I just received four incredibly thoughtful questions on green marketing from Audrey, a senior at Hammond High School in Howard County, Maryland. From her note:
Photo from the Cafeteria Culture Blog
“Last year, I participated in the prerequisite class for Intern/Mentor, Independent Research, and researched the effects of Styrofoam on the environment and am currently still working to rid my school system of the Styrofoam lunch trays. I have decided this year to study green marketing and how marketers reach the maximum number of consumers. I want to know how companies make their advertising and marketing greener and how these changes affect their clients.”
1. What do you find are the key factors to a successful green marketing campaign?
2. What area of green marketing do you think has the greatest impact on the earth?
3. For which area of green marketing is it easiest to gain corporate support? For which area is it hardest?
4. What are the biggest changes you have seen in green marketing over the past 5 years?
Too many companies are jumping on the green marketing bandwagon and not doing a particularly good job at telling their stories about sustainability. They forget the first five rules of marketing anything – green or not – from the consumer perspective:
- Do I want and need it?
- Does it work exceptionally well?
- Do I get a ton of value for the price?
- Is it convenient to buy and easy to use?
- Is it good for my family?
Only then do the majority of consumers care about: Is it good for the planet?
Most green marketers still don’t get it, and that’s why “greenwashing,” even though most of it is inadvertent, has become such a nasty nemesis to the credibility of promoting sustainability.
Thank you, Audrey, for including me in your research for your important project of ridding your school district of styrofoam trays. It is gratifying to see young stewards like yourself know that they can make a real difference in this world. Keep up the great work.
). They sell everything hand made. I would think it’s green! I don’t have to use gas to get myself to the store and there are more green products at your fingertips that aren’t available in stores nearby.
