Marketing green credentials isn’t easy

Green may be the new black, but how can organisations ensure their sustainability messages avoid a 'cliche meltdown'?

Given the recent publicity surrounding Marks & Spencer’s plan to charge for carrier bags, it’s clear that there’s an increasing appetite for environmental debate.

Nearly 80 per cent of the British public are taking steps to become more responsible consumers, according to research in Marketing Week magazine, driven by environmental and ethical concerns.

Brand owners and organisations have been quick to jump on this shift in attitudes by consumers – not only for positive PR, but for the purposes of survival. So sensitive is the public to ethical business practices of late that organisations are extending corporate social responsibility (CSR) beyond their marketing and PR departments and placing it at the very core of their operations.

But as more organisations adopt greener policies and, in turn, allocate significant budgets to tell people that they’ve adopted these policies, there’s also a danger that consumers may soon develop ‘green’ fatigue. Having only just acclimatised to the science behind the climate change debate and the buzzwords that go with it (carbon footprint anyone?) audiences may altogether give up, fed up with increasingly invasive green marketing campaigns and initiatives.

Evidence that this may already be the case was provided in March when a London based ad agency claimed that brands were running the risk of ‘a cliche meltdown’ as the same ‘green’ images appear again and again. The agency claimed that the five images over-used the most in mainstream advertising and marketing were polar bears on ice caps, flowers, children playing, exotic animal species, and blue skies with green fields.

Assuming this ‘noise’ will not be getting quieter anytime soon, and a policy of reserved silence is not an option, how can organisations ensure that their green messages are heard?

Cimex has a long track record of producing information and guidance materials on behalf of public organisations and, as a result, we’ve made some useful observations when marketing green messages to customers online. One major influence has been the work of Professor Robert Cialdini and his analysis of messages and approaches more likely to spur citizens into protecting the environment.

Some of the following thoughts may be useful when planning your communications:

• The battle has pretty much been won. Everyone feels they can cut down on energy usage and help reduce climate change. Show people how
• Paint an aspirational and attractive picture of the green home, community and lifestyle. Avoid stereotypes like hemp coats and sandals
• Give your customers useful information and services which help them gauge the impact of energy efficiency and usage
• Talk about the loss of cold hard cash. For example, ‘Poor insulation means you will lose [£’s] each week’
• There are cost and time constraints involved when making green changes. Why not show customers how to overcome those barriers
• Many people want to do away with gas guzzling cars but feel there’s no viable alternative. Can you convince them otherwise?
• ‘Free money’ or financial incentives by the government can help spur green practices. Why not tell customers where to look?
• Target small groups who are more receptive to new ideas e.g. early adopters and online communities
• Not everyone is motivated by the ‘fate of our children’ or ‘the future of the human race’ approach. Some many even resent you for it
• Assume change needs to happen and give your customers ‘how to’ to advice, not ‘if we do need to deal with climate change’ advice
• Work with opinion formers or people your audience trusts. We warm to people who we feel share common goals
• Go in for the kill. Suggest changes in someone’s actions, not just their attitudes
• People are likely to take notice if backed up by official government policy
• Deliver bad news first. Stating a downside first has been found to give the following positives added trustworthiness
• Don’t declare someone gets involved – ask for commitment. Not ‘please reduce’ but ‘will you reduce…?’
• Insist that one person’s actions can influence change. Don’t normalise pollution by saying everyone does it

Find out more about our credentials in climate change and sustainability campaigns, contact us.

Read our pick of the best green websites

References

Professor Robert Cialdini lecture / Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts:
‘Which messages spur citizens to protect the environment? The secret impact of social norms’.

Published: 09 Jun 2008

Tags: Campaigns & social media