Experiential marketing agency ignition, Inc. today announced a company-wide "structuring" that formalizes and extends its long-standing commitment to sustainability. In an industry with a high environmental footprint, ignition is establishing comprehensive sustainability guidelines for all of its client campaigns and events, based on the globally recognized standard, BS 8901 (www.bsi-global.com/Shop/Publication-Detail/?pid=000000000030146791). This standard rates the sustainability of events based on key performance indicators in three core areas: environmental, human, and capital sustainability. This announcement comes just weeks after ignition hired the experiential marketing industry's first Sustainability Director (see announcement www.marketwire.com/press-release/Ignition-1008425.html).

ignition will break down the BS 8901 standard into relevant information specific to its clients, full- and part-time staff, contractors, partners, and suppliers on how to plan and execute a measurably sustainable experiential marketing event. Using these guidelines, ignition clients will be able to undertake marketing campaigns that drive brand value while remaining sustainable for the environment, people, and the bottom line.

"ignition has always approached experiential marketing with an eye towards sustainability, but now we're taking things to a whole new level," said Mike Hersom, president of ignition. "We want and need to show clients and our industry that it's possible to create sustainable, high-impact campaigns that generate stronger results for brands at no incremental cost. We're calling this a 'structuring' -- not 'restructuring' -- because it doesn't change the fundamentals of how we work or the audiences we serve. We want to change the way experiential marketing is being done -- for the better, and for the whole industry's benefit."

Experiential marketing agencies are known for their ambitious (and often audacious), multi-city, regional, or global events that bring brand messages to life with consumers. The environmental impact of these campaigns can add up, as a result of factors such as material mismanagement, transportation inefficiencies, energy and fuel usage, and lack of education about sustainable practices. Although environmental sustainability tends to dominate public conversation, the other two aspects of sustainability addressed under the BS 8901 standard, human and capital, are equally critical. Relative to its internal operations and client activations, ignition is aiming to take a leadership position in each of the three core areas by doing the following:

• Environmental sustainability: Maximizing energy efficiency of ignition vehicles and equipment, conserving water, working with environmentally friendly suppliers and vendors, reducing and reusing materials as much as possible, choosing alternative energy sources, educating staff on how to implement proper waste management and recycling programs, and purchasing carbon offsets.
  
• Human sustainability: Actively engaging full-time employees and hundreds of part-time event staff in continuous training and education about sustainable practices in experiential marketing, and giving them the freedom to express their ideas to drive innovation. Enabling employees to experience marketing throughout the world and offering employment opportunities to local people, as a result leaving a net positive impression on host communities during every client event.
  
• Capital sustainability: Collaborating with suppliers and clients to make intelligent choices for the environment, while keeping experiential projects cost-effective or cost-neutral compared to higher footprint alternatives.

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