We recently noticed stationery retailer Ryman is doing its bit to help the planet – thankfully not with Tipp- Ex and protractors – but with a new eco-aware font. The brand teamed up with creative agency Grey London to create the free Ryman Eco font, which it claims “uses one-third less ink and toner than standard fonts” and could cut CO2 emissions by 6.5 million tonnes every year.
This really caught our eye, as sustainability communications is a big part of what we do. And in our professional opinion, Ryman and creators Grey London have succeeded in raising and resolving an issue that not many would have considered.
The campaign is straightforward, led by a single webpage that holds a short video explaining the impact of inkjet printers on the environment and how the new font can limit the damage. Lasting less than two minutes, the video successfully combines a clear message with dynamic visuals to make an otherwise dry subject come to life.
The video leads with an attention grabbing line that encompasses virtually every white-collar worker: “This is a message to all of us who print”, and continues “millions around the world, polluting our planet with every click, letter by letter number by number…”.
From here, the facts are made clear, and Ryman doesn’t shy away from highlighting that they themselves sell both printers and inkjet cartridges, which immediately gives greater credibility and silences critics. To further strengthen the communication, we are prompted to consider our own corporate actions: “It isn’t just what you write that can make a difference, it’s how you write it”, and the ad ends with a clear call to action to download the font and share via social media.
At the time of writing Ryman Eco has been downloaded 21,557 times, and the YouTube ad has received over 39,000 views. Sustainability communications are all about connecting with stakeholders using messages that trim away jargon yet retain the core issue, and through a concise and compelling script we believe Ryman and Grey have achieved this.
You can view the ad and download Ryman Eco here, and you gain more insights into sustainability communications by contacting one of our team today.
Ad of the week: Ryman Eco
