When my good friends and fellow Topanga, California residents Craig and Tanya Farkas needed an ad to promote their eco-friendly production firm Instant Karma in the Cannes issue of Boards, they didn’t come to me. Instead they awarded the business to their son Sean Farkas, a sixth grader at Topanga Elementary School.

While this was obviously a case of nepotism, I am trying to get past the bitterness and have decided to share the simple, elegant and heartfelt solution Sean came up with. The ad received such great feedback that Craig entered Sean’s work into an online contest called theadbattle.com, a global website primarily for ad professionals who want to show off their latest campaigns.

Sean’s ad was competing against ones from high-powered agencies and professionals and was proclaimed a winner in the social ad category. So if you’re looking for a green production company that walks the walk, consider Instant Karma Films. Or if you’re looking for a young creative consider Sean Farkas-- before he takes away your next job.

Mark Monteiro
Chairman and Chief Creative Officer
DDB Los Angeles

Posted by Diane on November 12, 2008 9:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Given our economic climate, it’s a reasonable question to ask whether the green revolution has sputtered. Recent research indicates that consumer enthusiasm for green has waned in some areas. Yankelovich’s “Going Green 2” study found that consumers’ willingness to pay more for green alternatives has decreased. There’s evidence that companies have cut back their budgets for environmental and philanthropic initiatives, and climate change legislation will most likely stall or not be as favorable to the environment as was originally predicted.

But it’s not all bad news. According to the same Yankelovich study, environmentalism is developing among U.S. consumers — especially among Echo Boomers (ages 16-29) and GenXers (ages 30-43), who both said they are more concerned about the environment than they were a year ago. And even more mainstream consumers are responding positively to companies who successfully convey personal benefits in the green attributes of a product. A great example is Clorox Green Works’ household cleaning products that use 99 percent natural, non-petrochemical ingredients. Clorox doesn’t overtly tout the environmental attributes but instead emphasizes a “healthy home” and “living a more natural life.” First year sales have been well over $40 million.

The bottom line is that green is still quite relevant and will likely become increasingly so, continuing to change the landscape in which companies do business and consumers buy products and services. It just might be at a slightly slower rate.

Arlene Fairfield
Global Change Network, in partnership with DDB BIG
arlene@arlenefairfield.com

Posted by Diane on October 29, 2008 4:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Cotton Incorporated and DDB New York are proud to announce the launch of our new quiz “DO YOU KNOW GREEN?” on Cotton’s MysteryFabric.com and TheFabricOfOurLives.com websites.

www.mysteryfabric.com

With everyone jumping on the “green” bandwagon these days, it’s hard to figure out what’s genuinely environmentally friendly and what’s not.

“Do You Know Green?” combines the fun of a game show, the usefulness of an environmental handbook and the pizzazz of a fashion show all into one brain-teasing quiz. Through a series of challenging true/false questions, this quiz will test your knowledge of what’s “green” and what’s “not green” among the fabrics and other items you use in your day-to-day life. Our lovable characters Jane (the eco-aware cotton lover) and Susie (the mystery fabric misfit will model the “green” and “not green” virtual wardrobe pieces you’ll "win" with every right or wrong answer.

Cotton is natural, so it’s been “green” even before “being green” was ever in style. In launching this quiz, our goals are to make Cotton a credible resource in helping consumers to separate eco-fact from fiction and, very importantly, to keep cotton top-of-mind for fashionable and eco-conscious consumers.

So how well "Do You Know Green?” Play the quiz now using the link above and tell us what you think…

Be sure to click on the “Send to a Friend” option to pass this quiz along to someone you know who might be interested in being a little bit “greener.”

Lee Garfinkel
Chairman and Chief Creative Officer
DDB New York

Joseph Cianciotto
Executive Creative Director, Amplify
Chief Community Officer,
DDB New York

Posted on October 15, 2008 5:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At DDB we enjoy making our clients successful; it is most rewarding when we're able to help them spread goodwill as well. Take the most recent spot DDB Chicago did for Midas to promote their latest venture with Make-A-Wish. Through June 28th, every time someone goes to a Midas facility and orders a vehicle maintenance package, Midas will donate $5 to the Make-A-Wish foundation. Our goal is to help Midas raise as much money as possible for this awesome organization that grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses.

