Google’s

Sustainability
Marketing
Playbook

Reviewed by
 Table of contents

01

Marketing that supports change

02

Sustainable events and experiences

03

Sustainable creative production

04

Ready to go forth?

2
 A note from Google

Google is grateful to Project Drawdown and Drawdown Labs for their

input into the first edition of this playbook and for lending their
expertise to our early thinking.

As external reviewers, Project Drawdown evaluated the recommendations in

this playbook, providing feedback regarding the relative importance and
impact of actions relative to the amount of greenhouse gases reduced or
avoided in the atmosphere. Together, Google and Project Drawdown
prioritized and ranked the actions, ensuring that this playbook content is both
actionable and impactful.

Project Drawdown is the world’s leading resource for climate solutions. The
nonprofit organization's mission is to help the world stop climate change—as
quickly, safely, and equitably as possible. Project Drawdown does this by
advancing effective, science-based climate solutions and strategies; fostering
bold, new climate leadership; and promoting new climate narratives and new
voices.

Drawdown Labs is Project Drawdown’s private sector testing ground for

accelerating the scaling of climate solutions. Leveraging the organization's
world-class research and analysis — and the cross-industry capabilities of
participating businesses and funders — Drawdown Labs experiments with
collaborative ways to address climate change at unprecedented scale and
offers the world a more expansive vision for private sector climate leadership.

3
 A note from Google

What’s the point?

Make climate Understand marketing Measure and

action easy. superpowers. track progress.

This is one stop shopping for Reducing operational waste is Start accounting for waste
marketers to learn how to reduce important. As marketers, our and carbon footprint now.
waste and emissions as quickly real leverage is in the stories Focus on what matters in the
as possible. we tell - and how we enable race to zero, and do it in your
broader action for our billions creative today.
of users.

Why should you care?

It matters to consumers. It matters to the industry.

Three quarters of US consumers feel big The marketing industry is rallying behind joint
businesses should play a role in fighting climate initiatives like AdNetZero, AdGreen and GARM.
change and 85% of executives acknowledge
customers are more likely to engage and do
business with sustainable brands

It matters to citizens . Every job is a climate job now.

Sustainability policies are emerging globally to To solve the climate crisis, we must get all hands
support better marketing practices. For on deck. And this isn’t just about the planet., it’s
example, the EU is working on a proposal for a also about people, equality, and values.
directive on green claims.

4
 Sustainable Marketing Playbook

What can marketers do?

Magic Goals
Use your leverage to remove barriers and turbocharge climate solutions.

Shape culture Change behavior

Show diverse people taking climate action as a Create new ways of operating. Craft stories
normal, fun part of their everyday lives. about the ways your products and solutions
Culture is critical context for climate solutions support climate-friendly behaviors. All
and action, telling us what is right or wrong, climate solutions have behavioral
what is possible or impossible. Cultural change dimensions, and some hinge almost entirely
can feel difficult, but it sets the context for on human habit.
what we do as a society and can foster a sense
of collective courage.

Invest responsibly
Work with partners that prioritize climate
action. Ask what partners or their parent
companies are doing to support climate action
and use that as your evaluation for partner
selection.

Fundamentals Goals
Design, build and buy intentionally to avoid pollution.

Reduce first Reuse when you can

Do you really need to build or buy something Use rented or pre-loved structures, furniture,
new? Always consider finite resources (raw plants, etc. Remember where you kept that
materials, shipping / travel emissions, labor perfect design element - so you can use it later.
hours, money) before you create.

Recycle/compost as a last resort

Recycling is hard to get right. Less than 10% of
plastic gets recycled worldwide. “Compostable”
foodware usually isn’t. Always vet local
capabilities per material before recycling
planning. Reduce first.

5
01

Marketing
that supports
change
 Marketing that supports change

Marketing that supports change Key principles

Anchor narratives on genuine user needs instead of creating new ones that
Lead with
could encourage excessive consumption and waste (e.g Don’t Buy This
genuine
Jacket campaign by Patagonia). It’s good marketing practice and
user needs fundamental for the Google brand to be seen as truly helpful.

“Sustainability” means a lot of different things to a lot of different people.

Learn what Users’ expectations for your product or service may also vary greatly
sustainability depending on their geographic location or belief systems.
means to Check out some of Google’s tools to better understand sustainable
your audience audiences, behaviors & search trends on Think With Google. Tools include
Market Finder, Google Trends & the Insights tab in Google Ads accounts.

