Disneynature's Tree-Planting Marketing Ploy Good, But Not Perfect

disneynature earth movie screenshot image

Earth, the movie, is hitting theaters on Earth Day, April 22, and Disneynature has announced that anyone who attends the movie during that week will have a tree planted for them. A great marketing idea, but not without questions.

Disney's goal is to ensure that it plants trees in areas that conservationists have identified as important hot spots of biodiversity. Disney will oversee the planting of the trees in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, which is considered the most endangered rain forest in the world. Today, only 7 percent of the Atlantic Forest remains. Disney is committed to ensuring the trees are planted and cared for to provide the greatest long term benefit for the planet.

This is really admirable and a far better marketing ploy than handing out junk toys or setting off fireworks. The fact that it targets areas that are in particular need of care is an added plus. However, the big question remains - how are they going to prove it?

Information on how they're going to follow through on this is not easily available, and it's something that would shine a better light on the company if they made it more transparent. Moviegoers who have an appreciation for the environment would certainly want to know how they can be sure this PR strategy is more than just puff.

We give a thumbs up for this move, but wish that there were more information on exactly how we'll know that trees are being planted and tended to. Perhaps we'll just have to rely on Google Earth as our spy cam.

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