Media Innovation: standing out in a saturated market

There were four key actions within a new brand strategy that contributed to the overall success of Snickers’ ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ campaign.

1. The campaign launched with a memorable creative, using a combination of humour and celebrities to convey the core message that people aren’t themselves when they’re hungry and a Snickers bar is the solution to get people back to their usual selves.
2. The appearance of well-known faces within the creative, as well as endorsements via innovative social media posts, was tailored to the brand’s global audience. Snickers used local celebrities in each market to illustrate the ‘You’re not you when you’re hungry’ messaging.
3. Snickers expanded from its traditionally young and male target audience to a larger, more diverse audience, with the intention of making the brand relatable to everyone that likes chocolate.
4. To reach this new broader audience, the brand also updated its marketing mix to include TV, radio, print, OOH, cinema and social media.

Snickers launched the campaign in the US on the perfect stage to create fame: the 2010 Super Bowl. The ad starred Betty White starring as a struggling American Football star who gets tackled until she eats a Snickers and American Football star Bert Belasco returns to his normal self.

Q. Tell me about what you’re doing in the ESG and sustainability space at MiQ?

A. John: There are two main areas we can split this into: how we help our clients to become more sustainable and meet their ESG goals and what we are doing to get our own house in order.

Debbi: To speak to the client side, I would say we can break this down into two further categories. Firstly, how we help clients buy with carbon emissions in mind. To do that, we have partnered with Scope 3 (a popular partner and standard bearer for carbon data in the media industry) to access and analyse every impression we serve so it can be tracked and scored. We can then use this data in several ways. One way is private marketplace deals for programmatic buys. This is where clients can buy inventory which MiQ has determined to have lower predicted carbon emissions and is already optimised for a specific client KPI. This results in good performance at the same time as lowering carbon emissions from marketing. Another is to give clients a bespoke “green score”. That green score is calculated from Scope 3’s emissions data for every impression we serve, mapped to create a sustainability index which shows advertisers how their campaign emissions compare to that of their industry and market. This is something we do as standard with all clients running a campaign with us.

The other aspect of how we work with clients on this topic is around creative. We use companies such as Seen This which reduce carbon emissions across different creative formats by loading those creatives in bitesize pieces, therefore reducing wastage.

That’s a snippet of our work from a purely carbon emissions perspective and the only thing that I’d add to that is we don’t use and view sustainability as a marketing KPI on it’s own. A lot of the work we have done to lower carbon emissions and make it easier for clients to buy into has involved creating models off the back of this work which look at campaigns from a multi-KPI view. Therefore, rather than just considering the carbon footprint of a campaign, we tend to consider attention, carbon, and performance metrics in one place to build a holistic approach for clients.

John: When we consider our internal efforts, starting at the ESG level, there’s four areas that are really important for us as a business:

• Responsible advertising – making sure our ads are well placed, and brand safe, that they include appropriate messaging and that there’s a high level of data privacy among our best practices.
• DE&I – this is something we’ve been focused on for the past four years. We produce an annual public-facing report that we are really proud of. We feel as though we’re making some really good progress in this space. For example, 47% of our managers are women – up from 33% in 2020, and 27% of our managers are BIPOC, up from 20% in 2020.
• Employee centricity – ensuring we have an amazing employee experience so we can retain and grow talent while offering training and support.
• Environment –we have a specific focus on greenhouse gases and reaching Net Zero. We’re only 18 months into the journey in this area. However, we have just produced our first public facing report in 2023 in terms of measuring our carbon footprint. We’re trying to enhance our ability to report accurately every year, implementing a Net Zero strategy to be achieved by 2030 with Scopes 1 and 2 to be met by 2025.

Q. Are advertisers and their agencies leaning forward on this topic collaboratively?

A. John: I think if it’s really central to a brand’s identity, then it is the client that’s pushing it and the agency is simply finding creative ways to execute. However, there are some agencies, particularly some of the bigger agencies, where ESG is becoming a central theme. In that instance, there is some momentum and movement on this. The latter camp I believe is more in its initial phases.

Q. What percentage of clients are leaning into the data and measurement that’s being produced by agencies?

A. John: Right now it’s the top 5-10% most vocal advertisers for who sustainability is part of the fabric of their brand. Outside of that, we are trying to make this a mainstream option so it’s a win-win for clients. Performance isn’t going to go down just because there’s slightly more focus on ESG. In some cases performance may also improve! It’s just about a mindset and behaviour transition.

