Sustainable impetus for media and marketing

Successful launch of the "IU Research Centre for Sustainable Media and Marketing" in Hamburg

Around 70 representatives from science, business and the media came together to discuss forward-looking and transparent standards for responsible and sustainable media planning in the media industry.

With BVDW, NDR Media, IQ Digital, Radiozentrale, Wort & Bild Verlag, RMS Radio Marketing Service and Teads, strong and representative stakeholders from the media industry are already collaborating with the IU Research Centre for Sustainable Media and Marketing (RCSMM).
"The Research Centre provides an important impetus for a sustainable media and marketing industry. Our aim is to establish more transparent and responsible standards that will bring about positive changes in the long term," explains Prof. Dr Lisa-Charlotte Wolter, Head of the IU RCSMM.
The event provided a platform for valuable discussions and exchange on innovative approaches to responsible marketing and media management.

Erfurt, Germany, 3 December 2024. The IU Research Center for Sustainable Media and Marketing (RCSMM) celebrated its launch in Hamburg with an inspiring kick-off event on 26 November 2024. Around 70 representatives from academia, business and the media came together to discuss forward-looking and transparent standards for responsible and sustainable media planning in the media industry.

Prof. Dr Lisa-Charlotte Wolter, Head of the IU RCSMM, and Alex Čaičics, Head of Sustainability and ESG Communication at IU Group, kicked off the event by jointly welcoming the guests and introducing the IU and the research project.

"The value chain in the media and advertising industry is becoming increasingly complex - characterised by global players, diverse media genres and new technologies such as artificial intelligence. In order to develop sustainable strategies that combine economic success with responsibility, a detailed analysis of the processes and the involvement of diverse stakeholders is essential", explains Wolter, adding: “With Bundesverband Digitale Wirtschaft (BVDW), NDR Media, IQ Digital, Radiozentrale, Wort & Bild Verlag, RMS Radio Marketing Service and Teads, we already have strong and representative stakeholders that reflect the media landscape in all its diversity - from associations and digital platforms to marketers and public sector players, which is crucial for the development of practical and sustainable strategies.”

Keynote speech and discussion: Focus on "Value Media"

A highlight was the keynote speech by Prof Dr Sylvia Chan-Olmsted (University of Florida), who spoke on the topic of "Value Media & AI That Enhances Human Value". Her remarks emphasised the opportunities that arise from the responsible use of artificial intelligence for sustainable and human-centric value creation.

Dr Moritz Holzgraefe (BVDW) then moderated a lively panel discussion on "Responsibility for a sustainable media landscape - what solutions does the industry provide and how do we take action?"

Experts from various initiatives and companies were involved:

Nadja Schick (Group M) presented the "Back to News" initiative, which aims to strengthen trustworthy media through targeted advertising funds.
Florian Ecker (Media Plus) presented the sustainability strategy of Mediaplus.
Holger Thalheimer (Initiative18) spoke about the importance of education and empowerment in the media and introduced Initiative18, an association of committed experts from the media industry, journalism and research.
Steffen Johann Hubert (Seven.One Media and IAB Europe) provided insights into Seven.One Media's sustainability standards and their European relevance.

Another highlight was the stage panel, where stakeholders emphasised the relevance and benefits of the new research centre. You can find the partners' views on the importance of the IU Research Centre for the industry at the end of the press release.

New partnerships welcome: Opportunities for advertisers, social media and digital platforms

The day was rounded off with a presentation of the research centre's next steps. "We discussed the key challenges and opportunities together with our partners. The discourse illustrates how valuable the exchange was and how dynamic collaboration is. The Research Centre will continue to work closely with industry in the future to create innovative and practical solutions that will transform the media and advertising industry in the long term. Our aim is to drive forward research with concrete benefits for society and industry", concludes Wolter.

What the partners say about the importance of the IU Research Centre for the media industry

IU Research Center for Sustainable Media and Marketing

f.l.t.r.: Tino Meitz (University of Münster), Alex Čaičics (Head of Sustainability and ESG Communication at IU Group), Dr. Moritz Holzgraefe (BVDW Vice President), Prof. Dr. Sylvia Chan-Olmsted (University of Florida), Prof. Dr. Lisa-Charlotte Wolter (Head of the IU RCSMM), Maik Rogge (COO IQ Digital), Ronja Böhlke (Head of Marketing and Deputy Head of Media Management at Wort & Bild Verlag), Niclas Hübner (Head of Sales NDR Media), Grit Leithäuser (Managing Director of Radiozentrale), Sven Thölen (CEO Radio Marketing Service)

Dr Moritz Holzgraefe, BVDW Vice President: "For the BVDW, it is clear that sustainable standards are essential for the digital economy. Together with the IU, we want to involve the relevant stakeholders and create a fact-based approach that builds trust and promotes sustainability."

Niclas Hübner, Head of Sales at NDR Media: "Trust, transparency and relevance characterise successful media - and should also guide media planning. Together with the IU Research Centre for Sustainable Media & Marketing, we are developing standards that both integrate ESG principles and ensure sustainable and responsible media planning."

Steffen Bax, Managing Director of IQ Digital: "We are very pleased about the cooperation with IU International University of Applied Sciences and the Research Centre for Sustainable Media and Marketing under the direction of Prof. Dr Lisa-Charlotte Wolter. The topics of value media and sustainability are immensely important to us, which is why we support fact-based and scientific research in this area. We also have a great interest in transparent framework conditions and standards in the media industry so that responsible decisions in media planning can be made measurable."

Grit Leithäuser, Managing Director of Radiozentrale: "Radio reaches 52 million people every day with good, reliable information and accompanies young and old throughout the day. We are therefore very aware of the power of the medium and the value of the medium is very important to us. Making these values recognisable and comparable across media is of particular interest to us. By supporting the development of media value standards through the independent project of the IU Research Centre, we see a great opportunity for our changing media world to anchor new valuable aspects in media evaluation."

Ronja Böhlke, Head of Marketing and Deputy Head of Media Management at Wort & Bild Verlag: "As Wort & Bild Verlag, we bear a special responsibility for our society. Health is a matter of trust and health requires knowledge. Our media build a bridge between medicine and people. Because people are the centre of our attention: our readers, our employees and all parts of our society. Accordingly, we at Wort & Bild Verlag are happy to participate in the right and important collaboration between research and practice to develop a neutral and transparent value media standard that holistically demands and promotes social sustainability in media planning."

Stefan Mölling, CEO of RMS Radio Marketing Service: "An increasingly important question for us as marketers is the contribution that we as the audio genre make to sustainable marketing planning together with our broadcasters and publishers. We already know that audio, with its enormous daily reach, has a high public value as a trustworthy source of information and that radio advertising produces significantly less CO2 than other genres. However, to be able to validly assess our impact in an ESG-compliant manner, including in an intermedia comparison, we need standardised, evidence-based key figures as an industry standard. The Research Centre has set out to develop this standard and we are delighted to support this goal from the outset as a Pioneer Partner."

Christian Zimmer, Managing Director Teads: "Responsible media is essential to promote trust in brands, counteract misinformation and support quality journalism. It protects brands from inappropriate environments, creates sustainable digital ecosystems and provides a better user experience by ensuring ethical and transparent advertising practices."

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