- A cleaner environment can be achieved through the sustained social responsibility
Out-of-Home (OOH) has historically been one of the oldest forms of communication used to get the message across to a wider audience. Despite the fact that the media landscape across the world has rapidly undergone developments, the medium has managed to hold its own because of its effective ability to reach massive audience at a time.
It is pertinent to mention here that the spending by clients on OOH mediums goes into millions, if not billions of rupees monthly. It is apposite for one to consider the sheer amount of waste which is produced once the billboard advertisements are taken down on completion of their durations. These billboard skins are manufactured using very resilient and durable plastic vinyls which have undergone surface treatments that are intended to limit sun damage.
In recent years, companies have made huge shifts to care more about their environmental impact. While many individuals and companies recycle in their homes or businesses, many overlook upcycling. Upcycling is a form of reuse where an item that was created to serve a specific purpose is then used for another purpose, usually with little to no modification. Billboard tarps usually measure 20 millimeters thick, which makes them more durable and better suited for heavy-duty or outdoor use.
Billboard banners can last for 10 years or more. Hence, this long reuse cycle reduces the amount of waste created when a billboard is taken down as well as the waste generated by the conventional tarp-manufacturing process. Whether you need a heavy-duty drop cloth to cover your landscaping during outdoor painting or a protective floor covering for your commercial building, consider choosing an upcycled billboard tarp.
While this practice of upcycling billboards is virtually non-existent in Pakistan, companies in other countries are known to repurpose their used billboard skins for a variety of purposes. Air France had their old billboard skins manufactured into limited edition series of bags and accessories. Sony created quite a buzz when it held a unique fashion show where it displayed a limited edition series of jeans made from old billboard tarps.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Pakistan usually entails companies spending large sums of money in aid to help flood survivors or schools and sending out news highlighting their magnanimity. For once, one of those firms has taken an initiative that helps the country on many levels. The corporate social responsibility team at Haleeb Foods Ltd managed to come up with an idea to save these billboard tarps from ending up in landfills by turning them into large sheds for dairy farmers in Jhang.
Local artist and schools can use the material for projects like recycled banner guitar cases, wallets, fashion dresses, bookmarks, and table tops
Under its pilot program, HFL re-used the billboard skins from its Asli Milk Campaign and built sheds for dairy farmers over a total area of 4,000 sq ft in Jhang and its vicinity. The extensive marketing campaign for Asli Milk entailed numerous billboard advertisements that were displayed across the country. HFL created a whole new category called Value-For-Money Milk with its brand ‘Asli’ which is wholesome and pure quality milk that provides the public the absolute surety that they are getting the most affordable and 100pc real milk for all their daily dairy needs.
The aim of these sheds is to facilitate the farmers by providing them relief from the scorching heat and help them increase their businesses. Furthermore, training sessions held under its Milk Collection and Dairy Services Division (MCDS) using these structures, which will provide the dairy farmers with the necessary tools and knowledge to increase the yield of the milk they supply.
Turning billboard tarps into large sheds for dairy farmers is just one of the many applications they can be used in. The vinyls can be repurposed and used in a variety of ways other than agricultural coverings. Studies into cost-effective by-products of billboard skins culminated in the identification of a number of possible residential and commercial applications, ranging from market bags to safety floor mats, garden watering containers and roof tiles.
Hang a banner on a wall, outdoor privacy fence, or garage to add colour to drab walls and fences. Cut out part of a banner and frame it to add a unique style to your home or workspace.
The great thing about using old banners for tarps are that one doesn’t have to do anything. Throw an old banner over the firewood pile to shield the wood from the elements. Use one to protect the hallway floor when you paint. Cover your plants when there’s an early weather warning.
Local artist and schools can use the material for projects like recycled banner guitar cases, wallets, fashion dresses, bookmarks, and table tops. Since the only limit to reusing vinyl banners is your imagination, the possibilities are virtually endless.
Upon the successful completion of the initiative, HFL appealed to all marketers, advertising agencies, vendors and market players to donate all of their used billboard tarps to them rather than dispose them off. A cleaner, greener environment can be achieved only through the sustained demonstration of social responsibility. Instead of ending up in a landfill, these tarps will be upcycled by HFL to create sheds, tents and overhead coverings for dairy farmers to comfortably conduct their businesses especially during times of bad weather.
