Green Marketing Will Influence Consumer’s Next Purchase

The topic of Green marketing continues to grow among brands and their agencies worldwide, so can Samsung be expected to join-in in the near future? If so, it is important that all of us at Cheil become more aware of the “what, why and where” of Green marketing for our clients.

What is Green marketing?

Green marketing is any effort by a product or service to communicate to their consumers information about the brand’s effect on the environment. This communication can focus on sustainable manufacturing processes, product materials selection and recycling, product design – including packaging, and even the logistics of getting the product to the consumer.

Why has Green marketing become so important?

The overall market for Green products and services is growing rapidly and is increasingly influencing consumers’ purchase decisions. According to Mintel research (2006-2008), 36% of consumers across all industries “always/almost always” or “regularly” buy Green products. In the consumer electronics category, consumers say that Green will more heavily influence their next purchase; for major appliances – 87%; for TVs, stereos, PCs and other CE devices – 75%.

Two factors are driving this trend. One, energy costs are rising rapidly and consumers are looking for ways to save money on electricity. First, consider that a large-screen plasma TV uses more energy than your refrigerator, and imagine how a consumer would react to that knowledge when weighing a purchase decision. Second, people are increasingly aware of environmental concerns and are adopting eco-friendly attitudes as a way of doing their part to “help the environment globally by acting locally”.

Where are we seeing Green marketing communications?

In a word, everywhere. Green communications can be found in annual reports on corporate websites, product packaging, dedicated websites, print and television campaigns. Many brands have orchestrated public relations campaigns and partnerships with eco-involved NGOs (non-governmental organizations) such as World Wildlife Fund, Live Earth and others. Some of the best can be seen by going to the Toyota or Subaru websites for a look at their current TV spots, and for an outstanding web experience, check out Dell Earth. And, of course, keep Green on your radar as you look at product packaging and retail displays. Great Green ideas are everywhere, so start thinking of some of your own!

What can you do?

If you haven’t already done so, start by learning more about how you can go Green or greener for yourself and your family. Check out www.treehugger.com as a great resource for information and advice about Green products and services. Next, get informed about how Green marketing is growing in importance for business strategies. You can go to the online version of the Harvard Business Review to their dedicated HBR Green site for current articles, archives and webcasts.

And, finally, watch this space for more on Green and feel free to contact ISG - Joy Fournier in New Jersey for help with any Green projects that come up in your offices.

By Joy Fournier
Customer Engagement Planner, Cheil USA