Is More Better, or is Less More: Marketing 'Green'

Below are some ways that incorporating “green” (literally and figuratively) into your marketing plans can help, and some reasons why subtlety might be a better choice.


Pros
· Easy for potential customers to see that you’re eco-friendly
· Makes choosing color schemes and other aspects of designing a marketing campaign faster and easier
· Can be done very tastefully and professionally

Cons
· Limits design options and overall creativity in marketing endeavors
· Can come off less professional-looking
· May pressure or annoy potential customers by being too ‘in-your-face’
· Might take focus off of products and services



Our Verdict:
Our company has chosen the subtle method for some of the reasons listed above. Our logo and websites don’t use green as a main color or theme. In fact, our website doesn’t use green in any of it’s fonts or titles, but instead includes a lot of pictures that subtly convey the themes of nature and the environment by including lots of sky, landscapes, etc.

We do value the environment and recognize that being eco-friendly is a critical component of our business. With that said, however, we felt it was important to emphasize our services first, because we pride ourselves on what we offer and didn’t want it to get lost in the shuffle. Plus, our customers are intelligent (at the very least, they’ve made one good choice!) so we didn’t feel the need to beat them over the head with the message that we are green.

Which is more important?

Are we a green-business or a business that is green? Which takes precedent; being green or being professional?


This was what we found ourselves struggling with while designing a marketing packet for prospective clients. We definitely wanted to include as much information as possible, and to maintain the professional appearance (single sided, good spacing...read: lots of trees). But does this contradict our mission and image as an earth-friendly company? When designing a multi-page informational packet; are professionalism and eco-conservation mutually exclusive? And, if they can somehow be reconciled, how much will it cost? Remember, we are a new business, so cost is always a colossal concern for us!

We spent a while brainstorming different ways to make a packet that was cost-effective, environmentally-friendly, and professional-looking. There were a variety of ideas discussed. Some were a little unorthodox; for example, I at one point suggested using recycled twist-ties from the supermarket to bind the packet together (okay, maybe more than a little unorthodox). One idea was to use both sides of the paper and another suggestion was to use hemp. I half expected someone to suggest tree bark as an legitimate option.

Ultimately we found a compromise in printing on extra long recycled paper that folds to make a four page (8.5x11) packet. So maybe you can have your (environmentally-friendly) cake and eat it too.