 Debbi: I would say there is a lot of interest but also nervousness around the performance side, which is why we have spent a lot of time focusing on the performance aspect of carbon emissions and green scores. The easiest way for us as a managed service to help clients benefit and bring about change in their own media buying is to work on it behind the scenes while still delivering performance. We will still continue to put things like the green scores on Post-Campaign Analysis (PCAs) so that clients are aware. However, this is something our traders can do without needing to obtain serious levels of client buy-in and support as it’s already built into our existing capabilities. We don’t charge anymore for providing this, we wouldn’t increase the CPM for that analysis. It’s a balancing act of the clients asking for it and wanting a lot more, as well as those who just want to dip their toes into this measurement and care more specifically about performance.

Q. Are there companies you feel have already demonstrated a robust strategy in this space and if so, what are they doing?

A. Debbi: It depends on what lens you look at ESG through, whether that’s societal or environmental. B Corp registered businesses seem like a good place to start as an indicator of their commitment to ESG, but beyond that there are some bigger brands that really carry this ESG ethos through everything they do. You can see this in brands like The Co-op. The Co-operative Bank’s TV ad last year was a great example of this.

Broadly from the societal and governance side, there are agencies such as Mullen Lowe Agency  that take pride in how they create very best possible employee experience and give back to society. They seem very advanced and strong when it comes to issues such as women’s health and invisible issues.

John: There are companies within the programmatic space really leaning in here too. On the ad tech side, Open X is pushing both to get to Net Zero and elevate the debate. Publishers like The Guardian are also performing well relative to their peers which is a result of their transparency and reporting. It’s encouraging to see this in the data and reassuring us to spend more.

Q. What do you think key players in the industry might be focused on in 2024 with regards to an ESG agenda?

A. Debbi: I think we are likely to see, and hopefully see, focus on the broader set of ESG principles outside of just carbon emissions which is a big focal point currently. The industry has had tunnel vision on carbon as the core ESG focus recently, but there’s actually 17 sustainable development goals. When you think of ESG more broadly, all of these contribute towards the CSR initiatives and ESG health of a business. We have worked with companies like Legacy Media, which provides comprehensive ESG scoring (across all principles) for the whole advertising industry; from big top of the chain companies, all the way down to small programmatic businesses. We partnered with them last year to start looking at what micro, end-of-the-chain areas we could have influence over beyond just a carbon emissions standpoint. Agencies and brands are starting to pay more attention to the broader ESG lens. The growth of this data and how it can be used for pitching or planning is beginning to influence how we are running our businesses more effectively in an ESG context. That’s where I see things heading anyway by applying the broader set of principles to business.

John: Slightly intuitively from a MiQ perspective, we are still very focused on carbon, environment and what we can influence. Biodiversity for example we can’t move the needle on but we do need to stay focused on areas that are firmly within our control. One other area I would call out is the responsible advertising space which we view as a sub-sector of ESG. We can actually make a big difference to society through responsible advertising best practices.

Q. If you were King and Queen for the day, what ESG policy would you decree?!

A. Debbi: Mine would be to set a minimum bio-diversity standard and automatically enforced. To ensure gardens and green spaces are being utilised correctly by everyone to avoid habitat loss. Although this doesn’t relate at all to anything we do, I think it’s important – unless we plant a wildflower for every impression we serve?!

John: As King of the world (going big), I would go for universal cross-border carbon pricing. Carbon is currently this invisible thing. Often if you’re an emitter of it you don’t have to pay for it – we need to create market forces to solve this problem. In a small way, this is what is starting to happen in programmatic media and we are starting to see the cost of carbon in our supply chain, but it would be amazing to do so long-term on a global scale.

I also think education is extremely important and something we haven’t yet touched on. I wouldn’t blame any brand for not knowing what is causing emissions or what they can do to reduce them through advertising campaigns and media buying. It is important now to bring more people with us on this journey and prove there is some significant stuff we can collectively resolve.

Simon King, Business Director

Next up in our ‘A day in the life’ series, we have Simon King, a Business Director here at MI to share his thoughts about our industry, award winning work and his role models. 

Q. Tell me about what Webmart is doing currently that relates to ESG and sustainability and how you’re involved…

A. Two things. Firstly, climate action – I’m now spending 25% of my time waking people up to the issue of Scope 3 emissions specifically. That is downstream products and services that have a carbon value to them that are currently invisible or swept under the rug and have very little measurement on them. It’s about educating people that we should be past light sensors in the kitchen and getting people to cycle to work, really that’s like turning up to an earthquake with a dustpan and brush! What we really need to be talking about is that, if the estimated global emissions of digital advertising is 3-5% and growing, we need to be doing something about this to make a change. So, my climate action piece is to take the challenge to others and educating them on carbon literacy.

