This post was originally published at the Eco-Libris blog on Wednesday, July 9, 2008.
I wrote few times in the past about direct marketing and its environmental impacts (check here and here). This is definitely an issue where an innovative approach combining creativity, green basics and visionary thinking is required to make things better and greener. And we’re happy to update you that someone is actually doing it!
Springwise reports that Paris-based direct marketing agency TBWA\Excel launched its Mailing Vert service (Le Mailing Vert) in partnership with envelope maker Manuparis, Vincent Printers, Groupe Moselle Vieillemard printers and direct marketing/sales logistics firm Diffusion Plus.
Excel is an agency of TBWA group that specializes in fundraising and commitment to social service associations, foundations and corporate citizens. I believe the idea behind the Mailing Vert service is to provide Excel’s customers, many of whom are non-profits, with a greener offer that will enable them to have direct marketing campaigns, promoting their causes with as little environmental impact as possible.
According to Springwise, partners in Mailing Vert adhere to a charter including four principles:
- To protect the environment, such as by purifying all waste water and using vegetable-based inks, solvents and cleaning agents.
- To preserve raw materials and protect natural resources through the use of paper that’s either recycled or derived from sustainably managed forests.
- To track waste and minimize energy consumption, such as by optimizing transportation networks.
- To measure and offset the ecological impact of each phase of the direct-mailing process.
All in all this is great news and I hope many advertising agencies will follow the example that Excel sets here. I know that in a perfect world we might be able to avoid direct marketing at all, but as it doesn’t look that it’s going to be vanished anytime soon, I guess we need to look for realistic solutions that will make sure that these campaigns will be made responsibly and will reduce their impact as much as possible. Excel definitely gives an example how it can be done.
And they’re also doing it in a fun way (not less important!), as you can see from the video clip below.
I’m surprised how rarely 1:1 (personalized) printing enters the “green” direct mail discussion. This is essentially personalizing direct mail the same way that Amazon personalizes the user experience for each customer, addressing the person by name and providing personalized recommendations based on past purchase history. Increasingly, direct mail is being produced using the same principles. What makes it “green” is that far fewer pieces are mailed (although to greater effectiveness), the volume of pages being mailed is much lower (since marketers are sending only information relevant to the recipient rather than large, undifferentiated packets), and the process uses digital printing technology, which tends to be more green than traditional offset. This results in large savings in paper, envelopes, chemicals, postage, fuel (from mail delivery), and more. For a primer on the basics of 1:1 (personalized) printing, check out http://www.digitalprintingreports.com.
This is a wonderful development, especially since it seems clear that direct mail agencies have significant potential for making an impact on the environment by implementing external initiatives—that is, by steering their clients toward green practices. I know of one DM agency that decided to put a green program in place last year. In addition to establishing a few straightforward, easy-to-implement initiatives for their own offices, they developed a “green pricing” quote system for print projects, offering their clients the option of using of soy inks, 30% to 100% PCW recycled paper, and FSC-certified printers for every job. They also pledged to keep their clients informed about green processes, such as the Sustainable Forestry Initiative. Green initiatives in the DM industry clearly represent an opportunity to move the dial by promoting green practices throughout a vast array of industries.