INCLUSIVITY VS SUSTAINABILITY IN MARKETING
Marketing and communications is a balancing act, especially when you’re an organization that is trying to be both environmentally and socially conscious.
On the environmental side, it seems simple. You want your marketing efforts to be eco-friendly. Many of us have made the move to a mostly-digital marketing strategy. We’ve done our best to heed the call to “go paperless.” We’ve stopped sending mailers. We don’t print and hand out flyers. We’re using less paper. After all, in this day and age everyone has email and a cell phone, right?
But when you look at the social side, the answer is not so simple.
To reach all people effectively, you need to meet people where they’re at. And if you’re looking to be more inclusive and meaningfully connect with underserved communities, your current digital marketing plan isn’t enough.
We’ve been chatting with some fellow PR firms recently about how to best reach underserved communities and the thing that keeps popping up is that paper is king. Getting out on foot with printed flyers, talking to people in person and giving them something to carry home with them, putting up signage, and taking out ads in print magazines and newspapers are some of the most effective ways to reach these groups. And the fact is, paper provides a tangible and tactile experience, and can be perceived as more trustworthy and authoritative.
But how does that jive for an organization that prides itself on sustainability, or going even further, an environmental nonprofit? How do you balance the very real need to market more on paper with the need to conserve our natural resources?
Let’s first get a reality check on how eco-friendly digital advertising is… or is not.
The carbon footprint of technology is bigger than we’re led to believe. Data centers alone, the physical buildings that contain the infrastructure to store and share our apps and information, account for 45% of greenhouse gas emissions in the global information and communications technology sector. Much of the energy to power these centers comes from fossil fuels, which contributes to climate change.
But many tech firms are choosing to offset their carbon emissions. Surely that will help! Maybe. But will it help fast enough? It may not be enough to address the environmental impact of the tech sector.
We haven’t even started talking about electronic waste, manufacturing, water consumption, or both the ethics and environmental impact of resource mining.
The point is that digital marketing isn’t without its drawbacks.
Before we get too down on tech, it’s the paper industry’s turn for examination. The list of gripes is long: the paper industry is linked to deforestation, heavy water and energy consumption, sediment contamination, democratic corruption, and toxic air pollution.
But here are some interesting stats:
Between 1990 and 2019, the paper industry reduced its carbon emissions by 48%.
The paper industry now plants 3x more trees than it cuts annually.
Forests are growing in size by the equivalent of 1,500 soccer pitches every day globally.
The paper industry is the biggest single user of renewable energy in Europe.
71% of waste paper in Europe is collected and recycled - that’s higher than glass, metal, and plastic.
The reality of environmentally conscious marketing is complex. Digital marketing may be worse than you thought and paper may be better than you thought. But neither are actually “good” for the environment, and both require thoughtful, responsible usage.
The absolute best thing you can do for the environment (and for your budget) is to stay informed and market responsibly. Find out exactly where your audience is at, and put out efficient, targeted communications. By combining the strengths of both print and digital, your organization can create a well-rounded communications strategy that caters to everyone you’re looking to include!