Secondly, what’s important is providing a solution. We recently won an award for “Highly Commended in the Lloyds Business Excellence Awards” for most sustainable business recognising our work with carbon calculation tools and methodologies, where we can measure digital activity. This includes measurement of website, emails, social posts etc. and creates a carbon value for this activity. It’s the same with physical printed marketing measuring the release of that campaign and its full life cycle. This allows you to get a very different perspective on how to specify a campaign, how long that campaign lasts and what you do with it at the end. We’re enabling agencies, marketers and suppliers to quantify the sustainability impact of a campaign, alongside measuring the usual impacts such as cost and performance.

Q. Do you think advertisers should be planning media investment with ESG goals in mind?

A. 100%. I think people should be looking also at carbon budgets placed in different media. We want advertisers to be looking to reach their audience in a way that is both budget friendly and carbon efficient. For example, if you look at the distribution department and the logistics of shipping food, there will be a carbon reduction budget measuring the carbon produced within the shipping process, whereas this wouldn’t necessarily be measured in a marketing plan. So, when looking at different types of media and how we plan it, we should consider not just the value being spent but also the carbon impact. If the client looks across the whole channel mix and plans more effectively with carbon in mind, could they have the same reach but also with a smaller footprint to achieve that reach?

Q. Do you think there are other ESG goals outside of carbon that we should be focused on when planning a campaign?

A. As a B Corp, our opinion may evolve over the next few years and indeed it has been evolving for some time. There’s a stance to say you should have red lines when dealing with the fossil fuels industry for example but also there’s an argument to be had around if you are better to work alongside them making the change and helping them to improve. I think the answer for us lies in if they are on the journey and willing to make a change, we would probably consider helping them with the ethical side of things. However, some advertisers may have done too much damage to society already and in this case, we would have to put a red line through ever working with them. There’s quite a fine line between who you will trade with and who you will help. We have some customers who are very responsible and some who are earlier on in their journey.

Q. Are advertisers and their agencies leaning forward on this topic collaboratively?

A. I think it varies. Around 25% of our revenue is through our agency partnerships and the other 75% is direct with clients so we see it from both sides. It varies based on the type of business that we’re dealing with and how responsible they are trying to be, both as a business and with their consumers. We don’t tend to always see a hunger for new things. Companies reach a plateau when they’ve met the level their customers are expecting them to be at.

Webmart has been involved in environmental initiatives since 2005. We’ve built this so thoroughly into our business, we might now be slightly ahead of the curve, so we need further client and agency appetite to be able to take our ESG efforts to the next level. Tactics are out there to force positive change, for example the threat of introducing carbon taxes. We have proactively gone over and above within our business to lead the way on the ESG journey and that’s because we only see things moving in one direction.

With agencies and advertisers, I find there isn’t a pull it’s more a push from our side. People are open to conversations, but I’ve seen a lack of agencies reach out to either match what we are doing or collaborate. It feels more like a badge. I get frustrated by the fact that not everyone is on board with the continual improvement cycle. When you are actually trying to do better every year across all areas of ESG, it does feel a little like we are beating our own drum but not everyone else is dancing to the same beat. It is excellent when agencies do come together to work collaboratively, despite being in a potentially competitive environment.

ESG has been put on the back burner on the government’s priority list in recent years due to the economy. However, many businesses have set ambitious net zero targets and I think when the economy starts to repair itself, we will see a big shift in attention on to ESG where businesses have fallen behind on targets and initiatives.

Q. Are there companies you feel have already demonstrated a robust strategy in this space and if so, what are they doing?

A. There are several agencies that are doing it quite smartly. There’s some people in the digital space that have some new ways of thinking such as Wholegrain Digital, Climbing Trees, Propellernet. These three in particular stand out to me, not just because of how they are doing ESG within their businesses but because they demonstrate a collaborative alliance and global way of thinking on best practices. I respect that all are under excellent leadership and creating collective cultures that further ESG practices. Wholegrain Digital has a publicised an ethical criteria of who it will work with and who it won’t, which is fairly bold and as a result it will have its niche of client.

In terms of clients, I like what Lucky Saint is doing in the market particularly with its messaging and Toast as well, it reuses bread to make beer and it seems to be smart as a brand.

