Circular economy in sustainability marketing
1CR
Minna-Maari Harmaala (Haaga-Helia)
Learning Outcomes
• This 1 CR study “nugget” is designed to increase the student’s
understanding of the special characteristics of using circular economy elements and messages in marketing and communications.
• Upon successful completion of the course, the student can
• Understand how using circular economy elements and messages in marketing differs from traditional marketing.
• Identify the key types of sustainability marketing approaches and understand their pitfalls.
• Identify greenwashing and design communications to avoid it.
• Understand the basic premise of using circular economy elements in branding.
Study Contents and tasks will
• Increase the student’s understanding and appreciation of using circular economy elements and messages in marketing and
communication.
• Expose students to the concept of greenwashing and how to avoid it
• Introduce the students to creating brands based on circular economy elements and messages.
• Give the students the opportunity to assess and analyse existing
marketing messages and brands from the perspective of circular
economy.
Communication and Sustainable Brands
• Communication and branding should be about "Talking the walk"; i.e. there has to be some meaningful actions and intentions before a company can credibly communicate on them. The GOAL in this section is to explore sustainability communication, with emphasis on circular economy and branding paying special attention to credibility and
effectiveness. You have two TASKS; to evaluate an advertisement and to evaluate a brand.
Both tasks are outlined in more detail below.
• The "Made to Stick" materials present general ideas on how messages; in advertising or any other communication can be made memorable. The Greenwashing report exposes ways in which companies intentionally and unintentionally greenwash their products and services. These will help you with the analysis of an ad. The Hero Brands report and the blog and articles on green branding shed light on the success, failure and effectiveness of circular economy branding initiatives. They will be especially helpful with the branding task.
Th is i s th e
int rod ucti on te xt!
Tasks
• Analyse an advertisement
• Evaluate a brand
TASK. Analyse an Advertisement
•
Your task is to evaluate and/or improve an existing advertisement. Pick any ad in a magazine, newspaper, on- line, radio, TV, billboard; or anywhere else that uses circular economy related messages to promote the product, service or company. Please pay special attention and really try to pick something that is an advertisement. By using the greenwashing guidance and the "Made to Stick” -guidelines as well as the communication design strategies ( See article, “Marketing Approaches for a Circular Economy..." ) , evaluate the effectiveness and appropriateness of the ad. If possible, please search for an actual ad, not just google around for something.
•
Your work is either a document (max 2 pages) or a presentation (max 5 slides). Please either scan, paste or link the ad to your work so that others can access it as well. Your report must include a comparison to learnings from the article about communication design strategies for circular economy and an evaluation of greenwashing
based on the material in Moodle. These can be for example in a table. In addition to these, evaluate the effectiveness of the ad. Return your work to the discussion board and have a look at ads that other students have posted. Continue the discussion by stating whether you agree or disagree with their opinions and why.
You must comment on at least two other student's work.
Th is i s th e T AS K
de scr ipti on te xt
Learning Materials 1
• Video review part 1 of "Made to Stick"
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7U74c0Hzbk
• Video review part 2 of "Made to Stick"
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLt3H01XNto
• Making sustainability ideas stick
• https://sustainablebrands.com/read/marketing-and-comms/sustainability-
ideas-must-be-made-to-stick
Learning Materials 2
• Terrachoice: Greenwashing Report 2010
• https://hhmoodle.haaga-helia.f/pluginfle.php/1359170/mod_resource/co ntent/1/GreenwashingReport2010.pdf
• Terrachoice. Greenwashing infographic
• https://www.onegreenplanet.org/news/infographic-greenwashing-exposed/
• FTC( US Federal Trade Commission) Green Guide sustainability arguments in marketing
• https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?c=ecfr&sid=5de11e010afaa51af478
dbd337f0cad6&rgn=div5&view=text&node=16:1.0.1.2.24&idno=16
Learning Materials 3
• Sustainability Communications in a Nutshell
• http://www.think-sustainability.co.uk/resources/uploads/fles/Susta inability_Communications_in_a_Nutshell.pdf
• “Marketing Approaches for a Circular Economy: Using Design Frameworks to Interpret Online Communications.”
•
https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v10y2018i6p2070-d153162.htm
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TASK: Evaluate a Brand
• Your task is two-fold; frst you should read the Hero Brands' booklet and watch the video "Branding Circularity for
Consumer Value". Secondly, you need to analyze a brand. Write 3 key learning messages you got after reading the booklet and write 3 key learning messages you got after watching the video. These are probably short sentences or paragraphs.
Concentrate on what you really will take home and remember from the booklet and the video. After reading the booklet and watching the video, and the linked three blogs on building and failing brands as well as the examples on documentary storytelling, pick a brand of circular products/services you like. Perhaps, it is one that has done exceptionally well or still in its infancy. Depending on your choice, evaluate why the brand has been successful in positioning itself as a circular brand;
or why it has failed; or what the brand could do to position itself as a circular brand in a credible manner.
• Your work is either a document or a presentation. Please either paste or link the brand (website, commercial, pictures) to your work so that others can access information on it as well. Return your work to the discussion board and have a look at brands that other students have posted. Continue the discussion by stating whether you agree or disagree with their
opinions and why. You must comment on at least two other student's work. Your work should not exceed two pages;
please be concise in your reporting and writing. Please note there is a difference between this and the advertisement task! Here you are looking at an entire brand; not one particular commercial. Remember to evaluate and analyse, not just repeat information given by the company.
