This first appeared in the AdNews March 2019 magazine as part of our monthly Creative Review. Support AdNews by subscribing here.
From plastic to beauty, brands have tried to join in with the big social trends. However, not all have been successful. We asked creatives to share their thoughts on corporate responsibility ads.
Burd creative director Kimmie Neidhardt
Corporate responsibility work is #sohotrightnow. However, simply raising awareness for a cause is a total cop–out and almost worse than doing nothing at all. Brands must do something; something real, something genuine, something that makes sense for the category, something that speaks to the brand’s DNA and something that the target identifies with, and hopefully shares. Personally, I can think of nothing better than to use my creative powers to try to save the world.
Naked Communications senior strategist Sebastian Revell
For brands where social responsibility isn’t at the heart of their positioning, it can be a tricky territory to play in, with a fine line between respect and ridicule. To impact on people’s hearts, minds and wallets in this space, it comes down to authenticity; is it actually believable and does it matter or mean anything to me? Therefore, assuming an over–simplified equation of believability equals relatability equals memorability equals brand success, I will be giving each ad a subjective, but ultimately useless, believability score.
Head and Heart creative director Justine Metcalfe
The role of business in the world is changing. The brands that will ultimately do well will make authentic contributions to communities, causes and the planet. Those that continue to see corporate responsibility as an advertising campaign or marketing ploy will suffer.
Adidas, creative agency: AndPeople
KN: They say ‘the best things in life aren’t things’, but in the case of corporate responsibility work, ‘things’ are the perfect way to show you mean business. In this case, Adidas has tackled a genuine global problem, ocean plastic, by converting the offending material into a ‘thing’ of beauty: a limited edition shoe. Of course, the Ultraboost Parley shoe doesn’t just reduce the amount of plastic going into our oceans, it’s also a beautiful way for Adidas to show off its design skills, ingenuity and future–focused approach, which should do wonders for the bottom line. Everybody wins.
SR: There’s nothing worthy about Adidas’ partnership with Parley for the Oceans and its Run for the Oceans events, it’s just solid brand activation. Plus, making and actually selling a shoe that’s made from ocean plastic is f*****g cool. It’s an energetic spot, which doesn’t actually tell you much if you’re not aware of the detail behind the partnership, but it lands the point that Adidas has a global ‘thing’ that looks like you should learn more about. So job done, I guess. Believability score (just from the spot) – 6/11.
JM: This really excites me. I believe real change in the world will be made by businesses, not governments. Repurposing the Great Pacific Garbage Patch to make thread? Inspiring. A great example of creativity being used for good.
Rimmel, creative agency: BETC London
KN: Here is how you say lots while doing sweet FA. In a hideously superficial move, Rimmel has spent good cash on a piece of film that does nothing more than raise awareness of a problem for which the brand is, in part, to blame. In comparison, CoverGirl actually did something to tackle the issue when it appointed James Charles, an openly gay 17 year–old as its first male spokesmodel — and got ridiculous amounts of earned media as a result.
SR: In a category where self–expression is so important, the link to The Cybersmile Foundation is neat. I would have liked them to have the confidence to land this message without the need of celebrity ambassadors though. The issue is real and was delicately delivered in an engaging way before the famous faces started to pop up. They may well have been cyber–bullied themselves, and sure, it shows how it affects everyone, but I found it distracting from the tone that had been set. Believability score (before the celebs) – 6/11.
JM: Our 13 year–old daughter was bullied this year, so this is close to home. I love it when a brand goes beyond the call of duty. Focus on making the world a better place and the sales will follow. Thank you Rimmel.
Volvo, creative agency: WhiteGrey
KN: I really dig the living sea wall as an innovation, but a brand that lives on the land needs to ‘stay in its lane’ or risk a lot of pessimistic eye rolls. Volvo’s vision, ‘to have nobody killed or seriously injured in a new Volvo car by 2020’, is absolutely inspiring and something the brand should shout from the rooftops. I would love to see it refocus its efforts on creating more incredible road safety innovations like the three–point seatbelt, the rearward–facing child seat and Life Paint.
SR: For a brand that is synonymous with safety, the responsibility angle seems like a very natural progression. I also fondly remember its Life Paint work, so it has precedent. The Living Seawall project could be a potentially fruitful activation for them in Australia; it is a smart way to create meaning and increase its relevance in a market where it has only 1% share. What the spot lacks in charisma, it makes up for in design smarts. Believability score – 8/11.
JM: While the mangrove–inspired tiles are an interesting concept, the cost of the video and advertising wrapped around it far outweighs the cost of 50 concrete tiles. This just reeks of buying environmental cred in my books.
Sodastream, creative agency: created in-house
KN: This is an interesting approach from a brand that’s just been acquired by PepsiCo. I wish it had spent less time and budget criticising Coca–Cola and more on upping the production values to show the horror effects plastic has on sea life. Better still, maybe the new parent company could counteract this blatant act of hypocrisy by creating a sustainable alternative to all their packaging. As Rod Stewart, aka Sea Turtle, says; “Less singing, more doing”.
SR: I particularly enjoyed the “less singing, more doing” line from the anthropomorphic Rod Stewart turtle; a subtle dig/call to arms at those of us who talk the talk but don’t walk the walk. True to its ‘shaming’ form, SodaStream has continued to challenge single–use plastic industries and users. Consistency helps to reinforce a brand’s message, so this is a good tactic and a fun spot to solidify its responsibility credentials. However, a potential acquisition from PepsiCo may well soon make it not quite so bubbly in people’s eyes. (Current) believability score – 7/11.
JM: Here’s a business with a noble purpose — to rid the world of plastic bottles. Good for them. I like the cheeky nod to Coke’s Hillsong ad and that it’s not preachy or worthy. Let’s hope its mission continues after the sale to PepsiCo.
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