A client I would mention is Tim Fowler and Alex Barbier, the team at Exodus Travels. They won a gold award with us for with campaign for data hygiene. In 2023 Exodus Travel partnered with Webmart to optimise its existing acquisition direct mail with the aim of amplifying response rates while reducing the campaign’s carbon footprint.  Here’s the full case study.https://www.marketreach.co.uk/case-study/exodus-travels-journey-to-sustainability. We think it’s admirable when a client pushes further for a higher standard, so this is why Exodus deserves the award recognition for embracing sustainable marketing.

Q. What do you think key players in the industry might be focused on in 2024 with regards to an ESG agenda?

A. The big one that seems to be hot topic for this year is the conversation around offsetting. There’s been some scrutiny over offsetting, with some seeing it as a box ticking exercise. Some brands are interested in it, others are moving away from it completely as they don’t feel as though it will fulfil their net zero aims. I think it’s probably the year people are going to have access meaningful measurement and there will be a mixture of people waking up being like do we need to do more? Going further than simply offsetting is the stage we are at now. It’s not good enough to just rely on this. Things may get more affordable with carbon capture, sequestration and removal, but until then….offsetting to a gold verified standard is seen as the (controversial) next best. I recommend more focus on measure and reduction before relying on offsetting.

Q. If you were King/Queen for the day, what ESG policy would you decree?!

A. The biggest impact we could probably have would be (and I’m going after digital a bit here) that digital needs to get up to speed with carbon calculation. The industry needs to be better disciplined about any data that is created and shared, which is what we refer to as our carbon footprint. My decree would be to implement digital accountability and recycling. If it was all sat in your garage, you wouldn’t have it there so it shouldn’t be different online. All of our “dark data”, storage and wasteful digital ecosystem practices contribute to higher energy and carbon loads. It’s estimated that this digital ecosystem is equivalent to the airline industry of 3-5% of global carbon emissions, it’s just accelerating whilst we all state we are reducing flights. It’s going the wrong way.

Another decree would be that everyone in the industry should take a carbon literacy course so that everyone has the knowledge and education to understand our goals. We need to ensure people are aware of the impact of their behaviours.

RADIO GAGA…

To address how we can maximise audio effectiveness in future campaigns for our clients, Bauer Media displayed radio’s true potential in building trust and audience loyalty. The radio landscape is expanding and lends itself to the shift towards digital devices. As a staggering 43 million people tune in weekly, DAB, digital audio and smart speakers appear to be the go-to devices where consumers access digital radio content. With multiple touchpoints for reaching listeners, it is vital that we are aware of the advertising options available to brands.

Whilst we know that audio is impactful, measuring it is crucial to its success. Radio offers brands a platform that can boost mental availability, driving through-the-funnel metrics. It goes beyond brand awareness to amplify share of voice. Integrating radio into campaigns can not only enhance perception and consideration, but also brand equity, giving brands a significant competitive advantage. Beyond brand, Radio has its role to play in driving revenue, propelling conversions and purchases. Incorporating radio into campaigns has shown a remarkable 42% increase in driving profits.

So how can brands weave their commercial messaging through radio ads? Luckily for us Radioworks was able to provide us with useful insights into how brands can accelerate their growth. Audio’s real attraction include two important green flags: love and trust. Due to this, audio partnerships are able to drive brand uplift whilst intertwining messages into poignant moments. Back in Q4 2022, Mind ran a partnership with talkSPORT encouraging listeners to break away from the mental health taboo. Whilst this campaign most likely shocked listeners, Mind positioned itself in a way to access a new audience at just the right time, during a major tournament and in the lead up to the festive period.

Whilst sticking to what we know can be tempting, stepping out of comfort zones and away from traditional advertising can really pay off with figures showing that partnerships can be up to two times more effective than traditional advertising, with 43% uplift when partnerships are live.

ANSWERS & APPROACHES

It Is clear that podcast listening is soaring, so how can brands make the most of this? Acast assured us that there is a podcast advertising format fit for every purpose, whether that be direct audio adverts to drive awareness and reach, host read sponsorships or minutes of creative branded segments.

It is a joy to hear that brands’ questions can be answered with a variety of ad options. Advertising options on Spotify can not only be determined between screenless and lean in moments, but streaming intelligence can dictate whether audio or video ads should be served, meaning those active on their phone screen will be displayed with video content, whilst those who are purely listening will hear an audio based ad. Brands’ messaging can be hyper targeted, whether a beauty brand wants to sponsor a ‘good vibes’ playlist or a Charity brand opts for a Video Sponsored Session approach where listeners are gifted 30 minutes of uninterrupted listening in exchange for an attentive video view of the charity’s core message.

