Greenwashing won’t work. What does a business need for proper eco-marketing?

Eco-marketing is a fairly new trend that, if done correctly, can earn a company the loyalty of its target audience. The concept of sustainable resource use first gained traction within Western society in the 1960s and has become increasingly popular ever since.

However, calls for environmental friendliness do not always pursue such sustainability goals. For example, the American environmentalist Jay Westervelt described a funny yet, at the same time, bitter experience of his interaction with the hotel business in an essay written by him in 1986. He recalls that in one of the hotel rooms he had previously stayed in, there were signs advising customers to reuse their towels instead of taking them to the laundry — concern for the environment and reasonable consumption in its purest form.

But everything turned out to be much more prosaic: in fact, the hotel pursued a single goal — to reduce the cost of washing clothes. This is where the term “greenwashing” or “green camouflage” came from.

The concept refers to marketing strategies that mislead customers by falsely making them believe that a product is environmentally friendly.

For example, using pseudo-ecolabeling:

The company creates the image of an eco-friendly organization, thereby raising its status in the eyes of the consumer and increasing sales. According to reports, from 2007 to 2009, the frequency of greenwashing increased by 79%. The whole concept is ironic, as many companies spend more money on eco-advertising than on real measures to protect nature.

This raises an important question:  How can a business successfully eco-market its products?

How can you correctly eco-market your business?

I would agree that eco-labeling can influence the decision of the end customer.

Before you get into eco-marketing, weigh the pros and cons. Can you protect nature? How will your customers react to this? Is such a marketing move worth the cost, and will it pay off? If you understand that it is worth it, proceed with its implementation.

Stage 1. Certification

You should not say that your products are environmentally friendly without having some form of external confirmation. Without it, you don’t know for certain that you are doing the right thing and will be making empty promises to your customer. There will always be those who will publicly question and criticize what you do.

Therefore, in order to receive a quality mark that will silence external criticism, it is necessary to pass some form of certification. This procedure is expensive, long, and not easy.

To get certified, you need to apply to a body that has state accreditation and specializes in this. That way, you won’t waste your time and money.

There are three types of eco-labels for products:

• The first type

If everything is in order with the product and the check confirms this, then a graphic sign can be placed on the packaging.

• The second type

There are no graphic images here, just an inscription appears on the packaging. For example, “biodegradable”, “does not harm the environment”, etc. It is much easier to obtain permission to apply an inscription, and almost any authority can do this because it is quite difficult to prove that a product harms the environment.

The same goes for the “Dermatologist/Allergist Approved” label. In this case, the organization can refer both to the research of an independent laboratory and the conclusion of one specialist.

• The third type

Eco-labels can be obtained by organizations that are not associated with the manufacturer. Here, as a marking, a table is made that indicates the parameters of the product’s life cycle and contains significant information about its effect on the environment.

In order to receive an eco-label, a business needs to follow certain standards, summarise them, and then act on them. This entails:

• reducing waste and scrap
• controlling electricity consumption so as not to harm the environment
• ensuring that the product does not harm human health and contain hazardous substances

Stage 2. Packing

After your products receive the coveted quality badge, you need to start worrying about marketing this new achievement. The fact that you produce an environmentally friendly product will not be immediately known to consumers. Let them know that you have passed the certification and pay attention to the packaging.

Many companies emphasize their environmental friendliness by using designs in soothing natural colors, floral ornaments, and packaging made from the most environmentally friendly materials , such as craft paper and ropes.

In addition, remember to put the eco-label “Leaf of Life” on your packaging. It is best to do this on the front of the product so that it is immediately clear to the consumer that your product is environmentally friendly and has passed all laboratory tests.

Stage 3. Advertising

To speed up the process of positioning a company as green, engage in PR. In this case, brand advertising has a massive impact. Therefore, for the promotion of environmentally friendly products, it is suitable to use:

• Video advertising. Show clearly how and from what product production is carried out. This will definitely add loyalty points and a bit of trust

• Blogger advertising. Buying advertising from eco-activists will also raise your rating in the eyes of your audience. After all, everyone wants to buy useful, environmentally friendly products or a product that helps animals

• Social media. You can’t get anywhere without maintaining your own social networks. You can use social media to demonstrate that your company values environmental preservation, as is reflected in the products you sell

• Promotions at points of sale. For example, bring item N for recycling and get a discount on your purchase. In fact, there are many variations of this. The most important thing is to tie the action to environmental friendliness and nature conservation

Additionally, you can develop slogans for your advertising campaigns that will encourage the audience to take care of the environment too. Also, make sure to plan your marketing strategy in advance, carefully think about the advertising channels that will interact with your audience, and pay special attention to branded advertising.

Conclusion

Obviously, the problem of ecological destruction concerns everybody. The year 2020 has demonstrated with particular brilliance how important safety is to health. We all understand perfectly well that we need to strive to preserve what we already have.

illuminem Voices is a democratic space presenting the thoughts and opinions of leading Sustainability & Energy writers, their opinions do not necessarily represent those of illuminem.