Here at Nexus we are aiming to do our bit to save the planet.

We have employed a Brighton-based environmental company called Magpie Recycling Co-operative to look after our recyclable waste; paper, plastics and cardboard.

Once we had started to look into the whole green issue and the impact that we were making we were amazed to discover just how much we could recycle. Before now we just threw things away without a thought.

Along with this we are now ensuring that all our electrical equipment are not left on standby but are switched off at the end of each day. We also used to switch on all the office lights as soon as we arrived in the morning but now we only use them if we actually need them.

These might seem like small actions in the wider scheme of things but as “the little old lady who used the sea to relieve herself…every little helps”

Are you doing your bit as a business?

I am sure that most of you know the benefits that plants have on our health and as part of the Nexus expansion we are in the process of revamping our offices.

We decided to add plants to our office environment partly because they look pretty and I knew that they were a good thing in terms of the health benefits, but did you know that….

• The indoor environment may be 5 to 7 times more polluted than the exterior (1994 CSIRO review)
• There is a wealth of scientific study into the beneficial effects of plants in the interior environment including a large NASA programme.
• Indoor plants, apart from looking good, have been proven to have significant health and wellbeing benefits both physical and psychological.

Stress busting Plants
Extensive research already shows that houseplants alleviate stress, help us relax, and increase our general wellbeing.

Research by Dr Tove Fjeld of University of Agriculture, Norway, (1994-1996) for the Flower Council of Holland aimed to discover how far houseplants could benefit our physical and psychological health.

Office staff, working in offices 10msq, were questioned on their health, (particularly symptoms related to spending a lot of time indoors and being under stress). After two months without plants, a range of houseplants were placed in half the offices. After a year, the plants were swapped to those offices with no plants in. After another year all staff were questioned on what effect the plants had had on their health and well being.

Professional contractors looked after the plants, so any benefits to the office staff were from looking at the plants and the plants’ effect on the atmosphere and air quality, rather than from nurturing them.

The results show when staff had plants in their offices, there was a significant drop of around 25% in tiredness, coughing, sore throats and cold related illnesses. Eight out of ten stated that “I feel good when there are plants in the office”. Eight out of ten said “I would like to have more plants in my office in the future”

Reducing Illness
In further research, Dr Tove Fjeld and her team conducted a series of studies to ascertain whether the presence of living indoor plants could improve office workers’ health and reduce incidents of minor illnesses and ailments.

The participants were employees at a hospital radiology department. Each placed commonly-used foliage plants into containers onto a window bench and in the back corner of their office for a period of approximately three months.

All worked in single office rooms which were identical with a floor area of 10msq and a window covering most of the outer wall. The participant was then required to complete a questionnaire across various stages of the research period.

The key findings highlighted that complaints regarding coughs and fatigue were reduced by 37% and 30% respectively, and hoarse throat and dry or itching facial skin each decreased approximately 23%. If the symptoms were clustered, a significant reduction was obtained.

When the participants were grouped according to how much of their daily work took place in their office, a 34% decrease in complaints was found among those who spent most of their day in the room. This compared to 21 and 17% respectively, among those working approximately 50% or less in the room.

Recent research has proved that plants can dramatically improve the recovery rates of hospital patients as well as making the buildings less stressful for staff and visitors.

Hospital architects in the USA are at the forefront this field, although designers in other countries are beginning to understand the benefits of plants in hospitals. (For more information on the benefits of plants in healthcare establishments go to www.plants-in-buildings.com).

The major health and wellbeing benefits of indoor plants include:

• Absorption of harmful substances
• Filtration of dust and dirt from the environment
• Dampening of sound levels
• Reduction of stress levels
• Increased humidity levels
• Cooling effect
• Lifting of the general mood
• Emission of oxygen refreshing the air

These benefits are important in achieving a good and healthy indoor climate in the artificial environment of the workplace as well as the home. These effects may be particularly helpful for respiratory and allergic conditions.

You can have floor-standing or desk-standing plants and some plants can be enticed to grow into “living screens” which makes them very versatile.

Many places will plan your office plants for you, but I found a particularly good and informative florist’s site at www.houseofplants.co.uk a company based in Lewes, East Sussex (I havent tried them, but their site is very well laid out and gives lots of plant advice).

So cheer up your office and staff with plants…. you know it makes sense!!!

If you are interested in more detail refer to www.healthygreenatwork.org (run by NIGZ, the Netherlands Institute for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention) for a comprehensive bibliography and further links.

Claudine Young

I heard a phone-in show on the radio whilst in the car today about the latest Heinz Deli Mayo TV ads. The basis for the show
The caller to the radio show felt that the ad was “unsuitable to be seen by children” and “that it raised the difficult problem of parents having to discuss the issue of same-sex relationships with their children”.

Checking out the story I read that Nigel Dickie, Director of Corporate Affairs for Heinz UK, had said that the campaign for the new Heinz Deli Mayo range, which was due to run for five weeks, was meant to be humorous and that the company apologised to anyone who felt offended.