Ultimately, we know that radio works, but it’s about thinking innovatively about the best possible approaches for our clients and prospects. It goes without saying, audio is on the up and with it being a constant go to for the majority of us in our day-to-day routines, there are ample opportunities for brands to get their ads to the ears of the right listeners.

Q. Tell us about what Mail Metro Media is doing currently that relates to ESG & sustainability and how you’re involved

A. Dom:
We take all areas of ESG really seriously and that’s not just for commercial reasons. A lot of change has happened over the last six years. It’s not a tick box exercise, which is shown through the variety of initiatives and projects we are actively driving as a business.

Personally, I have a real passion for supporting people within the workforce. Not to dwell on this, but for me it became particularly apparent during the pandemic seeing people who have been affected by Covid and the impact this had on well-being and mental health. If we don’t have a healthy team who are mentally and emotionally supported, they won’t work functionally in their commercial roles. We offer our people lots of benefits to support this; from an onsite free gym, personal trainers, mental health first aiders and nutritionists to an onsite GP and counsellors. We also use our journalists’ content to provide advice and tips for staff across all sorts of issues from finances to insurance.

Corporately, what I feel most proud of over the years that I’ve been at Mail Metro Media, is our charity, “Mail Force”, which has galvanised our readers and supporters to tackle some of the big issues of recent years. Mail Force has a big voice in the marketplace and has raised over £25m in cash and equipment for PPE and Computers for Kids, £15m for computers for kids in schools and £12m towards the Ukraine refugee crisis. We also match our people’s fundraising for their personal charities outside of work which I think is great.

Ryan:
Last year we worked with KPMG to audit our greenhouse gas emissions and produce up a high-level roadmap to highlight possible scenarios of reduction. In that process we realised that actually we need to reset our carbon emissions, not because they were wrong but because it made us aware of lots of things we hadn’t accounted for. With KPMG’s assistance, we have embarked on a reset submission for the whole of our consumer media division gaining support from the board level to the teams and people submitting the data. We are hopeful that once we have a new view of our foundation, we can work on a robust, practical and accurate plan. We are really happy about the work we are doing, it’s a journey and it’s important to be transparent about that. Being such a large company, we must make sure something like this is done thoroughly.

An example of a tangible change we have made regarding a carbon saving initiative is switching off programmatic infrastructure when we are running direct takeovers and direct sponsored content. Switching off head of bidding is a smart solution by the programmatic team to make processes more efficient, reduce carbon and improve ad load and user experience.

We have lots more plans for the future which will really help us shift the needle on emissions… so watch this space.

Q. Do you think advertisers should be planning media investment with ESG goals in mind? Is it something people are asking for?

A. Dom:
There are more people bringing this up, but it’s clear who’s just ticking a box. Positively, many more advertisers and clients are leaning in to being more collaborative with us. It varies who this push is coming from between both agency and client, but there is very positive behaviour happening.

Ryan:
Most agency holding groups have sent questionnaires in some guise or form to ask ESG questions. In meetings, clients always want to hear about things you’re doing. Last year sustainability was the big one, rather than ESG in its full guise. Everyone was focused on carbon and asking how to reduce carbon in campaigns, to which I provocatively liked to challenge – that if you look at attention metrics, sometimes buying more high impact formats can drive more attention, driving more impact per impression and resulting in less wastage. Overall, it should be about being more strategic about what story you’re trying to tell.

We’ve seen quite a mix in terms of which ESG strands are focused on in briefs. For example, recently we have had briefs that are focused on diversity planning which we can get stuck into using our partnership with Diversity Standards Collective, allowing us to use diversity focus groups within different communities to help with brief responses. Yet we’ve had other briefs that are more focused on sustainability which can be influenced somewhat by the media partners they are working with such as Sky or Channel 4 who had a heavy sustainability focus. But I would say that the briefs often don’t ask about a broader ESG question set. The challenge we find is that we want to respond in the most comprehensive way. It takes a lot of work to pull together everything you are working on collectively from an ESG perspective without it sounding like shopping list of the things you’ve done.

Dom:
Ryan has been working on tying all these different parts together; from HR, DE&I, CSR, ESG, Sustainability and collating it into something with the same overarching goal. People used to say “this is the year for…” enter buzzword! But it shouldn’t be “this is the year” anymore. That must go! Otherwise, it comes across that these topics have not been important previously or that they’re not important next year. It should be about an evolution and continual progress across all key initiatives.

