A touch of green: Green advertising

Green management and green marketing are global issues that are creating internal and external pressures on companies to go green. Increasing concerns about environmental and social issues in society and business mean that companies must consider the views of various interest groups in their decision-making. Environmental or ‘green’ marketing is seen as one tool for sustainable development and satisfaction of multiple stakeholders. An increasing number of marketers are targeting the green segment of the population. New products are positioned based on environmental appeal and green advertising is on the rise as more manufacturers are informing their consumers about pro-environmental aspects of their products and services.

A growing number of consumers are actively seeking environmentally friendly products. However, newly discovered “green” consumer, after having used the latest environmentally friendly products, discover that too many claims made in advertisements about the product being “clean” and “green” for the environment are not always true. Given the growing attention placed on environmental issues and the heavy reliance of the consuming public on mass media, the dire lack of credibility in green advertising is a shocking state. While some companies actually changed their products, productions or distribution routines to help save the earth, others are of using marketing jargon to manipulate the consumer into believing their products were greener than they actually are. This became is known as green washing.

This study explores relationships between green advertising and public perception. The objective of this study is to find marketing, branding or communication solutions suitable for less-green brands, which are looking to communicate their concern about the environment and attract the growing eco-conscious consumer group, without running the risk of being accused of greenwashing.