Ad Net Zero US is launching their fifth working group, bringing together leaders from the advertising and climate industries including senior level creatives, strategists and brand marketers. The purpose of the group is to “harness advertising’s power to support behavior change.” The supporter group taps into advertisers’ immense power to positively influence consumers to make more sustainable choices and reduce total carbon emissions. The team follows successful practices used in the UK, where that working group has been meeting for the past few years and launched the industry’s first and only awards program dedicated to sustainability – the Campaign Ad Net Zero Awards. These awards have just opened for the third year with entries open from companies in Americas, EMEA and APAC.
This community, made up primarily of Senior-level Creatives, Creative Strategists and Brand Marketers, will collaborate on scaling a new approach to the creative process – one that uses every opportunity to normalize better, more sustainable choices. Ad Net Zero also collaborates with and continues to encourage agencies to use resources from #ChangeTheBrief which provides a deep dive and opportunity to educate and empower change across their businesses.
“It is in the advertising industry’s gift to use its skills and talent to mainstream sustainable lifestyles and behaviors. That’s always been our focus with the #ChangeTheBrief Alliance to develop in people the skills and confidence so they can successfully navigate the climate transition. So, I’m delighted to join Ad Net Zero USA’s newly founded group of experts dedicated to directing the industry’s superpowers in behavior change and storytelling. Especially given that the US market is critical in meeting global targets to reduce consumption-based emissions. Together, the US ad industry can make a significant impact and lead the change,” said Rob McFaul, co-founder of Purpose Disruptors.
Ad Net Zero’s UK existing working group will serve as a guide to US efforts and is led by Matt Bourn, co-author of the book, Sustainable Advertising, which is published by Kogan Page. Collectively, the UK and US groups plan to launch a campaign this year to help the industry normalize the types of behaviors people need to see that support a sustainable way of life. In addition to the creation of the Campaign Ad Net Zero awards mentioned above, the UK working group also laid the groundwork for techniques to measure and monitor the real-world impact of advertising campaigns, which includes work with PwC and the University of Oxford’s Said Business School.
Brands in every industry have opportunities to not only reduce their own carbon footprint, but to encourage consumers to do the same. Industries including home goods, fashion retail, health and beauty, food and beverage, auto, and energy can rely on Ad Net Zero for education, training, collaboration and action.
- The group is co-chaired by climate expert Dr. Bill Wescott, who serves as advisor to numerous governments and policy makers, and notably led the WRI/WBSCD Greenhouse Gas Protocol subgroup in the late 1990’s which developed the concept of scope 3 emissions. Dr. Wescott provides a vital link between advertising and the global climate community to help the ad sector focus on data-driven best practices and global standards to estimate their operational emissions as well as to inspire changes in behavior that materially reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- The group includes brands agencies and climate experts from companies including: IPG, Dentsu, Omnicom, WPP, Publicis, Havas, Boston Consulting Group, Google, Meta, WildAid, Purpose Disruptors, and Legacy Youth Leadership.
“To address the climate crisis, a critical rate limiting factor is human behavior at the individual and collective levels. The advertising sector has superpowers to influence behavior that other sectors do not. Now is the time to intentionally engage these unique abilities to accelerate climate action, and Ad Net Zero is providing the framework to do so,” said Dr. Wescott, Managing Partner Brain Oxygen.
“While our industry must look inward and make changes to be sustainable, we also have an incredible opportunity to inspire millions of people to become more sustainable, too. This working group provides a collaborative, proven approach for advertisers to harness that opportunity and drive real change,” said Rachel Schnorr, US Membership Director Ad Net Zero.
The working group had their first meeting on April 25, creating an agenda for positive action. To learn more about the Working Group and Ad Net Zero, please visit www.adnetzero.com.
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