Flipping through the popular ads of yesteryear usually produces a mix of amusement and horror, as the lies and prejudices appear blindingly obvious (everyone knows good appliances make for good wives, right?).
The same can be said for green marketing, which has seen some pretty horrendous campaigns in its day. But in an age where consumers will out you for greenwashing at the merest hint of inconsistency, companies have had to up their game. Here's a rundown of some notable attempts to combine marketability with sustainability:
Pulling rank: AT&T
While food labels can tell consumers whether items are organic, fair trade, locally sourced and a range of other environmental details, finding green tech goods has been a little more tricky. US telecoms company AT&T aims to make things easier with a new eco-rating system, which will give consumers a better idea of how environmentally-friendly a specific mobile phone really is.
The system was developed in partnership with Business for Social Responsibility, a global sustainability network, and tracks 15 criteria which manufacturers determine and submit for each device. These include the use of sustainable materials, energy efficiency, packaging, manufacturing practices and responsible end-of-life treatment. This information will be clearly displayed on phone packaging and a QR code on the box will direct consumers to a Web site with more detailed info on criteria, assessment methods and available products.
According to AT&T, the rating system comes in response to consumer demand, with a 2009 Deloitte study showing 54% of surveyed shoppers consider sustainability to be one of their decision-making factors.
It's a trend that Angela Barter, MD of green PR firm @ Communications, calls “a silent revolution” but one rapidly gaining momentum as a new breed of consumer emerges. 'Green' consumers are not only aware of environmental issues and responsibilities, but support these causes to the point of switching allegiance from one product or supplier to another, even if it's at a higher cost, she explains.
“This is prompting companies and their marketing and PR agencies to promote the environmental attributes and 'green' claims of their products and services in an effort to capture the attention and loyalty of this new consumer market.”
Living billboards: Coca-Cola
In a feat marrying branding with biological engineering, the world's most recognised brand partnered with the World Wide Fund (WWF) Philippines last year to set up a billboard covered in carbon dioxide-absorbing foliage. Arranged around the trademark Coca-Cola bottle shape on an 18m x 18m sign, the 3 600 Fukien tea plants will collectively absorb an estimated 21 tons of CO2 per year. They sit in pots made out of recycled Coke bottles, with organic fertiliser and a trickle irrigation system making sure they can carry on their emissions-busting job.
The billboard forms part of a broader campaign by Coca-Cola in partnership with the WWF Philippines called 'Live Positively', which aims to integrate sustainability into all aspects of the company's operations, including its supply chain.
The global giant has been ratcheting up its focus on environmental issues of late, as concerns around climate change and water scarcity continue to grow. Coca-Cola knows no water means no product, and has established overarching sustainability goals in an effort to reduce environment-related risks. These include improving the efficiency of water use; replenishing its watershed supplies and recycling 100% of its manufacturing plants' water by the end of the year.
In a more socially-based campaign, Coca-Cola encouraged consumers in Israel to get directly involved in its sustainability initiatives, by increasing the amount of bottles they recycled. In June last year, the company introduced The Recycling King Challenge, adding 10 000 new recycling bins and registering them to the Facebook Places index. Fans were encouraged to 'check-in' to these bins and take a photo of themselves recycling their bottles, with the most active participant crowned 'The Recycling King'. Thousands joined in and ultimately 26 000 photos were uploaded by users and more than 250 000 check-ins listed on Facebook Places.
Like The Lorax: HP
The 3D film version of The Lorax, a 1971 Dr Seuss book about a greedy industrialist hacking down trees and the Lorax who speaks on their behalf, is being released amid a flurry of co-sponsored marketing drives to promote its environmental message. Along with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the US Environmental Protection Agency, HP is one of 69 partner organisations sponsoring the film. Its 'Print like The Lorax' site encourages people to buy paper that's FSC approved, print double-sided, buy energy-saving printers and recycle cartridges.
The focus on buying new equipment is perhaps not ideal, but HP also introduced school programmes to try instil resource-saving as a mindset from a young age. In partnership with educational publisher Scholastic, HP is running the 'Every inkling makes a difference' writing contest, which includes learning centres in which parents and teachers can engage students on environmental topics through The Lorax story. Children can then submit their own sustainability stories or ideas online, with prizes including a $10 000 scholarship from HP. The company has also made The Lorax-themed content available on its Create platform and introduced a printer app and widget.
While HP's campaign may pass the test, there has been criticism of other companies participating in the film's marketing drive, with some noting that partners like Mazda and restaurant chain IHOP are hardly paradigms of environmental virtue. Mazda's Lorax-themed commercial for its CX-5 SUV, for example, has come under serious fire for being hypocritical and not ringing true to the original The Lorax story.
