“Green” Marketing – Done Right
by Steven Wagner on March 1st, 2008
. How “green” marketers can learn from the German Blue Angel Seal of Approval.
I recently returned from a trip Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy and Lichtenstein. Awesome trip skiing the Austrian and Swiss Alps.During my trip, I met with Executives from Collano a Swiss adhesives company on the subject of Green Marketing in the United States.
The difference in Europe versus the US was really eye opening. They shared how Europe has for a long time mandated tougher laws for manufacturing and marketing “green” products then the US. European green marketing has evolved since they have been doing it longer.
The toughest challenge for US green marketing, is the WHATS IN IT FOR ME? A clear benefit for customers over other green or standard products. Most Green marketing is focusing on features and not on the benefits. Why should I pay 20% premiums for your green product?
Blue Angel – the best green marketing you have never heard of. Blue Angel is a certification in German that applies to retail products. There are tough standards to obtain Blue Angel certification. Collano, shared with me how Blue Angel applies to one of their customers products. A paint manufacturer in German that is Blue Angel certified had to have its paint dissipate any paint fumes within 4 hours so an infant can sleep in the room free of fumes or toxins.
Think about the power of that message. In 4 hours you can put an infant to sleep in the room. That message cuts through “green” static out there. I know as a parent I would choose a Blue Angel product over others for not only my children’s rooms but any room in my house or office. Blue Angel promotes a What’s in it for me attribute – it is a far safer then the other.
What North American marketers can learn from with Blue Angel is the message. Here is a green product, it has low to no VOC materials. It costs more. But, it is so healthy/safe that an infant can sleep in the room within hours. Most consumers have no real idea what LEED means. And trade groups have not done enough to promote a green product. If you are marketing green products you can dominate the market by concentrating on communicating the benefits NOT the features.
What do you think? Please share your comments.