In a world where modern consumers prioritise environmentally conscious choices, businesses realise the importance of aligning with corporate responsibility and sustainability. NEXT Printing emerges as a catalyst, empowering businesses to communicate their commitment to sustainability through activations and pop-ups, effectively resonating with environmentally-conscious consumers.
Raising the Flag for Sustainable Practices
A recent study by 5W Public Relations uncovered that 62 per cent of Millennials consider it important to buy from brands that align with their values and ideologies, including taking care of the planet.
Major corporations are increasingly prioritising sustainability in the production process. For example, Unilever now promotes how its palm oil is sustainably sourced, even featuring a picture of the rainforest on products along with the tagline, “What you buy at the supermarket can change the world. Small actions, big difference.”
The Pitfalls of Pop-Ups
While brands make strides in promoting their products’ environmental impact, the challenge lies in extending these sustainable practices to events and pop-up builds. These components, integral to modern marketing strategies, often tend to be non-eco-friendly, with materials destined for landfills post-event.
Addressing this challenge requires a careful balance between showcasing product sustainability and acknowledging the environmental impact of temporary structures.
The Crucial Role of Messaging
Transparency is critical when communicating with consumers, and it’s not only what you say that matters but how you say it. Research conducted by Harvard Business Review has shown that framing persuasive messages is crucial. For instance, consumers who buy electronic goods and see the energy efficiency rating tend to focus more on the upfront price rather than the future energy savings, despite caring about the environment.
NEXT Printing’s Sustainable Solution
NEXT Printing collaborated extensively with internal and external stakeholders, including experts in environmental studies, to conduct a comprehensive carbon study and life cycle assessment of the materials and production processes.
This study analysed emissions at a job level and provided comparisons against more traditional methods of completing a project, along with the associated energy savings.
This emissions data can then be converted into clear and simple messaging to use at a pop-up or activation stand. For example, “This stand is made from Reboard and reduces emissions by 50%, the equivalent of one flight from Sydney to Melbourne.”
A Decade of Dedication: NEXT Printing’s Sustainability Journey
Ten years ago, NEXT decided to become a business that prioritised sustainability. It invested in eco-friendly solutions such as using Reboard and other biodegradable materials, which continues to be its core offering today, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to the environment that sets it apart.
“With millennials more focused on a brand’s values when making purchasing decisions – including their green initiatives – these changes are essential in achieving consumer buy-in,” says NEXT.
NEXT Printing has completed several carbon studies for customers who now use recyclable materials and eco-friendly processes for their displays, producing a ‘cradle to grave’ sustainability comparison between Reboard and MDF based on their real-life marketing events.
This data provides a comprehensive understanding of the harmful effects of MDF at all stages, including its disposal to landfill post-event – the point at which the material does its most harm.
By showing the emissions comparison between sustainable materials and MDF and how these carbon savings equate in the real world – the number of km a car travels or the number of days used by an average household – customers can see how their green initiatives are making a difference. For example, Adobe has seen carbon savings of almost 85% just by choosing Reboard for its marketing displays. And that’s a compelling sustainability story to present to consumers.
Head of sales Next Printing, Pranil Chandra, said,
“Our customers consistently prioritise sustainable materials over harmful ones. With immense gratitude to the exceptional team at Next Printing, I am delighted to introduce how our clients can now showcase emissions savings data related to our work.
“Delivering precision, conciseness, and captivating emissions data to enhance brand identity through data backed by environmental scientists.”
Empowering Brands: Realising Emissions Savings
Using the data provided by NEXT Printing to back up their sustainability claims, customers can now go one step further and produce relatable and persuasive messaging around it that’s concise, digestible and informative – like in these examples:
Xero is a New Zealand–based technology company that provides cloud-based accounting software for small businesses. Xerocon achieved a carbon savings of 1,950 kg, which is equivalent to 40.71 days of emissions for an average Australian household.
The message: “Xerocon’s commitment to sustainability shines through in its choice of materials. The stands are crafted from eco-friendly Reboard, helping achieve a remarkable carbon savings of 1,950 kg which is equivalent to 40.71 days of emissions, the same amount as an average Australian household generates in over a month.”
The Green Side of Branding: NEXT Printing’s Conviction
In a landscape where aligning brand values with consumers is paramount, NEXT Printing believes showcasing your green side matters, but how you do it matters. As consumers increasingly demand transparency and sustainability, businesses that embrace eco-friendly alternatives and effectively communicate their efforts stand to gain consumer buy-in and a positive impact on the planet.
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