Whilst I understand Mr Dickie’s corporate reaction, I find it hard to believe that in our modern, multi-cultural society, people still feel ‘outraged’ by public displays of same sex affection.The ad already had an ex-kids restriction, meaning it could not be shown in or around children’s programmes but that was only because Heinz Deli Mayo comes under Ofcom’s restrictions relating to products that are high in fat, salt or sugar and not because of the ‘kiss’.

Perhaps I am a bit of a modern parent but all three of my kids (aged 6, 9 and 13) know about same sex relationships as I have never tried to shelter them from the real world. They may even grow up to have same-sex relationships themselves but guess what………that’s life!

Earlier this year the Advertising Standards Authority released a list of the most complained about ads of last year and the top of the list was the Government anti-smoking ad featuring a man with a fish hook through his mouth. The ASA also received complaints for Trident chewing gum’s “mastication for the nation”

In March, the advertising watchdog refused to uphold a number of complaints about gay rights group Stonewall’s billboard campaign tackling homophobic bullying. The billboard campaign featured the slogan “Some people are gay. Get over it!”, received complaints that it was “inappropriate for display where it could be seen by children” and also that the ad was “particularly offensive to Christian and other groups”.

Surely with so much wrong in the world we can find other things to moan about than an ad for mayo.

Jason Edge

Wonderbra have launched a viral campaign today (17th June 2008) to find the best of Britain’s breasts to help launch a new D to G cup range.

The viral invites women to become a Wonderbra model by attending an open casting on 28th June in London where women can take part in the UK’s biggest underwear photo shoot. Each entrant will be individually shot in their Wonderbra (top half only) by a top photographer.

“From the many pictures taken we’re planning to create the biggest collection of boobs ever seen, from an A cup right through to a G cup. These will be displayed on one enormous billboard in Central London” says the Wonderbra website.

The billboard is likely to cause a similar stir to the immortal Eva Herzigova outdoor campaign in 1994 which reportedly caused a number of car accidents involving male drivers.

‘Hello boys’ was the slogan for the launch of the now famous bra that promised to seriously enhance a woman’s pulling power. The Wonderbra was fundamentally a sophisticated vice which could squeeze a vital extra inch out of a lacklustre cleavage. As a consequence they sold by the truckload and catapulted Eva to a household name.

The viral will be supported by press and outdoor ads and shows a montage of objects that represent nicknames for women’s breasts such as; puppies, jugs, knockers, hooters etc (you get the idea).

As yet unconfirmed celebrities will also feature in the campaign, with their (airbrushed) images used in a Wonderbra for Breast Cancer Care 2009 charity calendar which is likely to be on every teenage boy’s Christmas wish list this December.

The campaign has all the right attributes to be a complete success. It embraces many areas of the marketing mix (including website, viral, press ads, and outdoor ads) as well as adding a splash of social conscience with it’s charity work. Although a product aimed at women the imagery will also attract the male population for obvious reasons. Women will be buying Wonderbras to enhance their assets and men will be buying them for the love in their life in the hope of having their very own Eva.

Jason Edge

This morning I flicked through the latest copy of a Marie Clare, a popular women’s magazine. It isn’t a title that I would normally buy, but it is the first ‘eco-chic’ issue of the glossy mag. I was intrigued to find out which brands are making a commitment to the environment and also how I might be able to make a difference, even if it is only a small one.

I have noticed a real change in magazine advertising of late, with a string of tag words being used to promote products and services. Eco friendly, organic and ethical – to list only a few. Today, it seems fashionable to think about ‘green issues’ and companies such as M&S, Yeo Valley and Sainsbury’s all promote moves that they are making to provide a ‘greener’ service to customers. It seems that consumers are choosier about purchasing products, preferring to spend more on ‘fair trade’ goods, opposed to cheaper alternatives.

Now many companies are addressing environmental issues and viewing it as a corporate responsibility to support customers and colleagues in making life changes that should benefit the environment.

The whole ‘green issue’ has made me consider marketing at large and if you are considering making changes within your own company, it does seem that simple moves can make all of the difference. At Nexus we have lots of ideas on green marketing to include:

* Energy efficient methods of setting up/running a website

* Using recycled paper for print work

* Bulk buying and grouping deliveries

* Use of eco-friendly products for promotions such as reusable carrier bags

* Recycled office materials to include mouse mats, pens and rubbers

* Database cleansing to ensure there is no wastage when distributing direct mail

Some companies have already introduced eco-friendly intiatives, with Marks & Spencer switching most of its clothing labels to say “Think climate” and advising people to wash at 30 degrees, which dramatically reduces energy consumption. All Yeo Valley Organic products use packaging which is designed to be easy to recycle and Sainsbury’s has pledged to that it will be the first major UK retailer to convert a fifth of its online delivery fleet to green electric vehicles.

Claire Lodge