Feature brands or Showcase how other brands and partners are using our products to make a
products change (e.g. Stella McCartney, Levi Strauss & Co., Rothy’s).
that showcase
sustainable Avoid doing co-branding with companies with questionable sustainability
practices.
values

Integrate Infuse sustainability right from the brief stage (e.g. include a default
sustainability sustainability question in your brief template such as “how will you ensure
throughout this project is in alignment with our goals?”). Examples can be found here.
the creative Bake sustainability into your creative review process (e.g. make someone
process accountable for calling out creatives that foster unsustainable behaviors).

We know that representing all categories of the population in a

non-stereotypical way can help support equity. Portraying eco-conscious
characters can also go a long way. Many of our users are already changing
Portray their consumption habits. And picturing sustainable actions is often the most
eco-conscious inclusive option as durable products tend to also be the most economical
characters and accessible of all.
Ensure your team’s creative library provides access to eco-friendly imagery
that’s relevant to your business area.

Greenwashing = Any message that may mislead the public on the real
sustainable quality of a product or service or on the reality of the company's
Understand & sustainability strategy or inciting behavior contrary to the ecological
prevent transition. Greenwashing can result in public backlash and significant
greenwashing financial loss.
Share authentic, informative and precise information about our products and
services.

7
 Marketing that supports change

Give preference to eco-conscious behaviors

Food & beverage

Make plant-based meals Make cooking part of Default to

look delicious people’s routine reusable dishware
● Show people enjoying vegetables, ● Show people and families cooking real ● Show people using reusable mugs,
legumes, pasta, plant based meat etc… food instead of processed and cuttlerly, plates. No disposable paper,
even for special occasions. packaged meals or takeouts. Bonus plastic, or styrofoam even when
● Veganism has exploded in the past point: Show food scraps and they’re on the go. Show parents
decade, and its rise in popularity shows compost bins. putting kids’ lunches in reusable lunch
no sign of stopping any time soon. ● A growing part of households’ bags. Reusables are often more
expenditures are dedicated to grocery aesthetic too.
and 1 in 3 Americans learned to cook ● Reusables are less expensive in the
during the COVID lockdown. This is also long run. As more people spend time
the healthiest choice. at home, it is also the most likely
representation of people’s
new habits.

Transportation

Encourage mass Promote alternative Normalize

transportation modes of transportation green choices
● Show people taking the train, the bus ● Show people riding bikes, scooters or ● Show people using electric or hybrid
or even carpooling and carsharing and simply walking. Many people plan to cars. If you have to go with gas cars,
highlight the benefits of such use shared-mobility and micromobility pick small models rather than SUVs,
transportation modes. Avoid showing options like electric bicycles in the vans etc.
cars with only one passenger. future. ● People are increasingly searching
● Remember that not everyone can for “electric car” and past the
afford a car and while driving may be March 2020 dip, this is back at an all
the norm in the US, it is not as frequent time high.
in other parts of the world.

8
 Marketing that supports change

Give preference to eco-conscious behaviors

Resources & energy

Shed light on Encourage responsible Showcase renewable energies

solar energy water consumption in the landscape
● Show houses equipped with solar ● Show people swimming in the sea or ● Show wind turbines or solar panels in
panels or portray people charging lakes rather than in pools. Choose the background.
devices using solar energy. bathrooms with showers rather
● In an economic crisis, adding solar than baths.
panels to a home means never having ● These are usually the most
to pay an electric bill again and the affordable options.
investment can even increase
property value.
● Solar is also a great solution for the
750M people who are still not
connected to the grid.

Encourage responsible Feature energy-saving home Showcase energy-efficient

electricity consumption appliances or technology heating & cooling
● Show people using reasonably sized ● The energy-saving bulb is a worn out ● Use images of cutting-edge,
screens. Prefer laptops over desktop as image so think creatively! Picture energy-efficient home climate
they are significantly less characters using permanent coffee solutions like heat pumps,
energy-intensive. filters, or coffee percolators instead of smart thermostats, low-flow fixtures,
● Few people can afford a 85'' flat capsules. Have laundry drying on a high-performance glass, or green
screen tv. clothesline for scenes in backyard roofs to start to normalize them.
● Desktop use is also dropping so instead of featuring a drying machine.
laptops are more true to life. ● Appliances you see as a necessity may
be a nice-to-have elsewhere in the
world.

9
 Marketing that supports change

Give preference to eco-conscious behaviors

Circular consumption

Encourage people Empower people Prompt people

to fix and upcycle to make things to reuse
● Show people giving a second life to ● Show people crafting things at home ● Show people buying clothes in thrift
their belongings. Do not incentivize (baking, sewing, knitting etc.) shops or furniture in antique stores.
people to consume more than they ● Thrifting has become more popular in
need to. recent years, with young people from
all over the world flocking to the trend.

