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I just read a post on brandchannel.com; “What will “green” mean in 2008?” http://www.brandchannel.com/forum.asp?bd_id=89. This post raises good points and counterpoints. On the “point” side, I believe that just raising public awareness of the need to go green is very important as it gets everyone to think in new ways. On the “counterpoint” side, I do agree that the term going green will become muddled and insincere because it will be overused to draw consumers in. In addition, race for presidency will drive much of the dialog around going green since it is one of the top areas of interest from the voting public.
Bottom line is, just like Web 2.0, this will become big the big focus for many a business. Consumers will likely talk about those companies who are making an effort to be green, those that are not, and will influence the communities they interact with. As a marketer, it will be very important to understand what to focus on in this area to get consumers saying good things about your products and brands.
“The number of brands going green will be directly proportional to the environmental awareness amongst consumers. The ‘Green factor’ may serve to be a strong point of differentiation for a particular brand (for example lets say an environment friendly automobile).” From blog entry above.
This suggests a time to market advantage for those companies who understand how to engage with consumers around this movement. The trick is how to talk about it in a way that is relevant to what you do. Sure having a ‘green policy’ in the office is important; recycling program, not bottled water, etc. But how does that translate into getting your consumers to buy your products? Some products, are easier to directly tie to the green movement (automobiles) than others (Internet services).
One answer is – ask your consumers. This is social media at its best. In this new social media world, consumers give us great ideas on products and how to message them. Invite them in, ask them questions, see what suggestions they have for your particular product or service and you will likely not only find great messaging, but also a strong point of differentiation from the competition.
Time to market is critical so get your questions and consumers organized now, to help shape your success for 2008!
