A Danish Embassy uses Sprout pencils to communicate values like innovation, green solutions and zero-waste. The pencil brings down to earth a fluffy term like sustainability. And finally, it turns out to be a great icebreaker.
Every year, around Denmark’s Constitution Day in June, the Danish Embassy in Singapore invites Danish companies with business in Singapore, local stakeholders, companies and governmental institutions to celebrate Denmark Day.
The past years, the focus has been on UN’s Sustainable Goals. In 2019, the Embassy emphasized their support to Singapore’s zero-waste vision. A vision that the government launched the same year.
We talked to Magnus Højberg Mernild, Head of Communications and Public Diplomacy, about which role the Sprout pencils played in this and similar events.
How did you use the Sprout pencils and how have the reactions been?
-Half of all flower decorations during Denmark Day in Singapore (2018 & 2019) were swapped with pots of basil. Each basil decoration had a Sprout pencil planted in the soil.
This acted both as a great icebreaker while showcasing a green Danish solution. All guests further received a Sprout pencil upon registration to sign the guest book.
Besides the annual Denmark Day celebrations, we have used Sprout pencils as handouts to speakers at difference Danish events in Singapore, and we usually bring a few along when attending cultural and trade related fairs.
Why is Sprout and Sprout pencils a good match for you and the event?
As sustainability and the SDGs are at the core of our business model and storytelling, Sprout pencils are an eye-catching and creative touch expressing the Danish approach to climate actions.
Often, general talks and discussions around climate responsibility is on an idealistic level revolving around global issues and government visions.
By using and showcasing Sprout pencils, we have been able to bring it down to an everyday level that makes it tangible for everyone to grasp and understand.
It’s awareness. It’s culture. It’s branding.
In what way did it make sense to give Sprout pencils away to celebrate Denmark’s Constitution Day in Singapore?
This is now the second year in a row. Several guests – including partners outside of Denmark Day – have afterwards gotten back to us telling that now they have basil on their balconies.
Besides being eye-catching and tapping into the narrative around ‘Green Denmark’, the pencil is a ‘lasting and living’ gift that helps us brand Denmark over a longer span of time as being a green pioneer and frontrunner.
Magnus Højberg Mernild, Head of Communications & Public Diplomacy, Royal Danish Embassy in Singapore