To mark this year’s Earth Day, top agencies have dedicated time to using a platform convened by Purpose Disruptors to learn about how the industry can be more sustainable.
#ChangeTheBrief Alliance is a not-for-profit partnership between agencies that wish to address the climate crisis directly. It also offers an online learning platform.
It originated from Mindshare as a way of addressing Action 5 of the Advertising Association’s Ad Net Zero initiative. Mindshare then asked Purpose Disruptors to help move it from a single agency initiative to the entire industry.
Now companies from all sectors including media, creative, design, PR and their clients can work together.
In line with this year’s Earth Day theme “Invest in the planet”, this initiative “enables agencies to invest in their people to invest in the planet”.
Five thousand advertising executives across agencies like Mindshare, Adam & Eve/DDB, AMV, TBWA Mediabrands, M&C Saatchi, Oliver and Omnicom Media Group have been given the opportunity to learn how to create work to help shift societal behaviours to be in line with a zero-carbon world.
The latest UN IPCC published on 4 April was the first report to provide a detailed analysis of how behaviour, choices and consumption can contribute to climate change mitigation.
According to the report, if global warming is going to be limited to 1.5 degrees, action needs to be taken now, and advertising has the potential to play a crucial role in that change.
The learning platform features a growing group of sustainability and comms experts, who will deliver guidance to agencies today and throughout their membership.
Skills on offer to participants include becoming climate literate with Paddy Loughman, a strategist working with the UNFCC Climate Change Champions and ex-Wolff Olins, and avoiding greenwashing with Johnny White, a lawyer at ClientEarth.
Other figures include Joanna Yarrow, Ikea’s former global head of sustainable and healthy living and M&C Saatchi Life founding partner, and Rachel Arthur, sustainable fashion consultant for UNEP.
“Climate is the next wave of disruption that’s coming down the track,” Rob McFaul, co-founder of Purpose Disruptors and sustainability lead at Mindshare, said.
“#ChangeTheBrief Alliance is about giving everyone in our industry the skills and confidence so we are fit for a zero-carbon world.”
Jem Lloyd-Williams, chief executive at Mindshare UK, explained: “Our approach at Mindshare is not on short-term tactical growth but on good growth – growth that’s enduring, repeatable, diversified and more sustainable over time, growth that aligns with clients’ business ambitions and with the views and values of the people they want as customers.
“I’m delighted that an idea as collaborative and powerful as #ChangeTheBrief Alliance continues to grow in momentum and allows us to come together as an industry as we transition towards a brighter and more sustainable future.”
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