Ryan:
Mail Metro Media reaches 35m people across the country from various walks of life and one thing we have strived for on the ESG front is knowing what consumers think. This is why we have commissioned large scale studies and research such as The Diversity Factor (focused on 6 different communities) and Shades of Green (focused on sustainability within 11 different categories) because when you’re talking about sustainability in the abstract and carbon audits, we are forgetting that we are in the business of communications and advertising. We’re also about how you try to convince consumers to change behaviour or the products they are buying. We have put time and effort into these research pieces so we can educate our team to understand their audiences better, make campaigns more activational and help clients plan better.

Q. Are advertisers and their agencies leaning forward on this topic collaboratively?

Dom:
A. Sky has done a great job at championing the environment and it stands out to me as a progressive company that’s leading the way. I watch out for Sky and admire what it does, what it stands for. Channel 4 does a lot in the diversity space and offers opportunities for clients to get involved and Daily Mail has always been about “Keep Britain Tidy.”

Ryan:
The retail sector seems to be paving the way on ESG. Tesco is doing really clever activations including its recent work around Ramadan, with a digital OOH screen that adapted to the evening getting darker. These clever campaign ideas really showcase how the brands are trying to be more inclusive in their concepts. I also think hospitality and food is a really palatable way of connecting with consumers on these types of issues. People love to try different foods and it always brings families and friends together from many walks of life.

It’s interesting that younger companies have ESG built into their identity, whereas established businesses have to focus more on transitioning and pivoting their business. I’d say it is probably easier for service companies to migrate themselves into these areas, particularly when they have a young workforce who tend to be more diverse.

Dom:
That’s why with all the steering groups we have across the business, it’s the grads, the apprentices, interns and work placement students who are leading the agenda. It’s important that we have people in positions such as “Head of EDI” who can support people in the business to drive forward the initiatives that they are passionate about.

Q. Who is inspiring you or innovating in this area at the moment?

A. Ryan:
I think the Advertising Association has really stepped up on both the AdNetZero supporter scheme and also on the All In Census. It is providing really useful information and creating places where people in the industry can meet other like-minded people who are grappling with the same issues and discuss cross-collaboration across creative agencies, media agencies and media owners. It is stepping up to make real policy change across the industry and the people who run the organisation are really passionate about it.

Q. What do you think key players in the industry might be focused on in 2024 with regards to an ESG agenda?

A. Dom:
More briefs from clients and agencies are asking about ESG, ED&I, talent, sustainability and carbon footprint (particularly from what we’re seeing at Mail Metro Media). Agencies will be under pressure from clients leaning into ESG who will in turn put media owners and publishers under pressure to deliver these things. Clients are particularly interested in knowing about our carbon footprint and who the partners and suppliers are that we work with.

Ryan:
I hope people start to align some of these metrics, because if you just start looking at carbon emissions in silo, you’re not really going to help the client have better returns, you’re just going to cut some of your carbon. However, many agencies are starting to align carbon emissions with econometrics or attention, proving that if you optimise to outcomes it can drive better returns as well as be more carbon efficient. It’s about justifying the creative or campaign idea with business objectives in mind, even if it doesn’t look perfect and it of course isn’t zero emissions. It’s about finding the right blend between ESG and performance: there’s no one size fits all.

Q. If you were King(s) for the day, what ESG policy would you decree?!

A. Dom:
Make all employers give staff two-to-three extra days of holiday for volunteering work in the areas we need the most help such as hospitals, schools or the police.

Ryan:
I don’t know if all organisations have this, but we have a matched funding scheme. I would like companies at all levels to give their staff extra towards the things that mean so much to them. That’s when you really drive grass roots activation.

Why TV still matters 

Whilst we find ourselves in an era where streaming services and digital content are hugely prevalent, TV continues to hold its own. Ben Frow, Content Chief, Paramount reminded us that linear is still loved. Despite the rise of on-demand platforms, linear TV remains significant with traditional television networks such as Channel 5 still experiencing weighty viewership numbers. It’s enlightening to know that TV is still able to break through the noise and withstand the ever-evolving media landscape, but we need to remain adaptable to changing viewer habits.

So how can we remain successful within this field? We must ensure we are knowledgeable in the two main areas. Knowing a brand’s audience and its competitors. When people say the customer is always right, the same approach goes to audience views and motivation. We may not always agree with their views, but we have to ensure that we always bear the audience in mind. There are small adaptations that can really capture audiences, for example being explicitly specific by putting a geography such as “Yorkshire” in a programme title will no doubt result in viewers from Yorkshire tuning in. 