Shopping

Show diverse grocery Opt for Be careful with

shopping experiences reusable bags delivery packaging
● Show people getting fruits, vegetables ● All too often, our characters use ● Delivery tends to increase our carton
and grains (not meat) at farmers’ disposable bags. Research shows that usage. When portraying people
markets or in smaller health food paper bags are not greener than unboxing goods, limit unnecessary
stores rather than the traditional mall or plastic bags. So the best option is a wrapping and packaging usage.
hypermarkets. Instead of buying mesh or canvas tote bag. They’re also
pre-packaged goods, they can also more aesthetic.
buy in bulk and/or store their food in ● Many regions and countries around the
reusable containers. world are phasing out or have already
banned plastic bags.

10
 Marketing that supports change

Give preference to eco-conscious behaviors

Connection to nature

Portray people Cultivate people’s interest Highlight humans’ bond

in nature for gardening with animals
● Show people spending time in the wild ● Show people growing their own food, ● Celebrate our appreciation for wildlife
or in contact with animals. watering indoor plants or beautifying by showing people caring for animals
● During COVID, people spent more time urban areas. (e.g, observing wild life without
outdoors and local nature tourism ● In the US, 7 in 10 millennials call interfering with the ecosystem).
increased. themselves a plant parent.

Are you using any of these in your creative?

Green examples

Bike in the
Bus stop Reusable cup Cooking
background

Reclaimed Connection
Fixing things Gardening
material to nature

Not so green examples

Cars + Excessive Aestheticization

Plastic bag
cardboard boxes plastic wrapping of cars

Long
Swimming pools Disposable cups
distance shipping

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02

Sustainable
events and
experiences
 Sustainable events and experiences

Transportation

Minimize Encourage mass Minimize trucking

flights transportation weight & distance
● Air travel accounts can lead to ● Offer vouchers for ● Work with your agency partners to
significant emissions footprints. public transportation. source local vendors.
● Think about your audience and ● Offer low-emissions shuttle services. ● Work with scenic shops on how to
minimize the miles they need to fly. ● Communicate up front to attendees scale back on shipping needs.
● Minimize agency travel. about our sustainability efforts and
● For in-person events, track and offset incentivize public transportation.
all miles flown by attendees and
vendors.

Energy

Understand your Delete or improve Seek venues with efficiency

energy mix generators + renewables built in
● Request a breakdown of energy ● Generators burn through a lot of diesel, ● Ask questions early to build lower
sources from venues. Even asking the and biodiesel isn’t much better. emissions into all of your
question brings awareness to the ● Encourage vendors to run shore power onsite operations.
importance of including renewables in instead of adding generators.
electric contracts. ● Push for alternate sources like battery
and PV microgrids

Food & beverage

Reduce food waste Source plant-based Choose reusable dishware

● Order the right amount of food ● Eliminate beef. ● Wash, don’t toss.
for attendees. ● Give vegetarian items visual priority ● Eliminate single-use containers. Pass
● Make a plan so that leftover food over meat-based items. out reusable water bottles and employ
doesn’t go to waste. (see Copia) refill stations.
● Serve buffet style rather than box ● If disposables are unavoidable, use
lunch style. truly compostable wares in locations
where compost is part of the city's
waste management plan.

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 Sustainable events and experiences

Build

Reduce Use reclaimed Rent or source vintage

single-use flooring & reused materials locally instead of buying new
● Connect with local waste management ● What’s old can be made new again - ● Fewer transportation emissions, and
companies on what can be recycled and requires less energy to build. less invested energy.
[i.e. Recology in San Francisco recycles
carpets; rubber flooring can be
donated].

Graphics

Eliminate Use sustainable Use alternative methods for

foam core materials distributing information
● Try falconboard or ecoboard. They are ● Focus on printed materials meeting ● Can a single sign obviate thousands
100% recyclable, contain sustainable requirements such as FSC of flyers?
post-consumer recycled content and or 100% recycled content. ● Can information live online, pointed-to
are approved by the Sustainable with a short URL?
Forestry Initiative.
● Make sure printing doesn’t render them
un-recyclable. Use water-based, vegan
inks, and don’t laminate.

