Ad crafting for a greener ad industry starts with small steps
Alberto Fernández, the managing director and founder of IM+C, notes that reducing a company’s carbon footprint does not require flashy investments or drastic actions. He has recently launched a program called Pónlo en verde, emphasizing practical, incremental changes. This approach mirrors a sustainable advertising guide that focuses on understanding, measuring, and lowering waste and emissions through simple actions. The guide highlights renewable energy use, encouraging public transportation, choosing responsible local suppliers, and selecting certified products such as chlorine-free paper or wood from responsibly managed forests. The message is clear: any small change helps cut the CO2 footprint that harms the planet, and the advertising industry should adapt with flexibility as consumer expectations vary by country.
Images accompanying the guide show a green initiative inside the advertising world. The goal is to unify the industry to reduce negative environmental impacts in its production processes. The American chapter of the Ibero-IAA, the New York-based International Advertising Association, underscores that the path to sustainability is not a rigid formula. Consumer demands and industry responses shift across regions, so agencies should adopt adaptable practices that fit their local context. The guide invites agencies to begin with attainable actions that, over time, compound into meaningful change.
In practice, the guide notes how ecological and sustainable habits are more deeply rooted in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, and France, where consumers are familiar with terms such as sustainability, environmental responsibility, and the SDGs. In Spain, changes in consumption habits and advertising messages arrived later, but momentum is building. The emphasis remains on reducing environmental impact rather than chasing hollow green claims. Campaigns should reflect genuine goodwill and showcase products that respect both the environment and health while avoiding greenwashing.
Transport, operations, materials, and disposal are addressed with practical steps. The guide helps Spanish agencies understand areas that typically exert the greatest environmental influence, including office energy use, lodging and workspaces, and equipment. It covers materials such as paper, water, food, clothing, and cosmetics, and it addresses disposal methods like recycling, composting, and energy recovery. Recommendations are organized around departments within an agency—from creative and production teams to external post-production partners—and cover locations, design, lighting, camera use and maintenance, makeup, and hair styling, among other tasks.
Metin, the guide’s compiler, aims to offer a practical, accessible resource for colleagues across the industry to start cutting the carbon footprint tied to business activities. The document stresses that some residual emissions will persist and must be offset to achieve broader climate goals. The tone remains pragmatic, encouraging ongoing participation and simple, actionable steps.
Afforestation and renewable energy projects
Fernández’s company partners with Ecodes and Ceroco2.org to counter unavoidable emissions through local reforestation using native tree species and long-term care. These forestry projects help capture and store carbon in soils and ecosystems. The guide also points to renewable energy projects, including the creation of small hydroelectric facilities or wind power installations for local use in regions across Asia and Africa, illustrating a global approach to sustainable energy.
Fernández expresses confidence that agency colleagues will unite toward a more sustainable future. He emphasizes the urgency of action to avoid climate chaos and notes that the manual has elicited messages of surprise and appreciation for its straightforward, actionable ideas. The overarching message remains clear: collective effort within the industry can drive meaningful, positive change for the planet and for people who rely on a stable climate.