Frow underscored the power of live TV in developing collective experiences, an element that can be said to be lacking in streaming services. This collective engagement remains a unique strength of linear TV, enhancing the impact of advertising and fostering brand association with compelling content.

Engagement through emotion  

In the constantly changing landscape of media consumption Tom Sherwood, Product Lead, Google reminded us why we are drawn to our TV screens. He outlined the four key continuing needs: stimulate & entertain, do & learn, connect to others and self-identity & growth. Keeping these needs in mind can help content creators and advertisers craft more engaging experiences.  

Panellists reminded us how TV is often viewed as being a channel with a real pulse. It provides an opportunity for brands to place themselves in moments of emotional engagement, not all mediums can reach viewers in the comfort of their own living rooms. TV allows consumers to resonate with content as visual information is easier to digest, the reaction and conversations that followed ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office is a prime example of how programmes have the ability to capture attention and make viewers lean in.  

Brands that associate themselves with regular, consistent TV content can see the effects of positive reinforcement, tapping into viewers routine habits as they tune in to channels at specific times. TV not only enables brands to intertwine their messaging into specific programmes, but also enables them to meet viewers on the platforms that they want to consume, whether that be considered browsing(consciously) or instinctively watching content that appears on feeds (unconsciously).   

Marketing Insight: how Direct Line took on price comparison sites 

In 2013, Direct Line’s position in the market was faltering. With the increasing dominance of price comparison sites, its ‘come to us direct’ approach wasn’t having the same pull. One effect of price comparison sites on the insurance market was that they were forcing a race to the bottom. Price alone was driving consumer behaviour and brand loyalty was hard to build. 

Understanding that joining the race to becoming the lowest priced insurer wouldn’t turn around its decline in revenue, Direct Line decided to focus on brand, instilling a new brand direction across every element of its business. The brand understood that consumers don’t spend their days dreaming about the events when they have to call up their insurers. In fact, they turn to insurers in a moment of need when they just want their problem to be fixed. With this marketing insight in mind, Direct Line decided to reinvent itself as ‘The Fixer’ brand. 

Media Innovation: introducing Winston Wolf’s ‘The Fixer’ 

Working with creative agency, Saatchi & Saatchi, Direct Line looked to the ultimate Fixer, Pulp Fiction’s Winston Wolf, to sell its new ‘We’re on it’ brand proposition to consumers. The campaign launched in a 30-second TV spot opening with the line, “I’m Winston Wolf, I fix problems”, with Harvey Keitel’s character shown fixing a range of customers’ insurance problems. When it launched, Direct Line Group’s then marketing director, Mark Evans, commented to Campaign Magazine, “The idea of being a ‘fixer’ is a re-frame of the role of insurance. Rather than believing that we can ‘protect’ our customers, we simply want to make their problems disappear with as little hassle as possible.” The TV ad was supported by activity across geo-synchronised OOH, mobile & radio, direct mail and social media.  

This fixer mentality wasn’t just about the external advertising campaign, but about a real step change in how the business operated internally and for its customers. Direct Line decided to go nation-wide with its #DirectFix campaign, using social listening to hear the gripes of the nation and fix their everyday problems. Evans told the story of one Direct Line staffer who, “picked up a tweet from a customer complaining he couldn’t watch a boxing match because his television hadn’t arrived. He drove home got his own television and delivered it to the customer.”  

That same year, the UK was hit by devastating floods with Carlisle being one of the worst hit areas. Direct Line diverted its team and delivered over 100 #DirectFix boxes containing everything from portable phone chargers to treats for children to those customers affected by the floods.

Accelerating Growth: what lessons can we learn? 

In the year following the launch of its ‘We’re on it’ positioning and Fixer campaign, according to Hall & Partners 2016 Ad and Brand Tracker, Direct Line became the most distinctive brand in the market. It was also voted the most empathetic company on Twitter by the Harvard Business Review. Most importantly, by January 2015 Direct Line had halted five consecutive years of decline and reversed the business’s overall revenue, a year ahead of target. 

In today’s economic climate, the results of Direct Line’s Fixer campaign are a worthy reminder that consumers will pay a premium for the things they care about. It also highlights the important role the marketing team can play in making a step change across a business. By fostering a culture where innovation is reality, not just empty words, Evans said that the marketing team, “gained stature with our CEO and we certainly have a bigger share of voice across the company.” 

Q. Tell me about what Happy Hour are doing currently that relates to ESG and sustainability and your involvement in this.

A. Throughout my life I have felt strongly about environmental, social issues and injustices. I come from a family of social workers and dare I say, hippies, who care immensely about sustainability (both out of need and responsibility) and about fairness for all. This foundation seeped into all aspects of my life and career which developed into an attachment to ESG within the workplace.

