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Green Gap Is Bigger Than Ever

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mwkruse
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Marketing Daily: Green Gap Is Bigger Than Ever

… But as thousands of companies try to link their marketing messages to Earth Day, scheduled this year for April 22, a new study from OgilvyEarth finds that the vast majority are not having any impact on consumer behavior.

While 82% of Americans have "good green intentions," only 16% are dedicated to fulfilling them. And the 66% — or "the Middle Green" — are pretty much ignored by marketers. Overall, 82% have no clue how to estimate their carbon footprint, and 70% would rather cure cancer than fix the environment.

"Many of the environmental messages are not just failing to close the Green Gap, but are actually cementing it by making green behavior too difficult and costly from a practical, financial, and social standpoint," the agency says in its release of the new study, called "Mainstream Green: Moving sustainability from niche to normal." "Many of the world's leading corporations are staking their futures on the bet that sustainability will become a major driver of mainstream consumer purchase behavior. Unless they can figure out how to close the gap, there will never be a business case for green."

The problem, the agency found, is that green continues to feel like a niche position. "Existing green marketing is either irrelevant or even alienating to most Americans," it notes. "Half of Americans think the green and environmentally friendly products are marketed to "Crunchy Granola Hippies" or "Rich Elitist Snobs" rather than "Everyday Americans." …

My sense is that too much Green marketing has relied on two "unsustainable" strategies. First is fear. "You have to buy my product because if you don't, terrible things will happen." That only lasts so long. Second, conspicuous environmental sheek. Just as some people practice conspicuous consumption … buy products as an identity statement … others "go green" to make an identity statement. And just as conspicuous consumption is partly intended to shame those who can't match their lifestyle, there is frequently a moralistic condescension by greenies about others' lack of greenness.

I think a better strategy would be first to emphasize cost savings because many green ideas can save money. Second, green needs to be fun. Environmentalists need to lighten up a little. Going green needs to be seen as something fun you miss out on if you don't participate.

Comments

2 responses to “Green Gap Is Bigger Than Ever”

  1. ceemac Avatar
    ceemac

    “Environmentalists need to lighten up a little”
    Funny I was thinking something similar about the Acton folks when I was doing a scan of their blog earlier this week. They can get grumpy with the anti-gov’t thing. And that gets in the way of their point.
    Most of the progressive types I know are fairly gentle folks. They are also fairly pragmatic (and conservative in their personal habits and consumption). They support state programs but they also support Habitat and similar organizations. Tell them a positive story about something that works and there is a good chance that they will buy in.

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  2. Michael W. Kruse Avatar
    Michael W. Kruse

    Ceemac, I know what you’re saying about the Acton stuff. I sometimes find some insightful stuff there but sometimes I don’t link it because the level of “grumpiness” is a bit much. They aren’t nearly as bad as so many other sites that post on such topics but it is still a frustration. Also, I’ve been to Acton events and I will attend one in the summer. They aren’t anti-government any more than those who think we need a more expansive safety-net are communists. Acton is very in tune with Catholic social teaching and makes very strong use of subsidiarity. The would say that government is good and absolutely essential.
    I live in a neighborhood that votes 90-95 democrat in every election. I see little difference between how progressives living in an echo chamber are any different the conservatives who live in an echo chamber. Most conservatives are fairly gentle folks as well and give considerably to help others. In fact, people who attend church weekly and believe in a limited role for government in helping the poor, give a greater percentage of their income and time than groups that don’t share both of these traits. A close second is those who attend church weekly and believe government should play a greater role in helping the poor.
    This article was on environmentalism. My more general point is the militancy and moralism is great for animating the base no matter what the topic. It is utterly ineffectual for persuasion. If you want to have a broad based green market, then you are going to have to persuade. My point would be that if any niche view is ever going to become mainstream in a context where people are free to choose, then you are going to have to persuade.

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