Top Ad Execs: Green is So Last Year: Tenuous Environmental Ties Spark Consumer Skepticism as Advertisers, PR and the Media Struggle to Cope
The grass is no longer greener in the PR and marketing biz. Just a year after Al Gore advised a group of top ad execs at the Cannes Film Festival to embrace the green message to win over consumers, those same ad execs are now down on the environment trend. This year at Cannes, which took place last month, green marketing took a back seat to issues like the upcoming U.S. presidential election and even the Euro 2008 soccer tournament, the New York Times reports. The green fatigue threshold seems to have been reached, and now industry pros are trying to figure out what to do about it as experts worry that the trend will soon die off: "After 18 months, levels of concern on any issue tend to drop off," said Jonathan Banks, business insight director in Britain at Nielsen, in an interview with the Times. "I fear that something similar may happen with this."
The problem boils down to misleading and exaggerated environmental claims and ties by advertisers that have consumers caught on an overgrown lawn of green skepticism. For example, the Times points out that The Advertising Standards Authority received 561 complaints from consumers about green claims in 410 ads in 2007, up from 117 complaints about 83 ads the year before.
Now, ad agencies are advising against making vague and unsubstantiated green claims, the Times reports. The solution, these agencies say, is to be very specific in messaging that outlines the steps your company has made toward environmental progress, and to point to smaller steps consumers can take to help the environment. Procter & Gamble, for example, has been running a campaign in Britain that urges consumers to conserve energy by washing clothing at 86 degrees Fahrenheit rather than at higher temperatures, the Times reports.
Additionally, there may be opportunities for PR and advertising experts who can help companies avoid falling into the over-greening trap. Many firms are now creating dedicated environmental units and agencies to do just that. And it could mean the difference between thriving in a green consumer environment—or being ignored because of it: "We're going to get to a point where green is ubiquitous, and you have to do something pretty different to distinguish yourself," said Arlene Fairfield, senior vice president at the DDB Brand Integrity Group in Seattle, in an interview with the Times.
Comments:
Monday, July 21, 2008 10:14:33 AM by Richard Kadzis
The optimal use of sustainable practices for corporations and other businesses is through integrated supply chain practices. Companies like Toyota, P&G, and even BP are tying their products, practices and policies to 'green' initiatives like energy and water conservation. Some of these enterprises have long practiced flexible and mobile work strategies to also reduce their carbon footprints. These companies also recognize the importance of community reinvestment. The holistic, supply-chain view of sustainability is a best practice that will be ingrained in the business models of globally networked companies that will also reap reputation and talent retention benefits as another byproduct of their vision.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 7:34:42 PM by Karma
I was really skeptical when I read this headline — being "green" is far from over and more than a fad. But this article is dead-on correct and my own skepticism is, if anything, an indicator that I am one of these worn-out consumers the article highlights. Indeed, though I still think global warming is the most serious issue the media should be reporting on, my own blogging and reading has become, as the article suggests, more focused on the election and FISA. But then, aren't we all tired of unsubstantiated claims in every aspect of the media?
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