The Pollution-Eating Paper
E.ON
Issue 53 | December 2019
Agency
ENGINE
Creative Team
Executive Creative Director: Aaron Goldring Creatives: Paul Hancock, Dave Newbold
Production Team
Design: Nicki Kythreotis
Other Credits
Strategy Director: John Crowther Client Managing Director: Rob Carter Client service team: Sam Paiolo, Olivia Conroy, Sam Holl, Emily Westcott
Date
October 2019
Background
Air pollution is the UK’s number one public health priority. E.ON already offers innovative clean energy technologies to help reduce emissions, for both the consumer and business markets. But much more needs to be done. In October 2019, E.ON hosted a round table event, inviting politicians, business leaders and industry heads to join the conversation. A white paper was needed for the meeting, as well as to send to key influencers, to outline E.ON’s clean air strategies. But reports of this sort are traditionally dry and uninspiring. How could E.ON create more engagement at this crucial time?
Idea
To highlight E.ON’s commitment to improving air quality, the world’s first ‘pollution-eating’ document was created. The white paper was printed on a special stock infused with titanium dioxide, a compound with photocatalytic properties. When combined with ambient light it reacts with pollutants in the air, breaking them down into harmless by-products.
The cover design featured an embossed representation of the airways of a pair of lungs. As well as tying in with their ‘clean air’ theme, the increased surface area of the paper meant that the titanium dioxide would be even more effective. So, while people were reading about E.ON’s plan of action to help reduce pollution, the document itself was already helping clean the air around them.
Results
Not yet available.
Our Thoughts
The death of print has been greatly exaggerated. While newspapers and (some) magazines have been given a pummelling by the advent of digital publishing, paperbased communications has simply shifted into a new, premium space.
It’s the medium you use when you want to impress, when you want to show your clients they are important to you. When you want a response.
The explicit communication here is an invitation to an event. The implicit communication is, you are an important person, we have spent time and money on this because you are also a person of value.
Hard to resist the explicit message when the signalling is so flattering.