Jacquie Ottman's
Green marketing Blog
Move Over Kermit - Employees Are Taking the Eco-Spotlight
Posted on July 22, 2008 by Jacquelyn Ottman
To help spread the word about their new sustainability campaigns, leading companies including Coke, Anheuser Busch, and Ford are starting to leverage one of their most powerful assets: their employees.
Using employees to promote sustainable initiatives is a winning strategy. Why? Employees are “regular people” and, as such, they are much better equipped to gain more trust and confidence of prospective consumers than splashy Hollywood celebrities, million dollar CEOs, and paid pitchmen. Employees are objective critics of their companies' greenness. If employees are viewed as involved and openly on-board with the company’s sustainable initiatives, consumers are more likely to …Read more...
Before They Buy, Consumers Have to “Buy It”
Posted on July 22, 2008 by Jacquelyn Ottman
Back in December 2004, HSBC became the first major bank to commit to carbon neutrality, aiming to improve energy efficiency, buy "green electricity," and then offset the remaining carbon dioxide emissions using carbon "allowance" or "credits." As a global bank with numerous offices and branches gobbling up significant amounts of fossil fuel-generated energy, HSBC made a smart strategic move by committing to carbon management. And the scope of that commitment, paired with the strong business case for action, gave HSBC the credibility it needed to deliver an effective sustainability-focused marketing appeal: "There's No Small Change" a campaign launched earlier this …Read more...
Sustainable Branding in the 21st Century
Posted on June 05, 2008 by Jacquelyn Ottman
Just got back from the Sustainable Brands 08 Conference, in Monterey, California. Over 550 people gathered to hear about the latest trends, see the leaders in sustainability speak, and learn about new tools to conduct their business in a better way.
I had the honor of keynoting the conference. Several of the points I made were iterated by many of the speakers and by participants via their insightful questions from the floor. So there's a lot of consensus out there about what are the issues that we need to be dealing with …Read more...
FTC Takes on Green Packaging Claims—And Not a Moment Too Soon
Posted on March 30, 2008 by Jacquelyn Ottman
As companies scurry to appeal to a fast-growing eco-consumer base, the Federal Trade Commission is stepping in to bring clarity to the arena of green marketing. As I write, numerous stakeholders are developing their testimony for an April 30 hearing on environmental claims for product packaging. Here’s a rundown of the key issues, and why they’re becoming more important by the day.
In January, the FTC held hearings with the goal of updating its Green Guides to include standards for the marketing of carbon offsets and renewable energy certificates. Now it’s time for packaging. Among others, terms …Read more...
