Welcome to the future. Hybrid and electric cars are all the rage. Green collar workers have replaced the web 2.0 crowd as the darlings of venture capitalist and angel investors. And the Obama administration is positioning the "green economy" as the lynchpin of the next economic boom. Suffice it to say — with or without $4.00 gasoline — green is here to stay.
Green is also quickly becoming the favorite color of marketers and advertisers. It seems everyone is adding a little green leaf to their logo and playing up their eco-friendly packaging, manufacturing or distribution strategy. And although it's a no-lose corporate strategy, greening up your marketing message is a trickier proposition.
So in honor of Earth Day, here are four things to think about before integrating a green message into your marketing.
Integration into your brand — Do your customers care?
Doing the right thing for the environment might not be a tough decision. Whether or not to integrate it into your marketing, however, can be. Marketing is a tool to drive sales, and if a green message isn't going to positively impact the bottom line, there's no reason to make it part of your message. No sense in clouding the issues your customers really care about.Do it first. Then say it.
If you do choose to integrate a green message into your overall marketing strategy, the right time to start is after you've made the changes to your product, process, procurement or personnel. It seems like common sense… but it's tempting to start writing press releases as soon as the initiative is announced. Having some proof (and metrics) behind the pudding makes for a more powerful, more relevant story.Remember the little things.
Pushing out a green message following the retooling of a plant or major clean-up initiative is great. But if your customers or employees see that message and then notice that you're not recycling soda cans in the break room, you'll seem disingenuous.Get certified.
It's one thing for you to say you're green, it means so much more when it comes from a trusted, neutral party. Earning LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, or certification from the EPA or an organization like Green Seal holds much more water than a claim, however substantiated, from the corporate office.As with any other marketing initiative, looking before you leap is essential. Your brand and message are carefully crafted things that shouldn't be altered without sound reasoning and thorough research. Going green may well be the best thing you can do for your brand… but think it through first to ensure you're doing the best thing for your company and your customers.