Introduction
The most pressing global issue facing humanity today is likely climate change. It is directly related to society’s unsustainable global consumption patterns. Since the advertising and promotion sector serves as the conduit connecting customers with the goods and services provided by businesses, the relationship between the two is clear (Steenkamp et al., 2018). People are stuck doing things the same way they have always done them, in ways taught to them in school and afterward reinforced in the workplace (Juska, 2021).
Definition
The goal of advertising, which is a one-way communication, is to teach potential buyers about services and products and how they can obtain them. Through the use of a paid network, advertising works to draw attention to a good or service. Information about an item, product range, brand, or company is spread through promotion. It is among the four crucial components of the marketing blend. One way to promote is through advertising (AlMutair, 2022).
The need for advertising and promotion
A successful firm must have promotion and advertising. Their consequences include the creation of a brand, expansion inside your primary market segment, identifying potential secondary markets, increasing client loyalty, and competitive defense (Brulle, 2020).
How the present climate change crisis should be addressed through changes to advertising and promotion
Controlling and altering advertising and promotion is necessary to lessen its influence on the environment. The Advertising Association states, “Banning advertising in some sectors of the economy is not the solution; applying pressure on structural reforms in an industry’s operations is. We also acknowledge that advertising and promotion will contribute the greatest to climate initiative by helping to promote these important changes to people and inspire rapid behavior change. The industry must simultaneously ensure that its activities have a real net zero carbon footprint, which is why Ad Net Zero must be established to achieve real net zero carbon emissions from the development, production, and circulation of advertising by the year 2030. As a sensible and established first step towards reduction, this includes the objective of encouraging marketers and agencies to evaluate the carbon effect of their advertisements” (George et al., 2021)
Since creativity is not neutral, advertising must evolve at the same rate as climatic change. Icebergs melting, merciless forest fires and increased air pollution are all signs that climate change is indeed a serious issue. The advertising and promotion firms should lead in addressing climate change. They will need to commit to combating climate change and ensure that whatever measures they make fit into their long-term strategy. Moreover, it is not a simple task (Jones, 2020).
Sadly, this is not just a matter of slapping a green logo on the marketing effort. Brands have to start discussing the issue more, but first, they must organize their own lives. Brands risk being accused of being disingenuous or profiting from environmental concerns if their advertising and communications are not in line with their business strategy.
Moreover, there is a narrow line between educating consumers about a problem and preaching to them. There is no purpose in yelling about environmental credentials, thrusting hard data or numbers in consumers’ faces, or scaring people with dire predictions of the future. They will shortly grow bored.
Brands that wish to participate in the discourse around climate change must also be willing to risk failure, criticism, and inauthenticity charges. Companies must be ready to align their commitment to combating climate change and their overall strategy or risk permanently hurting their reputation. Consumers need brands to make a statement on problems, but they may not trust them when they do. The absolute minimum is no longer sufficient when it concerns sustainability and the environment, so if that is all advertisers have to offer, it is most likely not worth discussing. Depending on how blatant your exaggerations are, consumers will see directly at them and call them out on it.
Lastly, advertising and promotion agencies should practice ethical advertising. When running digital advertising with a focus on sustainability, they should ensure that they appear alongside material that represents the same brand values and, ideally, assist publications that promote similar objectives. The companies should collaborate with partners who value brand safety and utilize programmatic solutions such as NOBL to reduce the risks associated with inappropriate material and websites that promote climate-damaging items or industries. By addressing brand safety, businesses may become credible ambassadors who are more likely to engage their target audience (Lascity & Cairns, 2020).
Conclusion
Ironically, advertising, the industry of attracting attention, has eluded scrutiny thus far. As the climate catastrophe worsens, though, its importance will increase. Campaigners are requesting laws prohibiting high-carbon advertising, focused on fossil fuel corporations, gasoline- and diesel-powered automobiles, and airplanes. Climate concerns of customers and governments create incentives for corporations to decrease their carbon impact. However, in many realistic circumstances, overall emissions might increase due to a growth in demand for items with a smaller carbon footprint; this is an example of marketers becoming victims of their success (Lascity and cairns, 2020).
References
AlMutairi, S. (2022). Advertising and Promotion.
Brulle, R. J., Aronczyk, M., & Carmichael, J. (2020). Corporate promotion and climate change: an analysis of key variables affecting advertising spending by major oil corporations, 1986–2015. Climatic Change, 159(1), 87-101.
George, G., Merrill, R. K., & Schillebeeckx, S. J. (2021). Digital sustainability and entrepreneurship: How digital innovations are helping tackle climate change and sustainable development. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 45(5), 999-1027.
Jones, C. W. (2020). Advertising and the way forward. Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 15(2).
Juska, J. M. (2021). Integrated marketing communication: advertising and promotion in a digital world. Routledge.
Lascity, M. E., & Cairns, M. R. (2020). Complicated green advertising: Understanding the promotion of clothing recycling efforts. Westminster Papers in Communication and Culture, 15(2).
Steenkamp, J. B. E., Nijs, V. R., Hanssens, D. M., & Dekimpe, M. G. (2018). Competitive reactions to advertising and promotion attacks. In LONG-TERM IMPACT OF MARKETING: A Compendium (pp. 325-372).
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