Kiwano Marketing » green marketing

Globe-NET: Motivating Mainstream Consumers to Make Sustainable Choices

Sofia Ribeiro — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 01:33:53 +0000

Kiwano Marketing regularly writes about green marketing issues and how to communicate with the LOHAS market. This is our most read article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector.

“Mainstream consumers are complicated. They know just enough buzz words to make you think they know more than they do, and most don’t actually go green to save the planet. How do mainstream consumers ACTUALLY make decisions about which green products to buy? Suzanne Shelton, President and CEO of Shelton Group shared her insights at the Sustainable Brands ‘10 Conference, last week.

Green is Officially Mainstream
According to Eco Pulse 2010, a study of green consumer trends by Shelton Group, 64% of the population is now actively looking for green products. Most consumers start small, adopting easy-to-buy products such as home cleaning products (versus a hybrid car or a green home, which require a higher investment).”

Continue reading this article at Globe-NET.

The Green Economy Post: Motivating Mainstream Consumers to Make Sustainable Choices

Sofia Ribeiro — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 21:34:55 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector.

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

The Green Economy Post: The Power of ANDvantage

Sofia Ribeiro — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:53:03 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector.

“ The Sustainable Brands ‘10 conference opening night event featured an eye-opening presentation by Bill Marquard, founder of Marble Leadership and author of Wal-Smart: What It Really Takes to Profit in a Wal-Mart World. He introduced the audience to ANDvantage strategies, which help companies generate increased revenue and profits in their core business by solving relevant global social issues.

A few days ago, at the opening night of the Sustainable Brands ‘10 conference, Bill Marquard, founder of Marble Leadership and author of Wal-Smart: What It Really Takes to Profit in a Wal-Mart World, walked attendees through the traditional OR mentality, where senior managers were lead by economic leaders (such as Milton Friedman) who believed you can only have profits OR philanthropy. Instead, businesses should use the revolutionary power of ANDvantage.”

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

The Green Economy Post: Implementing Cradle to Cradle Strategies For A Cleaner World

Sofia Ribeiro — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:18:20 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector

“ The Sustainable Brands ‘10 session “Sustainability Leadership: The Making, Marketing and Thinking Behind Cradle to Cradle Companies and Products” took a look at the importance of measures of ingredient toxicity and material recyclability in branding products as healthy and sustaining. They introduced the idea of moving past “meeting regulations” and achieving the minimum requirements to efficiently and effectively using natural resources, designing systems to eliminate the concept of waste, and leadership within one’s industry for design excellence. They also explained how sustainable business practices build value for an organization including reduced risk and liability, brand differentiation, enhanced reputation and competitive advantage.

I’d like to draw attention to a great workshop that took place today, at Sustainable Brands 10 titled, ’Sustainability Leadership: The Making, Marketing and Thinking Behind Cradle to Cradle Companies and Products”. It was presented by Jay Bolus, VP of Technical Operations, MBDC and Jessica Switzer of Blue Practice. They provided great insight into the way we see design. They presented the concept of moving past “meeting regulations” and achieving the minimum requirements to efficiently and effectively using natural resources, designing systems to eliminate the concept of waste, and leadership within one’s industry for design excellence.”

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

The Green Economy Post: Nature’s Path – A Quirkily Beautiful Shift Towards Sustainable Branding

Sofia Ribeiro — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 21:22:51 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector.

“North America’s largest organic cereal brand, Nature’s Path Organic, has unleashed its first integrated multi-channel consumer campaign, and yielded impressive sales results while fermenting cultural change. Nature’s Path is serving its cereal with a generous and delicious topping of sustainability. Read about their breakthrough sustainable brand campaign.

The first workshop seminar I attended yesterday at Sustainable Brands ‘10, Breaking Through the Green Clutter: Examining the Internals of a Breakthrough Sustainable Brand Campaign, was a fitting and exciting start to The Conference. Maria Emmer-Aanes, Director of Marketing,with Canadian company, Nature’s Path, who works for one of my favorite sustainable brands, like me, made the trip down from Vancouver to run a joint session with their branding agency, egg USA. I love this presentation format. It’s not just the marketer commenting about their work in glowing terms. By co-presenting with Maria Emmer-Aanes, Director of Marketing & Communications at Nature’s Path, egg executives Marty McDonald and Hilary Bromberg, were able to showcase two important factors.”

