High Five: Punchy Campaigns for World Environment Day
We’ve all seen bad PSAs. You know the ones - those that stick to the facts with a melodramatic voiceover and soundtrack overlaid against some basic stock footage or low budget production. I’m not dissing the noble intent, I’m simply pointing out that many PSAs are often unremarkable and forgettable. I was thrilled to have the opportunity to share my High Five Sustainability PSAs for World Environment Day. This collection gathered over the past couple of years may stretch the technical definition of a PSA, but all are brands that rallied behind a cause. They weren’t weren’t setting out to peddle product. In fact, some actually encouraged people not to buy the product. They didn’t just make an ad, they all took action. Let these be the new bar on PSAs. I hope you find them all as inspiring as I do. Enjoy...
AB InBev's Corona - 'Plastic Fishing Tournament'
Agency: We Believers
Corona is the beach beer. So it makes sense that they have a vested interest in cleaning up the beaches and the oceans. So they sponsored a first of its kind plastic fishing tournament where participants don't win prize money for catching the biggest fish, but for catching trash. They've partnered with fisherman in Mexico to not only clean up the oceans, but provide supplemental income to communities facing financial hardships. Plans to expand to other countries coming soon.
Patagonia - 'Don't Buy This Jacket'
'Don't Buy This Jacket' is unexpected from a company that sells jackets and other apparel. But as a sustainability and environmentally-minded brand, it's acknowledging a materialistic world where we're too quick to toss away, store away and replace the garments in our closets when repairing or upcycling will do.
Fat Tire - '$100 Six Pack'
Agency: Red & Co
Credit: Flickr user Sam Cavenagh // Timothy Dykes / Unsplash
If climate change doesn't change fast, the downstream effects on ingredients can cause prices to skyrocket. That includes prices of your beloved Fat Tire ale from New Belgium. So on International Beer Day, they priced their six-packs at $100 to make a point. For those that don't care about climate change, seeing the future with a $100 six pack may just change their minds.
Fat Tire - 'Torched Earth'
Agency: Red & Co
Fat Tire also made a limited batch of beer brewed to taste terrible. Wait, what? You heard that right, they brewed a beer made with only post-apocolyptic ingredients to make another point about how the world better wake up to preserve life - and beer - as we know it.
VB - 'Solar Exchange'
Agency: Clemenger BBDO Melbourne
VB Brewery will allow households with solar panels to donate their excess solar energy in exchange for beer. Another innovative way to make solar energy sexy and culturally relevant. Bravo!
