Don’t go green. There, I said it.
Nope, I don’t mean the Green Bay Packers. No argument there.
I’m actually talking about greening your business.
Am I against waste reduction, energy conservation, and eco-friendly initiatives? Heck, no. I do what I can to be environmentally responsible, like biking to work (when temperatures aren’t polar bear habitat cold). I’ve planted thousands of trees on my farm. I refuse to buy plastic utensils, and I think bottled water is a silly waste of resources. (What’s wrong with regular tap water?)
What part of going green am I against? Boasting eco-consciousness with little evidence to back it up. In fact, there’s a nifty term for this now: greenwashing.
If you’re feeling pressure to jump on the green bandwagon, keep this in mind. Customers are savvy, and the Digital Age makes it easy to judge brands. Winning loyalty begins with authenticity. Customers will know if your eco-friendly efforts are genuine and substantial—or simply a marketing gimmick.
There are many ways to reduce your business’s carbon footprint. If you decide to go for it, do your research and plan a step-by-step approach. Going green doesn’t happen overnight or only on Earth Day.
As for Packer backers, that’s another story.
If you’re wondering what it means to be “authentic” in your marketing efforts, check out this article from Digiday. Brand executives at Sony Music, Whirlpool and other companies give their take on brand authenticity.
Have you seen any obvious greenwashing tactics? Let’s hear them!