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

The Green Economy Post: Green Marketing – What Works, What Doesn’t

Sofia Ribeiro — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:17:13 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector

“The Environmental Leader has recently released what is already one of the most relevant green marketing studies ever made. Green Marketing: What Works, What Doesn’t takes a critical look at green marketing and digs up eye-opening information such as the green marketing effects on product pricing, what media are most used in green marketing campaigns, and which of these are most effective.

Here are some of the key findings explained in the study:

1. Most Marketers Intend to Spend More on Green Marketing
More than 80% of respondents indicated they expect to spend more on green marketing in the future. Among manufacturers, that number is significantly higher. At least half, if not more, of respondents plan to engage in online marketing efforts in the future.

2. Marketers Believe Green Marketing More Effective, Not Less
28% of marketers themselves think green marketing is more effective than other marketing messages, compared to 6% of marketers who think it is less effective. Management is even more optimistic, with 46% of them indicating a belief that green marketing is more efficacious. Just 23% of folks in operations think green marketing is more effective.

3. Smaller Firms Spend More
Companies with smaller marketing budgets tend to spend more on green marketing. Firms with a marketing budget of under $250,000 spend just over 26% on green marketing, while those with budgets of more than $50 million spend 6% on green marketing.”

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

3 Guidelines To Effectively Market Green Building

Rob Jones — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 13:01:17 +0000

Today’s post is from guest blogger Rob Jones of Vancouver-based online building materials firm BuildDirect. Rob’s experience in authoring the company’s green building blog has given him some insight into what it is to communicate how sustainability is affecting the industry in which BuildDirect is a part.

We asked Rob about his own efforts in talking about sustainable practices and trends in the marketplace while avoiding the greenwashing of his company’s products .

***

The term ‘greenwashing’ has entered into common use, and rightly so. There are many examples of corporate greenwashing that have made talking about green on a company blog – or in a corporate marketing campaign – something to make the media-savvy, environmentally-aware consumer’s spidey senses tingle.

When it comes to green marketing on our main site, and discussions on our blogs, three principles stand for me as the basis for all my communications. Here they are:

1. Green products are on a spectrum
Green products are those that can be best discussed in a spectrum of value rather than as absolutes. The arguably eco-friendly nature of any product very often depends on the context and circumstance of its application. This means being more deliberate about engaging in conversations with customers, suppliers, and with other experts in the field in order to get the balance right.

2. Green is a path, not a destination
When I’m writing on the BuildDirect green building blog as an individual voice, I am very aware that I am a student as much asa discussion facilitator and curator of content. I have not arrived. And neither has our company, which is in constant discussion (that word again, folks) with members of our supply chain as well as government bodies and industry associations. We have a lot to teach people, because of these discussions. But, we’ve got a lot to learn, too. This is as it should be with any serious set of issues which are constantly in flux as technology, communication channels, and public awareness evolves.

3. Green is not about the marketing ’sizzle’
It is sorely tempting for many companies to start green blogs and green marketing campaigns to keep up with the corporate Joneses. It is the easier route to try to appeal to a burgeoning market niche without a deep dive into (or disclosure surrounding) the nature of the products, or the process by which they are made, shipped, and sold. But unless sustainability as an issue is treated with respect, and homework is done, relying on old-fashioned marketing “sizzle” alone will be found out.

When it comes to green marketing, the values of honesty and authenticity should be infused into the manufacturing, supply, and sales processes. Because industries are rightly under a watchful eye, efforts to market green products has to be more than a simple re-branding exercise. It’s got to be about good communications, and healthy discussion (a word that I’ve used in all three points) about the products and practices that represent the values of the company behind them.

The Green Economy Post: Using Community Involvement as Part of Your Green Marketing and CSR Strategy

Sofia Ribeiro — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 16:23:09 +0000

Kiwano Marketing is a regular contributor to The Green Economy Post. This is our latest article on one of the leading sources of information for businesses in the sustainability sector

“For most people, green marketing is not only about marketing strategies with a smaller impact on the environment. Green marketing is also about helping a business become socially responsible as well: to provide better products, improve working conditions and contribute to the community.

