How can we develop a system to analyse and control advertising campaigns that mislead the public through greenwashing?
How can we improve the factual quality of advertising campaigns, so that they present the products, services, brands of companies in accordance with the facts, e.g. without greenwashing?
How should the system of analysis and control of advertising campaigns be developed to reduce the scale of misleading the public through greenwashing by unreliable and unethical companies?
What are some obvious examples of greenwashing in advertising campaigns of companies that present themselves as green companies pursuing sustainable development goals, developing green, pro-environmental, pro-climate projects, making green investments, e.g. in renewable and emission-free energy sources, which is not true?
In recent years, there have been more and more examples of the use of greenwashing in advertising campaigns, which consists in misleading the public, potential customers, who are presented with certain offers of companies as green, although they are not. More and more advertising campaigns, public relations activities, etc. carried out by more and more advertising companies and business entities presenting their product offers, services, company brands, use greenwashing. Greenwashing is also referred to in everyday language as "eco-costume", "green untruth" or "green lie", a phenomenon consisting in creating the impression among customers looking for goods produced in accordance with the principles of ecology and environmental protection that the product or the company producing it is in harmony with nature and ecology. For example, recently, in the country in which I operate, a number of advertising spots have appeared in various media, which portray certain large energy sector companies that are state-owned companies as green companies acting in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and developing green investments in the development of renewable and emission-free energy sources, but unfortunately not in accordance with the facts, and are an example of greenwashing. The largest state-owned companies in the energy and petrochemical sector engage in greenwashing because they are portrayed in advertising campaigns as developing renewable energy sources, including the construction of onshore and offshore wind farms, while the development of onshore wind energy has been blocked by the Polish government for the last seven years, the construction of wind farms in the Baltic Sea by Polish companies is only just being planned, and the structure of energy sources in the energy sector is still such that three quarters of Poland's energy is generated by burning coal and lignite.
In view of the above, I would like to address the following questions to the esteemed community of scientists and researchers:
What are the evident examples of greenwashing in advertising campaigns of companies that present themselves as green companies pursuing sustainable development goals, developing green pro-ecological, pro-environmental, pro-climate projects, making green investments e.g. in renewable and emission-free energy sources which is not in accordance with the facts?
How should a system of analysis and control of advertising campaigns be developed in order to reduce the scale of misleading of citizens through greenwashing by unreliable and unethical companies?
How can the substantive quality of advertising campaigns be improved so that they present products, services and company brands in accordance with the facts, e.g. without greenwashing?
How can we develop a system for analysing and monitoring advertising campaigns that mislead the public through greenwashing?
How can the factual quality of advertising campaigns be improved so that they present companies' offers in accordance with the facts without greenwashing?
What do you think about this topic?
What is your opinion on this subject?
Please respond,
I invite you all to discuss,
Thank you very much,
Best wishes,
Dariusz Prokopowicz
"We"? Caveat emptor. In fact, it's difficult to find any environmentally orients advertising that has any real substance. Not obvious this is important as those influenced by such advertising are more interested in self stroking and virtue signaling.
US Federal Trade Commission offers "Green Guide" https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides
Dariusz Prokopowicz , I wasn't certain if you were asking about automated learning/AI systems, human fact checkers, or a hybrid of the two. Your question reminds me very much of the problem with deliberate misinformation, including US election votes, medical device claims, and food supplement claims. It has the markings of a long-lasting ASTM subcommittee to create consensus standards for developing the evaluation process and selecting evaluators. It won't be easy.
Independent evaluators need access to the source material on which the claims are based. They should also have access to the authors of the source material, when requested. Criteria are needed to establish the independence of an evaluator (human or machine).
Fees or financial support for the evaluation should be free of conflicts of interest.
Some type of carrot and/or stick is needed to encourage evaluation of claims.
To improve the quality of advertising campaigns and check it against misleading information such as greenwashing, it is necessary to develop a system of analysis and control for advertising campaigns. This can help to reduce the scale of misleading advertising (greenwashing) and promote greater transparency and accountability among companies. By implementing clear guidelines, establishing an independent body to oversee the process, monitoring and analyzing campaigns by the independent body established, taking action against violators, and educating consumers to help them identify greenwashing and make informed choices when purchasing, the system can help to ensure that companies are held accountable for their claims and that consumers are able to make informed choices.
