This document discusses the role of advertising in driving behavior change and inspiring action on important issues. It argues that the advertising industry must consider its wider social and environmental impacts and encourage more sustainable practices among businesses. The document presents information from leaders in the field about creating a "conscious industry" that addresses resource constraints and tackles problems collectively. It aims to tell stories that encourage new thinking about corporate responsibility.

2. Advertising has a significant role to play in creating
calls to action for behaviour change – whether in
driving consumer behaviour or shifting perspectives
about issues.
This story is a reflection of Ogilvyearth’s approach
to the creation of campaigns that could inspire
new understanding and action in a world that is
rapidly changing.
The Conscious Brand book was born in 2008,
and now you are holding in your hands the next chapter
of the story – one that could have the most profound
impact on the way we do business. Consider the change
that could be implemented if sectors worked together
to adapt to the resource-related issues we will all face
in the future
As communication specialists our job is to tell inspiring
stories that are relevant and authentic. As part of the
greater communications industry the opportunity to
lead by example has never been more appropriate.
Melissa Baird
Editor and Strategist
A conscious industry is one that sees itself as part of
a wider context than its responsibilities to shareholders
and the ‘bottom line’. It has an obligation to take into
consideration the social, environmental and economic
landscape in which it operates. We don’t have any
option other than to adopt these principles, because
if we don’t consider the environmental impact of our
industries we are simply going to demand more of the
planet than it can give. We are already placing a burden
on the world’s resources and ability to absorb the
unwanted by-products of industry that is one and a half
times what is sustainable in the long term. We are over
our environmental spending limit. We simply cannot
keep producing goods without considering their total
life cycle and what happens to the resources that are
bound up in the waste stream. By creating
a conscious industry and having businesses tackle these
issues together we can create solutions.
Hermann Erdmann
CEO: REDISA
(Recycling and Economic
Development Initiative of South Africa)
Published by Ogilvyearth South Africa
www.ogilvyearth.co.za
First published in 2013
© Ogilvyearth 2013
All rights reserved
Concept: Ogilvyearth
Editor: Melissa Baird
Illustrations: Charmaine Taylor
Writers: Sandra Visser & Ivan Ayliffe
Layout: Asanda Rani & Charmaine Taylor
Repro: Charmaine Taylor
Printing & Binding: Formeset
Paper stock: 200 gsm Cacoon
I believe the advertising industry has a major role
to play in communicating the changes that face
our world: to create campaigns and tell stories
that encourage a new way of thinking about
brands and their role in society. The Conscious
Brand (2008) was our first contribution to the
story; The Conscious Industry is its natural
successor. The narrative has been a collaboration
of insight from thought leaders who are making
a massive difference to the way in which business
is run and to our perspective on our relationship
to the environment.
Steve Massey
Managing Director: Ogilvyearth South Africa
Published by OgilvyEarth South Africa
www.ogilvyEarth.co.za
First published in 2013
© OgilvyEarth 2013
All rights reserved
Concept: OgilvyEarth
Editor: Melissa Baird
Illustrations: Charmaine Taylor
Writers: Sandra Visser & Ivan Ayliffe
Layout: Asanda Rani & Charmaine Taylor
Repro: Charmaine Taylor
Printing & Binding: Formeset
Paper stock: 200 gsm Cacoon
E

3. 21

4. 43

5. 65

6. 87
Deforestation
threatens to destroy
nearly half of the
world’s plants, animals
and microorganisms
in the next 25 years.

7. 10
It takes around 40 litres of crude oil
to produce one passenger tyre.
There is enough tyre cord in a
36.00-51 Earthmoving tyre for
you to be able to stand
on earth and fish
on the moon.
9

8. 12
About
250 million
children ages 5
to 14 are forced to
work in sweatshops
across the world.
Consumers are willing
to pay 15% more for
products that are not
made in sweatshops,
while sweatshop
salaries, when
doubled, will only
increase the cost
of an item
by 1,8%.
11

9. 14

10. 16
in everything
we do, and
leading by example
must be our motto too.”
“Let’s strive for
better practices
our current situation
is through solutions that will last
and constant innovation.”
“The only way to move beyond
15

11. 1817

12. 20
If the world carries on
like it has functioned
up to now, we will run
out of lead in 42 years,
tin in 40 years and
silver in 29 years.
19

13. 22
:

14. 2423

15. 26

16. The brand had done
its best and hoped
their goal would be
accomplished. 2827
One and all
soon voted “yay”:
the letter could
be published.
27

17. 30
And thus the
brand could smile again.
The industry was mending.
You see, a conscious industry
29

18. powered by Zoom advertising
The environmental facts in this book were sourced as follows:
p.7: www.savetheamazon.org/rainforeststats.htm
p.10: REDISA
p.12: www.dosomething.org/tipsandtools/11-facts-about-sweatshops
p.20: cache.gawker.com/assets/images/gizmodo/2009/04/26051202.jpg
p.22: www.greenwaste.com/recycling-stats