Is Green on Your Mind?

In the words of a famous frog, “It’s not easy being
green”, but it seems to be a dominant topic for
marketing professionals and everyone else for that
matter these days. I am turning over this space today
to an excerpt of Green Notes from Idea Space by Pam
Peters of MarketSpace Communications. If you are
interested, you can read the full article here.

Green Notes

By Pam Peters

It’s everywhere these days. News anchors ask about
your carbon footprint. Celebrities arrive at awards
ceremonies in hybrid vehicles. In November, we saw
must be green TV for a week. From board rooms to my
own back yard (where we are wondering if we should get
a rain barrel), green is a red hot topic.

Like many of you, the to-do list is pretty full
already, and it can be a little overwhelming. There’s
a lot of information out there. There’s also
mis-information, gray areas, and differing opinions.
If you are looking for ways to be a green marketer (or
if you are about to get thrown onto that bandwagon by
a well-meaning mob), here are a few things to
consider.

Many businesses are taking big steps to incorporate
“environmentally friendly” into their brand. It’s a
hot button, and no one wants to be seen as the bad guy
(or girl) by customers, partners, employees, or
shareholders.

Ultimately, brand must help you maintain your own
image, communicate your unique benefits, and let
potential customers know who you are. Don’t let ’em
lose sight of the forest for saving the trees. Ask
them, does this green initiative complement our
existing brand? How critical (related to allocation of
time, money, and people) is this issue to how we do
business? Is this the best way to incorporate
environmental sustainability (i.e., is it good for the
planet and good for our business?) What is the plan
for communicating changes—and results?

A colleague recently referred me to an article in Fast
Company that really impressed me. It showcases 50
specific, creative, fantastic ways that companies are
going green. These are real companies, making real
progress. Click here to read the article.

And, finally, here are some great sites that I like:

AIGA’s Center for Sustainable Design
The Discovery Channel’s Treehugger
The Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s Site
Starbucks and Global Green USA’s Planet Green Game

MarketSpace Communications has also published a Little
Green Tips booklet that is available by contacting
them.

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