As the world turns towards using greener products in an attempt to become more environmentally friendly, it makes sense that a new advertising model is becoming more and more evident: Green Marketing. The term surrounds the ethos of brands having a positive environmental and social impact, with many consumers choosing to use these types of businesses that share their own core values.
What is Green Marketing?
Green marketing isn’t just for those with eco-friendly products or services. Although many consumers may pay more for an eco-product, if it has a positive impact on the environment, it’s possible for any business to have a green marketing plan and a plan of action to become a sustainable brand. By definition, green marketing is typically the promotion of eco-friendly products and services but is also known as ecological, environmental and sustainable marketing. Green marketing concentrates on a brand being committed to corporate responsibility and promoting a positive social impact, above and beyond traditional advertising methods. Companies now need to be seen as not only eco-friendly but to implement ways of positively contributing to a wider environmental cause. Appearing as though you care about the planet just to reach a wider audience, versus genuinely caring about your cause, will be easy to spot. Demonstrating a high level of green and sustainable processes can establish and build customer loyalty and bonds.
What Are the Benefits of Green Marketing?
There are a number of benefits to implementing a green marketing campaign and business processes including:
- Building brand loyalty with socially conscious consumers
- Engaging with a wide audience
- Products become more attractive to consumers as they get a feel-good factor through emotive advertising
- Reduction in costs and expenses for production, energy and transportation
- Peace of mind
And there are huge benefits for the environment and planet:
- Reduced carbon emissions
- Reducing waste through using recycled materials
- Less plastic waste
- Reduced energy waste
- Less water pollution
- Sustainable manufacturing
- Living wage and support for all employees or contractors
How Can I Go Green?
There are lots of practical everyday steps you can take to create and implement a green marketing plan (see the handy list below!) but to truly understand green marketing and branding there are several areas and routes you can take including
Branding and Design
This can include creating an eco-friendly brand from scratch, selling green products and services. Or ensuring that your existing branding such as themes, logo and all branding items such as business cards, packaging and day-to-day sundries are environmentally centred.
Positioning
As a green company or through a green advertising campaign you can position yourself in the market to demonstrate your values. This can strengthen your customer loyalty and open up opportunities for accreditation, awards and collaboration opportunities with like-minded groups or businesses.
Cost
Explaining your company positioning will help your customers understand the savings they can make by purchasing your green products or services. This can include highlighting the cost to the planet and resources that can also be saved.
Delivery
If you deliver items to your customers, you may want to look at how this is currently implemented and seeing if there is a more environmentally friendly way to do this to conserve energy and fuel.
Disposal
Consider how much waste your business generates and the processes that take place every day. You may want to start small and make one or two changes along the line, ensuring you’re implementing sustainable practices wherever you can.
Practical Tips for Green Marketing
- Think about your supply and distribution chains and the costs, plus the energy and ethos of each part of the process
- Switch to recycled and recyclable packaging wherever possible
- Commit to becoming carbon neutral or carbon negative
- Support a cause or donate a percentage of profits to a charity
- Invest in greener marketing and corporate sustainability
- Go digital and cut down on our use of paper – marketing campaigns included
- Get involved locally with environmental causes
- Make your premises and vehicles energy efficient
- Keep looking for ways to reduce, re-use, recycle!
As you can see from the examples above, there are many possibilities to incorporate green marketing and branding within your business. Represent yourself through greener processes and enjoy a positive impact on your communities, customers and the planet too.
