanitarian level, it helps a brand build some trust. It shows that a brand or advertiser is being intelligent in the way they choose to spread certain types of messages. And there's always the possibility for it to go viral–social media and the blogosphere tends to love stuff like this." – Jay Schmidt, director of development at Civitas Now
 
Web site info
 
Element Six Media
http://www.elementsixmedia.com
 
Civitas Now
http://www.civitasnow.com
 
CBS EcoMedia
http://ecomedia.cbs.com
 
Cossette
http://www.cossette.com
 
GoGorilla Media
http://gogorillaadvertising.com
 
Savant Creative Group
http://savantcreativegroup.com
 
Antler
http://www.antleragency.com
 
Pearl Media
http://pearlmediaus.com
 
Attraks Alternative Advertising
http://www.attraks.com
 

Tags: advertisers, advertising, campaign, campaigns, community, copper, development, director of development, eco friendly, eco friendly advertising, green, green advertising, out of home, out of home advertising