Designed to Sell: Why Advertising Needs Reform

Last March, Équiterre released a report on advertising and overconsumption that sparked strong reactions from some industry players who sought to downplay the industry's role in the equation. Yet even within agencies, the push for ever-greater consumption is increasingly being challenged.

I spoke with over a dozen people who left the advertising world for this very reason. After all these conversations, it’s even clearer to me that advertising must be more tightly regulated—not only for the sake of the environment, but also for the well-being of the advertising workforce.

Note: First names followed by an asterisk (*) are fictitious, because these individuals requested anonymity. Their testimonies, however, are very real.

The Human and Environmental Cost of Advertising

When Creative Work No Longer Has Meaning

Within advertising agencies, teams don’t always feel like they’re contributing to society in a tangible or positive way. Let’s just say that creating to sell things isn’t all that inspiring or motivating.

“What’s the point of making myself sick to get people to buy junk they don’t even need, just so 3 or 4 people at the top of the company can make more money?” said Catherine, who worked in creative advertising for 10 years before switching to psychology.

“There were projects that felt so hollow, with no real impact. I’d get home in the evening and wonder what I had contributed to,” shared Véronique*, who spent more than five years in account services before leaving the industry.

On top of the lack of meaning are working conditions that follow an extractive logic — draining the energy and creativity of teams without regard for their ability to replenish them. “Always having to do more, better, faster. It often comes at your own expense,” explains Sophie*, who was an art director at an agency for 15 years.

The Advertising Industry Fuels Overconsumption

Not only is the advertising industry known for burning out its workers, it also contributes to depleting the planet’s resources. In order to deliver results for clients, it encourages the public to consume more and more — worsening the climate crisis.

In 2023 in Quebec alone, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions linked to products and services purchased because of advertising amounted to 10.3 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent. That's about as much as the emissions of one-third of the cars in the province.¹

“I always tried to protect myself. In my mind, I thought that what we were doing was harmless,” admits Mathieu Bouillon, who worked nearly 20 years as a copywriter. Today, he’s left the ad world behind to become a full-time comedian. His satirical show De la publicité draws from his agency experience.

"At the same time, you have to admit it must have an impact, because advertisers wouldn’t spend that kind of money if it didn’t work," he acknowledges. Indeed, advertising investments in Canada reached $21 billion in 2023, which is equivalent to Quebec’s entire education budget, and an increase of 33% since 2018.

“The agency business model is very dependent on supply and demand, consumer trends, and capitalism,” observes Marie-Christine Gagnon, who created sustainability committees in two major Montreal agencies. She now works as an impact strategist in a strategic design firm.

According to her, this model primarily serves clients’ needs, ahead of the climate emergency. “I never felt that agencies were willing to question their clients’ objectives. They serve them to the best of their ability, no matter what their mission is.”

Solutions to Hold Advertising Agencies Accountable

Mobilizing the Talent

To confront the existential threat posed by climate change, we must rethink our consumption habits. The good news is that the resources and talent within the advertising industry can be part of the solution. “We all benefit from being more responsible in how we consume, and advertising has to play a role in that,” says Sophie*.

The creativity that enables agencies to win awards should be used to showcase alternative, more sustainable ways of consuming — whether it’s buying second-hand, buying less, renting items, or borrowing them.

“There are more and more people in the field who want to do things differently, who are looking to bring greater meaning to their work and to use advertising as a lever for change,” says Christophe, who is now studying counselling after having worked as a copywriter in an agency. Marie-Christine also points out that when there are pro bono projects for causes, almost everyone wants to work on them.

Regulating Advertising Messages

One key takeaway from the interviews I conducted is that most people believe the advertising industry is unlikely to reform itself without external pressure. “It’s going to take more than just awareness from people at the bottom of the hierarchy,” Catherine tells me.

So, what can we do? “First, we need to better regulate advertising,” answers Véronique*, who, without knowing it, is perfectly aligned with Équiterre’s approach. Regulating advertising messages that promote overconsumption would have the advantage of applying across all agencies, rather than relying on voluntary compliance from individual players in the industry.

For example, certain information could be made mandatory, such as a product’s environmental footprint, while other messages — like those encouraging the replacement of still-functional products — could be banned. Our report on advertising and overconsumption contains several other recommendations.

An Outdated Model in Need of Transformation

Given its enormous economic weight and influence on consumer choices, the advertising industry must take part in the ecological transition.

“I think agencies drastically underestimate their influence,” points out Marie-Christine. Véronique* agrees: advertising is a powerful engine with the ability to shape behaviours and mindsets. “We have a responsibility to use it for education, awareness, and promoting responsible consumption.”

As the environmental crisis becomes increasingly urgent, promoting overconsumption is deeply problematic. “The industry is still very focused on performance, speed, and growth. But what we really need, collectively, is to slow down, reflect, and rethink how we operate,” says Christophe.

“There’s still a long road ahead, but I believe transformation is possible—if we’re willing to question the foundations and really listen to what needs to be heard.”

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^{1. Masse critique. «Rapport 2024 Les Émissions de l’Influence publicitaire au Québec», 2024.}