These Nature Ads Call Out Mercedes-Benz for 'Greenwashing'

A campaign from Mercedes-Benz, which juxtaposed the automaker's logo with images of nature to promote its electric car range, has been hijacked by sustainability brand WhereFrom—following accusations of "greenwashing" by the auto brand. The original posters from the car marque showed its symbol emblazoned across close up shots highlighting the beauty of nature: from the veins of leaves to bees buzzing around honeycomb, to a pink rose. They were published months after Mercedes' parent firm Daimler was issued with a lawsuit over claims it has failed to do more to keep climate change in check. The work initially ran in Mexico to mark Earth Day, with a Spanish tagline that translated in English to "Our future has always been here." However, last week a new iteration was shared by social media users and on ad industry publications, credited to Leo Burnett Colombia, with the English caption: “'Nature or Nothing'—the New Electric Vehicle generations—it’s already here," signed off Mercedes AG. Instead of the beauty of nature, Wherefrom's "Nothing or Nature" uses images of drought, flood, wildfires and more. The new sub copy reads: “Climate change. It’s already here.” The rethink was devised by London-based agency 10 Days, with strategy director and co-founder George White explained: "This is Greenwashing 101—equating Mercedes to the beauty of nature and leading consumers to believe Mercedes is a green company, which—alas—is not the case. "[The brand] is a huge contributor to climate change," he added, "creative agencies should take a long hard look at themselves and take responsibility as the originators of the greenwashing ideas.” The makeover comes as Daimler and competitor BMW face legal action from climate groups in Germany over the negative impact the manufacturers have had on the planet. In September 2021, Environmental Action Germany (Deutsche Umwelthilfe) sent a list of demands to both manufacturers, including a legally-binding commitment to end petrol and diesel car production by 2030. The Rise of the Chief Sustainability Officer as Brands Aim to Overcome Suspicions of Greenwashing A Mercedes spokesperson said it was clarifying how the "Nature or Nothing" design had come to be produced and circulated. Adweek has contacted Leo Burnett Colombia for further information. Greenwashing—a pressing issue According to recent data from the European Commission, 42% of brands are guilty of wildly exaggerating their green credentials. Recent brands that have come under fire include Coca-Cola while, in the U.K., the competition and market watchdog is putting environmental claims from fast-fashion brands—such as ASOS—under the microscope. A 2022 study from The New Weather Institute found empty climate promises are increasingly irking consumers, who are frustrated with airlines, SUVs and fossil fuel companies. The report found that 68% of people want to see more restrictions around the marketing of environmentally unfriendly products. Earlier this year, The World Federation of Advertisers (WFA) issued a stark warning to brands that purport to be environmentally conscious for marketing purposes, without making any notable sustainability efforts. To combat this, it issued landmark recommendations asking marketers to ensure all green claims are credible. Wherefrom, which is positioning itself as as the “TrustPilot of sustainability,” has been running its own "Stop the Wash" campaign, designed to put a stop to "phony" green campaigns by calling out "empty" slogans and mission statements. Innocent Maps Out Plan to End Ad Industry Greenwashing

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These Striking Nature Ads Call Out Mercedes-Benz for 'Greenwashing 101'

Automaker put on notice by sustainability platform Wherefrom as it 'clarifies' source of 'Nature or Nothing' tagline

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Rebecca Stewart