Survival of the Greenest

Seems like today, being “green” is the “in” thing for many companies—and for good reason. As far as I’m concerned, it’s about time. There are many reasons to go green. First, morally, it is the right thing to do. Second, some government regulations require it. Last, for many companies, being green is a competitive edge. According to industry leaders, having an environmentally friendly product offering is becoming more than just a competitive edge—soon it may be a matter of marketplace survival.

But it isn’t enough just to have a green product. You also have to get the word out. Green marketing covers a broad spectrum of initiatives, from internal policies that define corporate culture, to green manufacturing practices, to outbound-marketing messages touting the benefits of an environmentally friendly product.

When promoting an environmentally friendly product or product feature, saying that something is “green” isn’t always enough. Try changing the message from a straight “green” message to one that describes a practical benefit. For example, rather than saying that consumers can save energy using a certain light bulb, promote the fact that they will make fewer trips up the ladder to change the highly efficient light bulb. Another example is the construction industry promoting a “high-performance building” rather than “energy-efficient”.

According to MediaPost, there are five factors that marketers need to evaluate before they associate their brands with the environment. None of these work in isolation, and in order to establish a successful association, they should be thought about as a process:
1.    Pick the right cause. Consumer sentiment varies and is influenced by media coverage and the products and solutions they see in the market. Plan accordingly.
2.    Be the first to win the space. Brands that seize the opportunity first and aggressively advertise their efforts are likely to make a lasting impression in consumers’ minds.
3.    Prepare for the long, hard slog—there are no immediate results. Plan for that.
4.    Make your brand solve a real consumer need. A majority of consumers will choose a brand perceived to be socially responsible over others that are not.
5.    Inform, educate and collaborate. Very few brands are spontaneously recalled for their environmental activism. Change that.
And for the consumer, how can you tell if a marketer’s claim is verifiable, rather than just a “me too”? In the beauty product world, when it comes to animal testing or the use of animal ingredients, even the most conscientious don’t often advertise where they stand. Thank goodness for PETA’s list of animal-friendly manufacturers.

Nada Saidi-Smith, Account Director