Other stuff

Minimize Use Encourage reusable water

swag onsite water bottles or provide them as swag
● Instead of producing a t-shirt, bag, or ● Water is sometimes trucked in for ● Reduction is best - ask attendees bring
bottle for every attendee (that might various reasons, like dishwashing. their own vessels. Producing a small
end up in the trash), make a small That’s bad for emissions. amount as swag (not one for
amount that you’ll run out of. It ● Pick venues that can accommodate all everyone) is a good alternative.
makes the items precious - not your water needs - including
dumpster fodder. washing dishware.

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03

Sustainable
creative
production
 Sustainable creative production

Shoots

Reduce food waste and

Review image libraries Re-use on set and
prioritise plant-forward
before your shoots re-home afterward
catering on set
● Consider whether you need to mount a ● Ask caterers to provide plant-forward ● Avoid buying new to dress cast or sets.
shoot at all. You might be able to food options and ask attendees to For example, brief agencies to source
source images that already exist. submit food choices in advance to wardrobes from second-hand shops.
● Libraries like Getty Images and reduce food waste. ● Work with agency partners to find a
Shutterstock can find images that ● Donate excess food and use second home for materials used on
competitors haven’t used already. reusable cutlery. set.
● Consider using Product Studio and ● If using trailers, request those powered
AI-powered video editing on YouTube by renewable electricity.
too.

Packaging & direct mail

Avoid materials that cannot Design Explore experiences,

be re-used or recovered out waste not stuff
● For printed material, opt for ● Be efficient: design packaging that’s ● Consider whether direct mail could be
post-consumer recycled paper just the right fit for your product and replaced by a low-emissions
and choose FSC-certifed products. minimise packaging thickness. experience. Remember that kits and
● Replace foam or bubble wrap with ● Use embossing or direct printing to swag often gets tossed.
recyclable, paper-based protection. avoid labels. ● If physical assets need to be made,
● If you need to use plastic, consider ● Avoid combining different materials as source items produced locally to
using Prevented Ocean Plastic. it limits recycling opportunities. reduce emissions from shipping.
● Direct agency partners to review the ● Upcycle unused swag at the end of its
tools at the Sustainable Packaging life; for example donate clothing to
Coalition and use the circular design local charities.
guides at the Ellen MacArthur
Foundation.

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 Sustainable creative production

Retail marketing & post production

Ensure retail fixtures are

Create a second Reduce
environmentally-friendly
life for demo units file size
and recyclable
● Select environmentally friendly finishes ● Convert demo units back to ● Consider how you can reduce digital
and materials, such as those made commercial units for donation or pollution — the electricity usage from
using natural or renewable sources, second-hand markets, where possible. data centers, networks, and end user
and do not contain CFCs, HCFCs and ● Move away from dummy demo units devices.
other toxins. (not recyclable) ● For example, when sharing files online,
● Avoid fixture materials that are difficult make sure to compress files before
to disassemble, recycle and dispose: sending, and ask your agencies to do
MDF, acrylic, solid surface resins, the same.
glued/laminated materials, magnets.
● Invest in modular fixtures that can be
broken down into parts by material for
reuse, upcycling, or recycling.

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04

Ready to
go forth?
 Ready to go forth?

Measuring impact
More tools are being developed every day. For now, we encourage our agency partners to
explore and engage with these industry-led initiatives.

Media production
Reduce emissions from advertising production
Learn more

Media planning & buying

Reduce emissions from advertising production
Learn more

Events & experiences

Reduce advertising emissions through awards and events
Learn more

Culture change
Harness advertising’s power to support consumer
behavior change
Learn more

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 Ready to go forth?

A final checklist
To inspire and normalize sustainable behaviors and move towards marketing toward a
net model.

01 02
Remember to: Sustainable events & experiences:
Limit long-distance travel Improve your energy mix
Consider local & sustainability-forward teams Reduce food waste
Ask what partners are doing to support Source plant-based food
climate action Choose reusables & optimise waste
Re-use and re-home as possible Prioritize reclaimed, rent or second-hand
Cancel swag or make it useful in build
Use alternative comms methods
Use on-site water and refill

03 04
Marketing that supports change: Sustainable media production:
Lead with genuine user needs Review image libraries
Learn what sustainability means Reduce food waste & prioritise plant-based
Integrate sustainability into creative process on set
Portray eco-conscious characters Re-use on set and re-home after
Feature partners that challenge the status quo Avoid materials that can’t be re-used
Understand and prevent greenwashing or recovered
Design out waste
Explore experiences, not stuff
Ensure retail fixtures are
environmentally friendly
Create a second-life for demo units
Reduce file sizes

20
Your efforts
are making a
difference.