Global – In a new campaign video, Apple’s environmental team, including CEO Tim Cook, sit down in a meeting with Mother Nature. On screen, the anxious-to-impress employees need to provide a status report on their 2020 pledge to reach net zero across Apple’s entire carbon footprint by 2030.
Mother Nature, played by Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer, demands updates on innovations across materials, clean energy, low-carbon shopping and restoration of natural eco-systems. She is prepared to be disappointed, but is pleasantly surprised yet severe and demanding. Apple is on track to meet its targets and uses the opportunity to unveil its first carbon-neutral product, an eco-friendly Apple Watch.
A perfect example of Subversive Sustainability Ads, the video uses humour and entertainment to launch the new carbon-neutral watch and update customers on Apple’s journey to net zero. But Apple’s reputation for built-in obsolescence and rigid controls over repairs has left the brand facing accusations of greenwashing.
Strategic opportunity
Accusations of greenwashing highlight the importance of getting communication on sustainability initiatives right, with authenticity and honesty at the core
