PiNG! Connecting with Your Consumer - Flipbook - Page 89
PiNG!
CHAPTER 3
PiNG!
CHAPTER 3
What Does It Mean to be “Green”?
In an attempt to be green, do not lose sight
of your brand’s primary benefit. Since Al Gore
Green-Washing vs.
Environmentalism
Is your brand’s
green strategy easy
to understand and
clearly communicated
on the package?
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and “An Inconvenient Truth,” nothing is hotter than how
you talk about green. Most major brands have already realized that, to remain competitive and relevant, they must
provide a green alternative within their portfolio. However,
brands must be careful how they communicate their green
benefits. The consumer needs to understand how these benefits will fit in with her more environmentally conscious
lifestyle. For a brand, being green can include changes to
manufacturing processes, use of localized production, pollution containment, and organically sourced ingredients. Unfortunately, the consumer does not see physical evidence of
these choices. It is, therefore, up to the package’s design and
visual elements to clearly communicate how the product
and brand have provided green benefits.
In the midst of trying to be more environmentally friendly,
brands must not lose sight of why consumers make purchase decisions in the first place. Every product that she
buys MUST have an immediate good-for-me or good-formy-family benefit. For most consumers, the environmental benefit is an added bonus, but her primary driver is the
physical benefit provided by the product. Green benefits by
themselves are very rarely sufficient to drive purchases. The
consumer needs to understand what is in it for her first,
and then she can use the green benefits as a factor to help
her choose one product over another. The key to successful
green programs is to not lose the benefit immediacy communication on package in an attempt to focus consumer’s
attention on positive environmental initiatives.
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