Giving consumers the opportunity to contribute to a good cause while having their vehicle serviced can shine a bright light on those tedious Saturday chores! It's our hope that something as routine as an oil change can help to affect a positive change in a child's life.

For more information about the promotion and to see the inspirational spot featuring some Make-A-Wish children, go to www.midaswish.com

At DDB we have a culture that truly believes in giving back. Isn't it about time you brought your vehicle in for an oil change?

Mia Sissac
Senior Marketing Communications Associate
DDB Chicago

Posted on June 18, 2008 3:55 PM | Permalink

Everyone is going green these days. More and more companies are expanding their corporate social responsibility profile through green initiatives. At DDB we care about our environment and so much more. I have enjoyed our green blog and thank all of you who have posted your thoughts and opinions. We have decided to broaden these chats to include all our CSR (corporate social responsibility) ventures. In the coming weeks more reportage and discussion of CSR and DDB will be our focus. We welcome your feedback and look forward to hearing what you have to say.
--Frank Palmer

Social networking site created by Tribal DDB to enlist and mobilize support.

Check out www.thebigwild.org, the new social networking site created by Tribal DDB, the online division of DDB Canada. The new social networking site allows Canadians to share stories and media about wilderness experiences and learn more about the country's wild spaces in need of protection. Most importantly, it will also act as a catalyst to raise awareness and mobilize support for conservation campaigns. The evolving site will continue to have features added throughout 2008 and 2009. Read more about it under "Who We Are – DDB Cares" and let me know what you think.

Posted on May 12, 2008 9:25 PM | Permalink

There is a supplement in the New York Times today called the "Business of Green".

BASF has taken the full back page to profile a story of its plastic bags that have a shelf life of one year then biodegrade in compost within weeks. Their website has eight other cases including; ethanol extract from corn, reduction of diesel exhaust from school buses, and an 80% more energy efficient home. It is too easy to be cynical that this is just BASF marketing when, in fact, the accomplishments are extremely impressive. Check it out at www.basf.com/stories.

Frank Palmer, Chairman & CEO, DDB Canada

Posted on March 26, 2008 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We know that going green is good for the earth and we are quickly learning that it is increasingly good for business. But how sustainable is sustainability as a business differentiator? If everyone is doing it - where is the competitive advantage? Green is quickly becoming tablestakes - there may be more risk in not doing it than benefits in doing it. If you agree, how can companies benefit and differentiate in green going forward?

Posted on February 22, 2008 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

• The Ibis Porte de Clichy has a façade covered in photovoltaic panels, which convert sunlight into electricity


• San Francisco's Orchard Garden Hotel rooms have the city's first door-key-card controlled electricity system—remove your card when you leave and the whole room automatically "turns off" (something that Europe has had for some time)


• Hotel Triton has decorated a room on each floor using environmentally safe paints, furniture created from salvaged forest-fire wood, and organic hemp towels and sheets

Posted on February 18, 2008 9:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Green was once associated with sacrifice - it was painful to be green if you were a business. We associated green with extra cost, extra effort, questionable impact and return, compliance, and sacrifice. That is no longer the case. Green is now associated with strong and important branding, increased revenue, price premiums and deeper customer loyalty. Now green forces you to be better at everything you do. It is an extra lens that promotes greater innovation and awareness of impact. Think of the Lexus Lhs luxury hybrid that is priced at $125,000 and promises (according to their literature):

• A Powerful Statement
• Three Operating Modes
• Responsive Performance
• Fuel Efficiency
• Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (SULEV)

Posted on February 13, 2008 9:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Andrew Shapiro of GreenOrder recently spoke at an event on Corporate Image and stated that we are currently using our resources as if we had 1.25 earths. A chilling and very simple description of the challenge before us. Check out more at www.greenorder.com and share your comments.

Posted on February 8, 2008 8:31 PM | Permalink