It is a really crowded time of year in our business, what with MLS and NWSL a month into their seasons, The Stanley Cup and NBA Playoffs in high gear, MLB coming into the end of month one, the NFL Draft and all its prep, heck even the USFL and the XFL are head to head, so the ability to engage fully is a challenge.
However that does not mean that Earth Day came and went and there wasn’t a nod to activation not for one day, but for initiatives that are wider reaching as athletes, teams and brands continue to rachet up the cause space.
MLS probably had the glitziest campaign, using all their teams to highlight kits made from recyclable materials and calling on all teams for in market activations in the coming weeks. We also saw a nice roundup of sustainability efforts by the NBA and even Earth Day.org put out details on how every team on every level can become more environmentally conscious and green friendly. That’s in addition to new initiatives launched by the Philadelphia Eagles, and the deep reminder Formula E has to a sustainable racing future with all their partners.
There there was the IOC manifesto about all NGB’s and other organizations have again pledged to do far and wide.
What makes the awards even more important was that it shows the focus of specific groups to work with their communities…many of which may not be the largest or even the sexiest, but for their communities they are the most engaged and all of which continue to bring focus and awareness to an issue that is both vast and complex…climate change and sustainability.
Sometimes topics like this aren’t the most engaged when consumers think of “down time” or “escape time” but teams, leagues, broadcasters and brands can use their windows of opportunity as the front porch for generating debate and information, as well as showing support and an added voice to a demo deeply concerned with the future…that elusive and time challenged group of 30 and younger.
Cause marketing and sustainability are no longer box checks. While some organizations may do the odd one off community clean up and move on, more and more we see questions coming back about waste, carbon footprints, renewable energy and the like, not just from fans and consumers but from athletes, and while Earth Day is one time challenged super busy day, it is the reminder for year-round vital work to be done.
So kudos to those who took the time to engage, they set the bar for the bigger picture. And by the way, while this category may have been seen as charitable in years past, the amount of brands in this growing space willing to support keeps going up, so sustainability as a revenue line is real…and growing with the opportunities…
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Every step forward is important…
