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November 07, 2009

Comments

Heidi Thorne

This is exactly the scenario I have been seeing with many of my B2B customers. I was hoping that the "I'll be green tomorrow" attitude would begin to subside along with the recession. But maybe not.

What I think this calls for is a transformation of how we market "green" to both business and retail consumers.

Bruce Klafter

Your column highlights what I have been calling the "all other things being equal" syndrome, meaning consumers will buy green only if all other things are equal. Those other things include price (first and foremost), features and functionality, aesthetics, etc. I personally think too much green advertising focuses exclusively on the green attributes of products. A more effective approach would emphasize the value of the product, which would include its environmental benefits along with all of the other key features. In other words, a green alternative is only a meaningful alternative if all other things are equal. That is undoubtedly going to be tough proposition for some companies in the near term. In other cases I think marketers simply have to abandon the notion that they can extract a premium for offering a green product. As you point out, maybe in Europe that strategy will work, but not here in the old US of A.

KoAnn Vikoren Skrzyniarz

Further to your comment about changing the way we market green, Heidi, as many have been saying for years, green is a feature -- health and sustainability are the benefits. As all good marketers know, the gold is in selling benefits, not features.

Andy

His point is that Americans are more selfish than Europeans.

Europeans and (some) Asians have more of a community ideal. They are more willing to do something for the common good, even if not immediately beneficial to themselves.

Tony Smith

Thing's have really changed in the last few years, but I have found a way
to get threw it all. Green products do cost more, I still buy the same green products, but now I get 12 1/2% cash back on everything I buy. I was amazed and happy at the same time. Remember the saying, where there's a will there's a way. For more info. Email asphillytime@gmail. com

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