Five fatal flaws of green communications.

In the green world, miscommunication is often worse than no communication at all.   If you’re going to communicate with this demographic, here are five “no-no’s” no green communicator should ever commit.  

1. Underestimating the intelligence of the audience.  

According to the New York Times, the green consumer is more inquisitive, less trusting, more experimental and better informed than any group of consumers have ever been before.  They think about their values every time they make a purchase.  Make sure you appeal to their head as well as their heart if you want your message to appeal to them.

2. Making and disseminating vague or misleading environmental statements. 

When Ford launched its “Kermit the Frog” advertising campaign a couple of years ago for their Ford Escape Hybrid, they tried to convince the public of their commitment to the environment.  One print ad read, “Green vehicles.  Cleaner factories.  It’s the right road for our company, and we’re well underway.” 

Meanwhile back at the plant, Ford only planned on producing 20,000 of its Hybrid SUV’s per year, while continuing to produce almost 80,000 of their gas guzzling F-series trucks per month.  That campaign backfired and the term “Greenwashing” became synonymous with their name.   Greenwashing is a term describing misleading instances of environmental advertising.   A definite “no no”.

3. Relying on sweeping generalities about the green consumer.  

The green demographic is not one thing.  It ranges from deep greens (19% who are totally committed) to medium greens (33% who are open and willing) to light greens (16% who will buy green only when it makes economic as well as ecologic sense).  Make sure you know who you are talking to before you start talking.

4. Committing sins of omission.  

Transparency is everything in this market.  When Horizon Organic Dairy advertised happy cows, the green consumer found out they weren’t so happy and they organized a protest against them.   All the great PR in the world won’t undo that.

5. Underestimating the power of the Internet. 

News spreads like a virus on the internet.   In a nano-second, millions of consumers can reach each other.  Be sure what you say (and don’t say) you want everyone to know because with the click of a mouse, they will.

The green market is estimated to reach $1 trillion in the next five years.  If you want to be part of that growth, you have to be as smart, as aware and as authentic as the consumers you want to reach.  Not being is the greatest flaw of all.