• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 30, 2017

Greenfield Natural Meat Co. is introducing its first ad campaign with the world’s first sustainable billboard, or so the Canadian company claims. 

Ok, when somebody makes a claim like that, it’s usually time to plug in the B.S. detector. 

Back in 2013 Clear Channel, Mediabrands’ agency BPN and other partners devised a billboard in Peru that extracted drinking water from air and produced 15,000 liters in six months.  

I guess anybody can spout claims of creating the first this or first that based on very skewed and narrow definitions of whatever they’re talking about, but to my way of thinking, creating a billboard that extracts water from air in a place where drinking water is often hard to find is pretty darn sustainable. That was four years ago. 

So Greenfield, I think I have to call Bullshit on this one.

Developed with agency Havas Canada, the creative is designed to promote the meat brand's philosophy to make a better world by using meat from animals that are fed a 100% vegetarian diet. 

Ok, I guess “better world” can be defined differently, depending on your point of view. If you’re talking about a better diet, most experts would probably suggest that processed meats are a non-starter. I mean bacon and sausage? Dieticians recommend you eat less of that than red meat. I’m talking special occasion time. Like your birthday. Which you’ll have more of if you avoid that crap. 

Cows, pigs, lamb and sheep, aren’t they vegetarians? Who knows about pigs but cows eat grass, corn, some grains I think, right? Sheep and lamb eat grass, clover and other pasture plants. How bloody decent of you, Greenfield Natural Meat Co. to feed these animals what they naturally eat! 

The products also do not contain any antibiotics, hormones or artificial ingredients. Not exactly a new pitch, but okay, good for you, Greenfield Natural Meat Co. That’s admirable, I guess. I’ll have to check my past National Geographic issues to see if in the overall scheme of things antibiotic-, hormone- and artificial ingredient-free processed meat is that much better for you than processed meats that contain those things. 

Anyway, back to your “sustainable” billboard. You take a tractor and mow a sign in a field that says “Made Better By Nature Not Antibiotics Greenfield Natural Meat Company” or some such swill (what pigs eat!) and call that sustainable?

I don’t know, maybe I’m being harsh. Have a look for yourself here. 

But in my view a billboard that produces drinkable water to those that need it is a heck of a lot more sustainable than a chest-thumbing self-righteous message cut by a tractor in a field any day. Did I mention that the water thing was done four years ago? 

Can’t wait for your second campaign Greenfield Natural Meat Co.!