Phil Geis
Answering your question above, The structure could be seen as a system of analysis because the procedures work together to analyze and reduce greenwashing. The proposed structure above (implementing guidelines, establishing an independent body to oversee the process, etc) as a system is interconnected and operates together to produce a particular outcome which is the elimination of misleading information through advertising campaigns by some dubious companies(greenwashing).
In the context of social sciences, structure is often understood as a system of relationships that exist between different entities or elements within a particular context. This system of relationships can be analyzed in a variety of ways, and scholars often use different tools and methods to do so.
One way to approach the analysis of structure is through systems theory. Systems theory posits that all social phenomena are composed of interconnected elements that function together to produce a particular outcome. In this sense, the structure can be understood as a system of interconnected elements that operate together to analyze and produce a particular outcome which is the elimination of greenwashing. Thank you.
Thanks - I see your conceptual approach. I'm curious as to how it would work - the who would be the technical decision person, the how the ad would be brought to their attention, the what they would do.
In the US - there is the FTC Green Guide* that provides guidance (but I understand it rarely enforces) and the National Advertising Division (NAD)** of the Better Business Bureau. In my experience the NAD largely addresses advertising on TV esp at the national level.
* https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/topics/truth-advertising/green-guides
**https://bbbprograms.org/programs/all-programs/national-advertising-division
I think the company carried out marketing activities on behalf of environmentally friendly products. The aim is to form consumer perceptions that companies have promoted sustainable products, even though they haven't, in Indonesia, there are no regulations governing public protection, especially from greenwashing practices.
Thank you for your questions. In my area of influences marketing we have similar issue in term of “ honesty“ “ credibility” “ fairness in sharing the information” “ consumer misleading” and the like. Most researchers examined how can we deliver a credible content? Especially when it comes to social media influencer due to their high similarity with their followers which raises their trustworthiness.
Also, many researchers have focused on how can we raise the transparency if the influencer is being paid by a company?
And it is still an ongoing issue. Some efforts from the governments or consumer agencies regulate these issues by forming rules and polices in many countries and hence regulations such as facing civil or even criminal fines hopefully is effective in some cases.
some examples:
https://amp.theguardian.com/media/2021/mar/18/uk-social-media-influencers-warned-over-ad-rules-breaches
https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2015/09/xbox-one-promoter-settles-ftc-charges-it-deceived-consumers-endorsement-videos-posted-paid
I would like to broaden the discussion on this. I believe that advertisements being factual is only a part of the problem, if we problematize it. Perhaps we can learn from Habermas and include truth, truthfulness, and relevant norms. Advertisers may posit facts but they may not be truthful (facts may be used to manipulate opinions or persuade people to adopt unreasonable views (consumerist view) that do not support their well being).
Phil Geis,
Nobody owns "truth," but we can pursue truth in different ways and therefore provide various representations of truth. That people intellectually engage one another either in agreement or disagreement presupposes some universal principles that we explicitly or implicitly recognize to be binding. The ongoing discussions and arguments in philosophical and social/empirical sciences circles are governed by principles of reasonability which are themselves philosophically subject to questions. Nonetheless, we continue to validate, scrutinize, expand, modify our provisional representations of truth. In the context of advertisements, for instance, our search for truth may include verification of facts, the motives (truthfulness) in the presentation of facts, and the axiological presuppositions or biases. We may for example question the instance of appropriation or misappropriation of cultural elements and social values by advertisers in order to sell products. Finally, every time we employ our intellect, the objective goal is (in the final analysis) truth.
Improving the factual quality of advertising campaigns and avoiding greenwashing involves several key steps:
Conduct thorough research: Before launching an advertising campaign, companies must conduct thorough research to ensure that their claims are accurate and based on verifiable facts. This research should involve gathering data from credible sources, such as scientific studies, industry reports, and expert opinions.