But exactly how can you get your company more involved with your city?
A good first step is to write a corporate social responsibility (CSR) plan. There are many reasons why companies should become socially responsible. A Marketing Blog by Marketing Journal did a great job listing all the benefits you can reap:

1. Enhanced reputation and brand image
A survey done by Cone Inc. titled “Millennial Cause Study” found that 83% of people will trust a company more if it is socially/environmentally responsible. The same survey also found that 66% of this group recommends products/services if the company is socially responsible. CSR initiatives generate good feelings towards a company’s products or services, compelling customers and media to talk about the organization and its positive impact on the community.”

Continue reading this article at The Green Economy Post.

LOHAS, Naturalites, Conventionals, Drifters And Unconcerned: Defining The Green Consumer

Sofia Ribeiro — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 17:57:05 +0000

If you’ve been following the green marketplace lately, there’s a good chance your head is spinning. With endless studies that continue their obstinate rally toward the trivialization of just about any green concern, it becomes challenging to tell apart fluff from relevant data. As part of our Customer Segmentation Series, we go over the most relevant segmentation models out there, hoping to help marketers out on their quest to better messaging and relevancy.

The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), a market research company that specializes in the health and wellness marketplace, has recently developed a customer segmentation model based on green psychographics – delving into people’s lifestyles and behaviours, including their interests and values.

Purveyor of all things LOHAS (lifestyles of health and sustainability), NMI defines the market space so it includes organic foods, health and wellness, alternative medicine, green energy, green living, and other goods and services. NMI tracks more than 100 drivers to consumer behaviour and divides the market into five categories:

• LOHAS — very progressive on environment and society, looking for ways to do more; not too concerned about price (16%).

• Naturalites — primarily concerned about personal health and wellness, and use many natural products; would like to do more to protect the environment (25%).

• Conventionals — practical, like to see the results of what they do; interested in green products that make sense (e.g., save money) in the long run (23%).

• Drifters — not too concerned about environment, figuring we’ve got time to fix environmental problems; don’t necessarily buy a lot of green products, though may like to “be seen” in Whole Foods to enhance their image (23%).

• Unconcerned — have other priorities, not really sure what green products are available, and probably wouldn’t be interested anyway; they buy products strictly on price, value, quality, and convenience (14%).

As with any customer segmentation model, NMI’s is far from being perfect. The lack of demographics renders this model somewhat ambiguous and hard to apply to the real world. If my ideal consumer is 28 years old, is he a Drifter or a Conventional? What is the average income of a LOHAS client? Does the typical Unconcerned have a masters degree or just high school? This model fails to answer critical questions that help marketers fine-tune their messaging, tweak the product offering and adapt product packaging.

While no segmentation model is 100% reliable, NMI’s does shed some light into the green market space and its structure. Understanding your clients’ interests and hobbies goes a long way toward reaching them. While a deep green, LOHAS consumer might be found doing yoga, driving a hybrid and visiting the recycling center, a Naturalite might be more likely to drive an SUV but purchase only organic vegetables and visit a homeopathic doctor. Defining these traits through research and customer segmentation models can lead to appropriate media selection and more targeted programs.

Playing The Green Card

Sofia Ribeiro — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 03:00:53 +0000

We recently got featured on Business Management Daily, a news website of the National Institute of Business Management that provides sound news and advice since 1937. This article is based on our recent social media release “Top 5 Tips On Successfully Marketing Your Green Business.”

“Green marketing is one of the latest retail trends. According to a survey from Environmental Leader and Watershed Publishing, 82% of companies polled plan to increase their spending on green marketing in the future, with the most popular medium being the Web (75%), followed by print (50%), and direct mail (40%). Moreover, 28% of marketers think green marketing is more effective than other marketing messages, the survey found. To help you successfully market your green products or services, Kiwano Marketing, based in Vancouver, British Columbia, offers these five tips:

1. Back up your claims. Don’t position yourself as a green business if you’re not walking the walk.”

Continue reading this article at Business Management Daily.