How do you file a complaint against a greenwashing ad?
Maybe you saw it go by. STIB, the Brussels public transport company, has announced that it will remove the advertising of the Chinese fast fashion brand Shein. This follows the numerous comments of Internet users on social networks denouncing the practices of this brand. Here's why it's great news for the advertising world. As well as for the planet and society.
Shein (apparently pronounced Shiine, at least it's easy to remember 😅) is a Chinese ultra-fast fashion brand. They recently raised more than $1 billion in funding, bringing its valuation to $100 billion. More than H&M and Zara. Figures to make you dizzy.
Shein is breaking all the prices. Its model is based on fast fashion at low prices. T-shirts for less than €5, dresses for €10. Recently, Shein and its app have been a hit. Especially on social media. Through influencers, among others. It is simple. It is the most downloaded online shopping application in the US.
But obviously, Shein is synonymous with overconsumption, fast fashion, ultra-fast fashion (with new clothes literally every day based on the latest trends). But also non-transparency, non-respect for social rights, plagiarism, total ecological nonsense and even the use of products harmful to health. If you want to know more, you can watch the Brut video here:
https://m.facebook.com/brutofficiel/videos/729499701278874/
Numerous criticisms have been relayed on social networks. Sustainable fashion activists, among others, denounced that such a brand could not be promoted on a public network. Its social and ecological impact is too harmful.
STIB quickly reacted and had the advertising removed from its trams. She indicated that she was not familiar with the Shein brand. After being criticized, she inquired and decided to stop the collaboration because this brand does not correspond to their ethics.
Note that STIB outsources its sale of advertising space to JCDecaux. Moreover, STIB has an ethical charter that prohibits communication about alcohol, tobacco, etc. For borderline cases reported by Decaux, STIB has a commission that decides.
JCDecaux did not report Shein's case to STIB. And that's how we got this bad buzz. Probably, similarly, JCDecaux did not know the ins and outs of Shein and all these excesses. And that leads us to the next point: we need a selection of advertisers in advertising.
In 2022, you can't advertise just anyone anymore. For two reasons:
This example speaks for itself. Consumers are aware of ecological and social issues. And they expect the media to be active at this level. Even in their advertising.
Of course, it is also necessary for society at large that such businesses do not become the norm. We need to stop thinking short term. Of course, advertising cannot be stopped at all. But there are some brands that shouldn't have access to speaking time. Because they don't respect social rights. Not the environment. Not even health.
That is why we created an ethical selection committee for our positive advertising concept. An independent committee that analyzes brands to refuse those that have an impact considered too significant on the planet and society.
The future of advertising will have to go through a selection. Through a filter. To avoid these cases. It's a bad buzz for STIB. But it's a bad for a good. Because it shows that we can change things. And think about society at large. Even in advertising.
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