What are the media's green initiatives?

More and more companies are showing their ecological concern in their content and some brands want to go further by developing more environmentally friendly practices. The media have therefore adapted to these new needs and offer eco-friendly advertising solutions.

Reducing the carbon emissions of advertising campaigns is now an important issue for the advertising industry. This is in line with the European objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030. In advertising, reducing the carbon impact is a matter of both the design of advertising creations and the media used to distribute them.

Some figures on the environmental objectives:

• In April 2021, the European Union set itself the objective of reducing its Member States' greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030
• In October 2020, Filière Communication, AACC and UDM estimated the potential decline in advertisers' advertising investments at 20% if advertising bans were included in the climate bills

Sources : mindmedia.fr

To meet the expectations of their advertising clients, advertising agencies have developed offers to support them in their ecological transition.

Find the green initiatives of the media:

• France TV's responsible communication
• Radio France commits to the environment
• TF1 launches the EcoRespons'Ad offer
• The press makes citizens more responsible
• Clear Channel and its green offer with Palladium

FranceTV publicité's responsible communication

On 22 April 2021, on the occasion of Earth Day, France TV publicité is launching a new advertising offer dedicated to eco-responsible products and companies: the Green Spirit offer. With this offer, the group shows its commitment to important issues such as the environment and environmental responsibility.

These "Green Spirit" screens will be reserved for advertising spots for the most environmentally friendly products according to standards recognised and validated by ADEME. The commercials are then framed by a jingle that highlights the eco-responsible nature of the brands advertising on this screen.  The advertisements are broadcast on several programmes: Télématin, the JT, Les Carnets de Julie and Échappées belles and on all the channels of the France Télévisions group: France 2, France 3 and France 5.

Example of an introduction and closing jingle for the Green Spirit commercials:

France TV Publicité also won the Gold Trophy in the "Encouraging responsible consumption - Corporate Award" category at the 2021 Good Economy Awards. This prize rewards the advertising network's commitment to highlighting the responsible initiatives of the brands it works with.

Radio France commits to the environment

Radio France has a very strong commitment to the environment, particularly with its 27 hours of weekly programmes devoted to ecological issues, in addition to the 100 hours of programmes that regularly deal with these issues.

On 1 January 2021, the radio station announced its new ecological commitment, with its new advertising approach that promotes initiatives and actors actively working for the ecological transition. This approach has been implemented on air as well as on digital with podcasts, which are a major development area for audio in France.

Radio France offers 3 new advertising spaces:

• A solidarity space: free advertising for those who are actively working for the environment, such as NGOs.
• An eco-responsible area: prime time advertising (on the morning news) available for eco-responsible products at a rate of - 40%. Eligible ads will be selected on the basis of the 100 environmental labels listed and recommended by ADEME.
• A responsible space: this space proposes to display eco-responsible products on the pre-roll of podcasts in order to make this advertising shift both on Radio France's airwaves and on digital media, where audio is developing strongly at the moment.

>>> Know the acceleration of advertising on podcasts.

>>> Launch you radio ad right here

TF1 PUB launches the EcoRespons'Ad offer

In order to support brands in their environmental commitments and amplify their eco-responsible communication, TF1 PUB has devised a solution: the EcoRespons'Ad offer.

TF1 PUB is collaborating with ADEME (the French agency for the environment and energy management). This partnership offers support for brands wishing to communicate in a more ecological way.

The offer consists of 3 parts:

• A TV campaign on a preferential screen broadcast at peak time (time of day when there is the largest audience) accompanied by "green" jingles to reinforce viewers' memorization
• Precise targeting of consumers with the help of Kantar and Worldpanel
• A post-test offered by the channel in order to get feedback on the image of the company and the products promoted

A very well thought out initiative by TF1 which allows it to support and help advertisers trying to convey more environmentally friendly values.

The press empowers citizens

The press is aware of its responsibility as an economic player and a link in the public debate. This is why this media has mobilised itself on climate issues, making a decisive contribution to raising the awareness of citizens and public opinion on these ecological issues.

Here are some environmental commitments:

• The SEPM* (Syndicat des Editeurs de la Presse Magazine) is committed to the creation of an eco-simulator for the magazine industry: the idea is to provide a tool for calculating the carbon impact of magazine publications, both print and digital. This new tool will be made available to the union's publishers and could be used to improve practices and inform readers.
• The SEPM is also committed to working on other new ecological measures, such as research into varnishes and adhesives specific to magazines in order to improve the recyclability of leaflets.
• Magazine publishers will eliminate plastic from 2022
• The same publishers will use ink with a low mineral oil content

*SEPM includes several publishers such as: Reworld Media, Bauer Media, L'Equipe, Marie Claire Album...

Clear Channel and its green offer with Palladium

In October 2020, Clear Channel rolled out its new green campaign, which highlighted the "Earth Collection". This was an eco-responsible advertising campaign as it was printed on recycled paper and produced with vegetable-based ink. Distributed to 7 million French people, the campaign was also visible in print on more than 600 pieces of furniture in the following cities: Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Toulouse, etc.

According to a study carried out by Clear Channel with over 1000 French people in July 2020, 92% of French people use recycled paper and vegetable-based ink with the addition of a "green square" on the poster to signify this environmentally responsible approach on the street.

JCDecaux's environmentally friendly billboard for Levi's in Paris

To help support respect for the environment and clean air in the city, Levi's has chosen to broadcast its advertising message on a 350m² depolluting canvas covering the Trinité church, from 3 to 30 November 2021 in Paris. The poster uses a technology sourced by JCDecaux teams that absorbs pollutants (notably nitrogen oxide and sulphur).

>>> Eco-responsible advertising displays are produced with vegetable-based ink.

How do you communicate more responsibly?