At Happy Hour, I spearhead our sustainability initiatives, processes and practices (e.g. paperless office, switching to reusable cups and flasks, refillable hand soap bottles, swapping paper for cotton towels, working with our cleaners to use 100% eco-friendly products, hiring electric vans for shoots and more). I also organised a work placement for five Bristol students to gain experience in the notoriously hard to break-into TV industry. I am always striving for improvements and updates to business practices and accountability, community engagement and diversity & inclusion. And I am committed to staying informed and taking steps towards addressing ESG issues, through both work and personal actions.

Outside of work, I am always trying to reduce my family’s carbon footprint. I shop in our local refill grocery store, use cloth nappies for our baby, don’t eat meat and last year we upgraded to an electric car which has been incredible.

As an SME, Happy Hour has the unique opportunity to engage all co-workers in the development and continual refinement of our ESG strategy and principles.

Our workplace culture is ‘earth-first’, and we’re proud that over 85% of our employees either cycle, walk, use public transport or drive an electric vehicle to work. We have also introduced other initiatives to reduce our environmental footprint, such as:

• Using 100% renewable energy suppliers
• Promoting a paperless office (we’re almost there!)
• Creating and implementing a sustainability-focused shoot guidelines policy which leads with the five ‘Rs’ – Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle. This is especially important as, when it comes to shooting, elements like props, sets, lighting, catering transport etc. can contribute hugely to landfill waste and carbon emissions
• Building relationships and switching contracts to local businesses that have certifiable green credentials
• Actively involving and training staff with organisations such as AdGreen, Albert, Green Alliance, Giki Zero. Here’s a little more info on these businesses:

AdGreen: Its purpose is to motivate the advertising industry to reduce the negative environmental impacts of production and enable the community to measure and understand waste and carbon emissions.

Albert: Is the home of environmental sustainability for the screen industries – to share, learn and act on our impact, including free, bespoke training days to everyone in the TV and film industries.

Green Alliance: Is an independent think tank and charity focused on ambitious leadership for the environment. Since 1979, it has been working with the most influential leaders in business, NGOs and politics to accelerate political action and create transformative policy for a green and prosperous UK.

Giki Zero: Is a B Corp and United Nations Race To Zero Accelerator for employee engagement, led by sustainability professionals and supported by climate experts, on a mission to help people cut carbon.

Q. Do you think advertisers/ clients should be planning media investment with ESG goals in mind?

A. Absolutely. Consumers value brands that demonstrate a commitment to environmental and social responsibility. Advertisers and clients should consider ESG factors in their media planning to not only contribute to sustainability but also to appeal to a conscientious consumer base. By doing this, they can not only make a positive environmental impact but also enhance their brand reputation.

Q. Are advertisers/clients and their agencies leaning forward on this topic collaboratively?

A. Yes, we’ve seen a noticeable shift towards collaborative efforts between advertisers and agencies in addressing ESG issues. Many clients now see the value in aligning their brands with sustainability goals and agencies are proactively incorporating ESG considerations into their strategies. This collaboration is fostering a more responsible and ethical approach to advertising, creating a win-win situation for brands, agencies, production companies and consumers alike. This almost always plays a part in the pitch/tender process and can start as early as the RFI, with clients wanting to make sure that their supply chain is supporting them in achieving their ESG goals.

Q. Who is inspiring you or innovating in this area at the moment?

A. From a creative point of view, we’ve recently seen a couple of genius, hard hitting ads which went out in the run up to COP28.

The first by Lucky Generals really makes us think about our individual carbon footprints when it comes to pensions and how/where they’re invested. The ad uses actress Olivia Coleman to deliver a satirical message about the damage that obliviously investing into pension funds is having on the environment, cleverly using humour and emotion to deliver hard hitting messages.

Check out the ad here

The second is by 4Creative, developed to promote Channel 4’s Climate Change Season and question the damage being done by those at the top. It pokes fun at those stereotypes in power who aren’t taking climate change seriously, asking are they doing enough to reduce their “carbon skid mark”. It certainly raises a few eyebrows and gets you thinking!

Check out the ad here

Q. If you were King/Queen for the day, what ESG policy would you decree?!

A. That all able-bodied, employed adults do compulsory water-ways clean-ups, once a week, for three hours. Whether rivers, ponds, seas or oceans, wherever is local to them. This time would be within working hours and would be classed as a minimum ‘donation’ from each employer to the climate emergency.