Interesting study in the most recent edition of Canadian Business magazine -- an article entitled "Green Counting" mentions some research done by packaged goods giant Proctor & Gamble that illustrates the challenges of green marketing initiatives.
The key highlight - only 10% of Canadians would accept a trade-off of some sort when using a product that is more environmentally friendly than their existing brand. In addition, 75% of Canadians would accept no trade off at all.
So, bio-degradeable garbage bags are a great idea, but not if they tear a little more often than plastic ones.
While there's a tremendous interest in green marketing initiatives, it's clear that consumers are not yet willing to embrace truly environmentally friendly products and services if they involve a trade-off in quality or the user experience.
And therein lies the challenge for companies trying to highlight their green marketing initiatives for the market. A vast majority of the people you ask will tell you that they want to see more earth-friendly products on the market, but on an honest day, many will tell you that they aren't that interested in buying them.
Ironically, a company that does nothing to communicate their commitment to the environment is often viewed in a negative light, yet the company that pours themselves into developing products that are 100% eco-friendly may find themselves with no takers.
So how do you approach product development in these market conditions? Carefully. P&G has focused their efforts on reducing packaging and marketing concentrated versions of their existing products such as Tide - and even that took a lengthy advertising effort to convince customers that they were getting the same value for their money in the smaller bottle.
The lesson in P&Gs research is that consumers will embrace meaningful green marketing programs, but they'll do it as true consumers - they want value for their money. Green alternatives need to be as effective as the original.
I believe green marketing will continue to grow - but it will only grow in step with consumers' willingness to consider alternatives to their trusted brands for the sake of the environment. And P&Gs research suggests we aren't there just yet.
