The New York Times
The new “The view from the above: Why our future may depend on the fate of birds” advertising post by AllBirds, a shoe company. But not just an ordinary shoe company, a “sustainable one” (they said it themselves, I did not). And they have come up with one of the best pieces of native advertising I have ever seen.
As the name of the advertisement suggests, the article is about how important birds are to our ecosystem and how climate change is putting them in danger. They focus on the impact that birds have on us human beings and how necessary they are for our survival. They help in the pollination of plants and help disperse seeds to support various species of plant’s survival. They eat between 400 million to 500 million metric tons of insects globally, reducing the need for pesticides. They even help in garbage disposal by devouring animal carcasses that would otherwise rot.
You can already see how informative this article was for a reader because even I did not know some of these things mentioned above.
I think this advertisement works so well because, first of all, the brand is called “AllBirds.” They could find an actual problem like climate change that we currently face and how it affects birds. I mean, just how genius is that? Also, as mentioned above, they are a sustainable shoe brand, so highlighting climate change and the endangerment of birds fit its brand manifesto. As a reader of this advertisement, one does not only get awareness about the brand but also the issues of climate change. So it’s a win-win situation for both the brand and the consumer.
When the media can complement the brand, that is when the native advertising format performs at its peak. AllBirds’ ability to create an experience about sustainability helps market both their goods and corporate values.
One can consider this advertising by AllBirds as an unorthodox form of brand sponsorship. Although they don’t contribute to a social event, they bring light to a significant problem of the endangerment of birds. And at the same pledge to donate in helping to reduce their carbon emission for the betterment of the environment and have as little impact as they can on the changing of the climate.
But you can always question how much of it is true. Is the brand sustainable in the first place? Because let us be honest, the sustainability bandwagon is getting crowded more and more with every passing day. Personally, in my opinion, I do think that AllBirds does care about the environment and is not just another gimmicky brand driven by capitalism.
More importantly, if The New York Times is doing a paid post, the brand holds some credibility. Look at the history of all the native advertisements that The New York Times does. You will not find any ads that tend to misdirect the consumer, even though the ads are all sponsored by brands. I think they realise how big of an influence they have on their massive number of readers and don’t want their readers engaging in any sort of practice that benefits the business at the consumer’s cost.