Green as a Badge of Honor.

As the green world evolves, so does our thinking about it. For the last few years, we have departed from the conventional wisdom that said the green marketing message should be “saving the planet one ‘whatever’ at a time” but instead we’ve driven home the message that there needs to be a balance of personal gain and planetary benefit. In other words, bringing the green message down to earth is a necessity for a successful and motivational message.

It’s gratifying for us to see the other green marketing gurus whom we respect embrace that message even as we begin to refine it and shift our emphasis even more. We now see “green as a badge of honor” as a message worth exploring.

What makes that different is subtle but important. It recognizes that consumers, especially light and medium green consumers who are the vast majority of the market, may not believe that they can save the planet (or want to) with their purchases, but they can express their own personal goodness, care and concern by the products they choose. Purchases always say a lot about their purchasers.  

I don’t know about you but I am a shopping cart voyeur. I can’t help looking at the cart full of goods in front of me in line at the grocery store and matching them with the consumer. There is a big and visible difference between consumers of say – Fruit Loops and Gummy Bears – and those who buy organic milk, cheese and yogurt. At MOM, we believe people who buy better, healthier products generally feel better about themselves when buying them. Even if all they can afford is one carton at a time. This innate pride is a position that can be built on to create a positive and persuasive personality for your brand.  

Letting me know that I am contributing to the common good with my good purchase decisions allows me to feel better about me. One of the oldest rules in marketing is to build an association between a brand and those who support it. A Prius says one thing about you and a Hummer says another.

You may find more success with your marketing message if you make me feel good about myself when I purchase your products. For too long, the green message has been too esoteric and therefore too remote. Motivational messages tend to be more tangible and more immediate.  

Perhaps you can save the planet with your pizza, but it’s probably better to talk better taste and safer ingredients especially when half a billion eggs and millions of pounds of chopped meat have just been recalled. Check-out counter pride is something all of us should be checking out to help green keep on growing. Maybe when the cashier hands me my receipt, I should also get a green star or two for my lapel.

What’s in your cart that deserves a green star?

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