In a remarkable move towards eco-conscious advertising, Indian FMCG giant Britannia has launched its latest CSR initiative, ‘Nature Shapes Britannia.’ Conceptualized by the Bengaluru-based creative agency Talented, the campaign transforms traditional billboard advertising into an artistic showcase of sustainability. Britannia has turned conventional outdoor advertising strategies on their head by allowing urban trees to dictate the design and placement of billboards. This initiative reflects the company’s commitment to sustainability, blending creativity with responsibility.
Britannia: ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ Campaign
A New Approach to Outdoor Advertising
Traditional outdoor advertising often treats trees as obstacles, either avoiding them or cutting them down to ensure billboard visibility. Britannia, however, has taken a groundbreaking approach by integrating trees into their campaign. Instead of cutting or circumventing, the billboards’ designs adapt to the natural contours of nearby trees, showcasing an organic blend of nature and innovation.
Placed in four cities—Hyderabad, Kolkata, Meerut, and Pune—these billboards defy conventions. By bending, twisting, and adapting to the shape of trees, they emphasize that nature is not just a backdrop but an active participant in the campaign.
Sustainability at the Core
The campaign is more than a creative advertising venture; it’s a testament to Britannia’s sustainability initiatives. Each billboard highlights the company’s environmental milestones, such as:
- Plastic Neutrality: Achieved in 2022 by recycling as much plastic as they produce.
- Water Stewardship: Recycling 50% of withdrawn water across their manufacturing units.
- Plastic Waste Reduction: Eliminating 19 tonnes of plastic trays annually.
- Renewable Energy Usage: Utilizing 35 million KW of renewable electricity.
- Recyclable Packaging: 46% of their plastic packaging is recyclable.
These statistics reflect Britannia’s ongoing commitment to environmental responsibility, reinforcing the authenticity of their campaign.
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Creative Execution and Challenges
The execution of the ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ campaign was no small feat. The process involved meticulous planning and coordination, highlighting the following key aspects:
Location Scouting
The creative team scoured cities to identify trees with unique shapes and growth patterns. The challenge was to find billboard locations that met three essential criteria:
- Proximity to trees: Within 10-12 feet.
- Coverage by foliage: Significant branch coverage.
- Diversity of species: Including Nag Kesar, Aam, Neem, and Peepal trees.
Designing for Nature
Each billboard’s design was tailored to the specific tree it surrounded. To visualize the final output, the team created detailed 3D renders of each location. However, working with nature proved unpredictable, requiring adjustments for tree growth and unexpected pruning.
Eco-Friendly Materials
The campaign prioritized environmental responsibility. While biodegradable billboard materials are mandated only in Bengaluru, Britannia extended this standard across all cities. The billboards were made from 100% cotton, ensuring they were fully biodegradable.
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Collaborative Efforts for ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ Campaign
Executing such an innovative campaign required the combined expertise of multiple partners:
- Talented: Conceptualization and creative direction.
- Coral Media and Madison: Outdoor media partners.
- Youngun: Social media amplification.
- Schbang: Development of a microsite showcasing Britannia’s ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) initiatives.
- Rooted Film: Production of a promotional video documenting the campaign’s journey.
Additionally, on-ground teams, including fabricators and mounters, embraced the unconventional project with enthusiasm, ensuring seamless execution.
As PG Aditiya, Co-Founder & CCO of Talented, explained, “Executing the campaign required a complete reversal of traditional billboard site selection. We employed broadly three filters to pick the spots: distance, coverage and diversity.” He further noted, “Bangalore is the only city which has a mandate that your billboard material has to be biodegradable. But we went all out on that anyway.”
Aabhaas Shreshtha, Creative and Founding Member of Talented, shared insights into the process: “We were working with a pool of very small options, and getting those sites and matching them with all the parameters we set out with was a huge challenge. Sometimes we would choose a location, and the next day the tree would be pruned.”
Impact and Takeaways of ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ Campaign
The ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ campaign has set a new benchmark for outdoor advertising, proving that creativity and sustainability can coexist. By turning trees from obstacles into collaborators, Britannia has not only raised awareness about their CSR initiatives but also inspired a shift in how brands approach advertising.
PG Aditiya emphasized, “Outdoor advertising is a powerful medium, and campaigns like this prove that it can also be a force for good.” He added, “We instinctively know outdoor as a medium is great, and we know it works for everyone who has seen it irrespective of whether or not they tweet about it.”
Conclusion
Britannia’s ‘Nature Shapes Britannia’ campaign is more than an advertising initiative; it’s a celebration of nature and a call to action for sustainable practices. By letting trees take the lead, the campaign not only delivers a strong message but also sets an inspiring example for the industry. As consumers, we can hope for more brands to follow suit, ensuring that creativity and responsibility go hand in hand.
