Plastic pollution is one of the biggest issues facing the environment today. With the increased consumption of plastic products, our oceans now contain 15-51 trillion pieces of plastic. Yes, you heard that number correctly. This astounding amount of plastic contributes to around 80% of all marine debris. A pressing issue like this can be alleviated through different means – marketing being one of them.
Marketing is one of the best ways to instill awareness on the issue of plastics. Campaigns play a huge role in this war, and marketers should learn how to take advantage of this.
What Exactly Is the Plastic Problem?
Plastic straws may seem harmless at first glance, but for other animals it only leads to suffering. These are mistaken as food by marine wildlife, which results in the suffocation of these animals. That’s why it’s so vital that we reduce plastic in the ocean. It doesn’t end in plastic straws – plastic bags, plastic containers, and everything plastic are extremely harmful to the environment.
So, how did the plastic crisis come to be? The accelerated use of plastics started after World War II – medicines, protective equipment, and even cars. Widespread plastic use has led to breakthroughs in world history. You can even find plastic in almost every human invention. All of this plastic use had one major downside, and it came in the form of single-use plastics. Plastic bags, straws, and containers are used and disposed shortly after. Still, these persist in our environment even after centuries.
How Can Marketing Tackle the Plastic Problem?
One cannot deny the role of marketing in solving environmental issues like plastic pollution. Fortunately, marketers have multiple tools under their tool belt to solve this serious environmental issue. Whether these campaigns are marketed through social media, search engines, or word of mouth – marketing is truly a powerful tool to get your message across. Let’s dig deeper into how it can tackle the plastic crisis.
Know Your Audience
This cannot be emphasized enough – marketers must use strategies that have already been proven effective in previous campaigns. One way to do this is to know your audience. That means, you have to customize your campaign based on psychographics and demographics. Know their interests, desires, and needs. In short, know their emotions – that way, you can market effectively. It’s just as important to consider the demographics, too. Do you want to target the younger generation? It could even be a specific gender, political group, or socio-economic group. These are some questions you must ask before you proceed with your campaign.
Use Positive Social Norms
Another way to make your campaigns more effective is to utilize positive social norms. It is essential that one establishes the use of sustainable plastic as the social norm. Companies are in an excellent position to change the status quo due to their brand credibility. Not only does this contribute to positive social change, but it also makes a company more competitive in terms of brand awareness and differentiation. When attempting to shift the norm, multiple approaches can be used including media campaigns and advocacy efforts. In the digital age, social media is one of the best platforms that companies can use to effectively spread their message.
Appeal to Positive Emotion
With a pressing issue such as plastic pollution, a campaign evoking negative emotions might do more harm than good. Hope, pride, optimism, and love – these values need to be incorporated in a marketing campaign as these are associated with behavioral change.
Let the audience know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel; that even individual actions can make a difference. This counteracts the feeling of insignificance one may feel when talking about the magnitude of this environmental issue. When your audience starts feeling fearful, anxiety can take over and the desire to take action vanishes.
Humor Helps, Too
When aligned with the objectives of the campaign, adding humor to your campaign does wonders – especially if you want to target a younger audience. A campaign must be memorable and there’s no better way to do it than by adding humor. By going this route, you can provide critique without making people feel defensive. That’s why humor can be effective, too!
Challenge Your Audience To Make a Commitment
Asking people to commit to certain actions can lead to positive behavioral change. One way to make your audience make a commitment against plastic pollution? Pledges. Effective marketing campaigns have often included petitions or pledges. These were often time-bound. Research has shown that making a pledge to a certain action is effective as long as it is public, voluntary, and requires effort. Petitions and pledges can ensure the formation of good habits that can bring about behavioral change.
Be Specific
The last thing you want in a campaign is for your audience to feel lost. A successful campaign spreads awareness, but that shouldn’t be the last step. Instilling awareness must translate to action. You can’t go on saying “Put An End to Plastic Use” and expect those words to do their magic.
It pays off to be specific. Let your audience know what actions they have to take to ensure that they have a meaningful impact. Most importantly, keep your message simple rather than overwhelming your audience with information. Studies have shown that even with serious issues like climate change, a simple message works best. Sometimes, less is more.
Final Word
People are slowly awakening to the harsh realities that our environment faces today. One thing that consumers are looking for in a brand is corporate sustainability in all aspects – environmental, economic, and social. If your brand isn’t involved yet, it still isn’t too late to hop on the train. But it’s good to know that marketing, while important, is still a small part of the big picture. Solving the issue of plastic pollution requires multifaceted interventions that include awareness, education, and advocacies. To solve the plastic problem, we must all do our part and act with urgency. Only then can we see a plastic-free world.