Brandweek recently ran this piece on the rise of eco-friendly brands. The idealist in me delights in seeing major corporations jumping on the eco-bandwagon while the skeptic in me questions their motives. Are they in it for the long haul or is this a short-term brand strategy which enables them to get "their share" of dollars from the socially-responsible consumer? It would be wonderful if this truly represented a culture shift but I fear that it may turn out to be just another flash-in-the-pan fad.
When big brands enter green territory they not only serve a target market that is hungry for eco-friendly products, they can also help to raise awareness of environmental issues in the minds of consumers that haven’t put much thought into the concept of sustainable living. My advice to them (the corporations) is to tread lightly for if they fail to abide by the very principles they claim to espouse, they will abuse consumer trust and may suffer from negative publicity and consumer backlash.
2 comments:
I read this article as well. My first thought was against these companies for "pretending" to be green, but after putting more thought into it, these companies are filled of people just like us that DO care about the environment and giving back to the community.
Like you pointed out Liberty; if these companies can raise awareness about these important causes then I believe they are definitely contributing in a positive way.
I suspect this shift will be a permanent one. The concept of green living, green products, and green corporations is *finally* catching on in the US. If you visit Europe you will notice eco-friendly hydrogen-powered city buses, the plentitude of clean energy windmills, and recycle bins that have replace sidewalk trash cans. Last month Canada declared that incandescent light bulbs will be phased out over the next several years. These changes were likely propagated by government policies rather than by the actions of corporations. However, government influences people's lives and therefore influences culture. These changes are an indication of a cultural shift. Corporations will detect this shift and adapt their brands and practices accordingly in order to stay relevant.
The unfortunate reality is that Americans (stereotypically) tend to be short-sighted focusing on their immediate struggles and fail to be citizens of the world. However, awareness of the negative impact that our way of life is having on the planet is growing. Just as Americans in the 80's realized that the CFC's in their Aqua-Net were creating a cancer-causing hole in the Ozone Layer, we will realize that our SUVs are intensifying hurricanes, causing droughts, and pushing animal species into extinction. Realization fuels eco-awareness that will drive corporate responsibility. I feel this process has already begun and will only strengthen in the future.
PS-for an eco-friendly shuttle ride to the airport check out www.planettran.com (I'm a huge fan!)
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