This incongruity is something Barter says can easily do more harm than good: “The number one rule for green marketing is authentic, genuine and honest communication. Solid, verifiable evidence that the company's ethics and culture are consistent with the green claims made is the very foundation of a green communications campaign.”
She adds that genuine, measurable initiatives that extend throughout a business' operations are the only way to build confidence, trust and loyalty among the new breed of green consumer.
Environmentally invisible: Mercedes-Benz
A common feature of electric cars is the lack of engine noise, meaning they glide by rather silently. But if you happened to pass Mercedes-Benz's new F-Cell vehicle during a recent marketing drive, chances you would neither hear nor see it. In a bid to demonstrate the low environmental impact of its fuel-cell-powered, the car manufacturer attempted to make a demo car 'invisible' during a week-long marketing campaign in Germany.
Based on the concept that a zero emissions car is 'invisible' to the environment, Mercedes extended this to the actual vehicle by covering one side in sheaths of LEDs and mounting a camera on the other. The LED panels projected a live display of the scenery captured by the camera, rendering the car virtually indistinguishable from its surroundings.
The marketing stunt may have been impressive, but the F-Cell is not likely to be rolled out until 2014 because much of the infrastructure needed to support fuel cell cars is still lacking. These vehicles use compressed hydrogen to generate electricity which powers the car, emitting only water vapour.
Light speed: Nike
After years of heavy criticism for its use of sweatshops, poor working conditions and lax environmental standards, Nike has made massive strides to clean up its supply chain and operate more sustainably. As part of its campaign for the London Olympics, Nike recently unveiled a new line of sportswear featuring less material and more recycled plastics.
The sportswear giant's Olympic apparel includes the new Flyknit shoe, which functions more like a sock, consisting of a single piece of flexible mesh that's supposed to fit like a second skin. Getting rid of excess material reduces each shoe's weight to 160 grams, and lowers its environmental impact, says Nike. It claims the new design eliminates waste because the one-piece upper doesn't use the multiple materials and cuts used in traditional sports footwear, and eliminates the need for cutting, sewing and glue. Nike's Olympic range of shorts and tops also include new fabrics made of discarded plastic bottles, which Nike says cuts energy consumption by roughly a third compared to virgin materials.
These releases form part of a broader 'zero-waste' strategy for Nike, which has rolled out several related initiatives in recent months, including a waterless dyeing method and roadmap for eliminating the discharge of hazardous chemicals.
Recycling revamped: Nokia
At the rate smartphones, tablets and hybrid creations like Galaxy Note are being churned out, piles of old gadgets are quickly building up in homes worldwide. The fact that phones containing valuable reclaimable materials were lying idle in desk drawers prompted Nokia's 'I recycle my phone' campaign, which aimed to get customers around India to turn in their old devices - and share their stories.
The campaign earned Nokia and the advertising company responsible top accolades at the Olive Crown Awards (which recognise responsible corporate communication and marketing).
The digital campaign features a slideshow explaining why and how consumers can recycle their phones, along with a mini-film detailing the recycling process. It notes that 100% of the materials in a phone can be recycled and turned into something useful, be it energy or a musical instrument. It also features an endorsement by Bollywood star Shahrukh Khan, a chance to win prizes, and encourages viewers to share the campaign via Facebook and Twitter.
Season for change: Recyclebank
Recyclebank, an organisation which incentivises people to take green actions through discounts and rewards, ran a 'Green your seasons' challenge this past festive season, from 21 November to 6 January. It encouraged people to adopt environmentally friendly habits through the holiday period and into the new year, including reducing waste, conserving water and saving energy. Participants could learn tips, make pledges, and submit their own ideas to make the festive season greener and earn Recyclebank points.
According to Recyclebank, it will introduce new seasonal themes as the challenge progresses, with actionable content and activities for autumn and winter as well. For example, the autumn phase will feature facts and games on green ways to use paper throughout the season, and the ability to earn Recyclebank points. The organisation's approach of engaging and rewarding people seems to be working, with 3.2 million members and over 3 000 deals and discounts from local and national businesses.
The above campaigns all have their individual merits and drawbacks, but they are indicative of a more considered approach to sustainable business. But as consumers grow increasingly informed, organisations going this route will have to be more careful than ever. As Barter warns: “Companies that simply 'green sheen' their communications, instead of offering their consumer market 'real green' run the risk of considerable negative publicity and irreparable brand damage when 'greenwashing' is exposed.”
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