Use clear language: Companies should avoid using vague or misleading language in their advertisements. Instead, they should use clear and concise language that accurately describes their products or services. They should avoid making exaggerated or unsubstantiated claims, as this can lead to accusations of greenwashing.
Provide evidence: To support their claims, companies should provide evidence such as test results, certifications, and customer testimonials. This evidence should be verifiable and provided by reputable third-party sources.
Be transparent: Companies should be transparent about their environmental and social practices. This includes disclosing any potential environmental or social impacts of their products or services, as well as their efforts to mitigate these impacts. Companies should also be transparent about their supply chains and the sources of their raw materials.
Involve stakeholders: Companies should involve stakeholders, such as customers, employees, and community members, in their advertising campaigns. This can help to ensure that their messages are accurate, relevant, and meaningful to their target audiences.
Verify claims: Companies should have a system in place to verify their claims and ensure that their advertisements are accurate. This may involve conducting internal audits, working with independent third-party auditors, or seeking certification from credible organizations.
By following these steps, companies can improve the factual quality of their advertising campaigns and avoid greenwashing. This can help to build trust with consumers and establish a positive reputation for the company.
Afroj Ayyaj Shaikh
I'm afraid you and Brian Lee have never been involved in advertising. Folks in advertising are creative and amoral - their objective is to sell. Major companies have technical folks whose job it is to keep claims in some compliance to reality.
The concept of environmental claims in advertising is largely meaningless - even when the terns have specific meaning and are technically correct.
Lastly please consider the consumer and his/her motivation. Their n purchase re. enviro claims more often reflects virtue signaling and ego - they are largely aware the whole thing is pretty useless.
NAB ≠ NARB which is a review board, not a promo group.
I've worked with marketing/promo groups in Federal regulatory govt and Big Tech groups to improve their messaging. These are groups that were big enough to have internal marketing departments rather than needing outside ad agencies. I'd agree the perspectives and personalities of the marketing/PR people are different from the technical workers. I wouldn't paint them as amoral. That's like saying All Cops Are Bad. They tend to hew to how they are managed and the norms of their coworkers, with a certain amount of personalities that are better and worse outliers.
Organizational behavior (psychology) can be helpful in understanding the work situation. Consumer behavior (another facet of psychology) helps you understand the interactions of the audience.
Amoral is certainly my experience with 3 decades of experience with a global consumer product company - in technical brand management and other areas,. As advertising brand managers exist briefly in an up or out context, the process has them pursuing the most compelling message working with technical folks as fail safe for truth. That is how they are managed.
The analogy offered is silly. The term was amoral not immoral - neither right nor wrong. neither good nor bad. Advertising folks are not cops - the technical folks and legal are the cops.
Brian Lee
It's true for that major global company and the sector - one that is responsible for most of the ads folks see.
Effectively - to liberate and force creativity with the mantra - better to apologize than.....
Can't address how folks might see the term amoral as inconsistent with its definition.
Improving the factual quality of advertising campaigns requires a few key steps: -
1) Conduct thorough research: Before launching an advertising campaign, companies should conduct extensive research to ensure that their claims are accurate and supported by scientific evidence. This research can involve studying the products or services being offered, analyzing market trends, and consulting with experts in relevant fields.
2) Use credible sources: Companies should use credible sources to support their claims, such as independent studies or reputable industry organizations. Avoid using vague or exaggerated language, and instead focus on providing clear and concise information.
3) Provide transparent information: Companies should be transparent about their products or services, including their environmental impact, ethical practices, and supply chain. This can involve providing detailed information on product labels or on the company's website.
4) Avoid greenwashing: Greenwashing refers to the practice of making exaggerated or false claims about a product or service's environmental benefits. To avoid greenwashing, companies should be honest about their environmental impact and avoid making misleading claims about their products or services.
5) Seek third-party verification: Companies can seek third-party verification of their claims by obtaining certifications or endorsements from reputable organizations. For example, a product that is certified by the Forest Stewardship Council is more likely to be viewed as environmentally responsible.
By following these steps, companies can improve the factual quality of their advertising campaigns and avoid the pitfalls of greenwashing. This will not only enhance their reputation but also increase consumer trust and loyalty.
@Dariusz Prokopowicz
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