When I was at school I had a Saturday job in a grocers, Sam Cooks I think it was called. The place was still stuck in a post war era and plastic bags were unheard of. Instead, most people bought their own bags in. No one in those days would ever have dreamed of people buying a designer bag with “I’m not a plastic bag” on. If they wanted their veg wrapped it was either in a plain brown paper bag or whatever was left over in the back store room. Nothing went to waste.
Lunchtime’s I’d pop into Chris’ fish bar and get a cod and chips – wrapped in newspaper, no polystyrene tray then.
And every evening we’d put our empty milk bottles outside for collection by the milkman.
Now this may sound like the 1950s but was in fact the mid 80s. It’s easy to forget how quickly things have changed. How we’ve turned into a fast consuming, wasteful society that sees everything as disposable. How now you can’t leave a shop without a plastic bag being thrust into your hand.
Despite Government targets to reduce household waste and landfill, we’re falling well short of the target - no thanks to the supermarkets who are doing little to help. Too many products are seriously over packed. Why does 6 bottles of mineral water need to be wrapped again in plastic? Why does a 6 pack of toilet roles or pack of nappies not have a handle on, saving on the need to put it in a carrier bag?
A survey, just published, conducted by the Local Government Association, reveals that 5% of a typical shopping basket is made up of packaging and up to 40% of the packaging cannot be recycled.
Lidi came out worse, the best was Walmart’s ASDA with 70%. How ironic that Walmart has scored an ethical plus point. 60% of M&S packaging is recyclable (for the record, although M&S have made great reductions in packaging this was more achievable because in the past they have seriously over packaged.) But it was local retailers who came out best, so if you want to be green shop at your local corner shop.
In Germany they have made supermarkets legally responsible for disposing of packaging. Probably unlikely to happen here as I can’t see Brown bringing that law in given his u-turn on the environment that was revealed in the Guardian this week.
A pole I recently read says that although most of us recycle, a lot of people complain that local authorities could do more to make it easier to do so. People want ‘easy green’ or as one of my clients says “the truth is, the public want to change the world from an armchair”. Some councils however, seem to think the answer to encouraging more recycling is to take an aggressive approach, like Barnet who now fine people. All this does is create a negative attitude towards being green. Being green needs to be positive and even fun, not painful.
Other councils are still poorly educated into what they can recycle, window envelopes are one example. One council was telling residents they couldn’t be when they could. For the record direct mail only accounts for 2% of household waste (less than 1/3 of Sunday papers) and only uses 4.4% of paper used in the UK.
One amazing thing that came out of a MORI pole was that being green is a class thing, and mainly middle class. Certainly explains why you see so many 4x4 at the recycling centres.
There is an obvious need to keep the pressure on supermarkets and producers to reduce unnecessary packaging. And the public needs to act too. After all, the supermarkets all claim they will respond to their customer’s needs, it’s just that we need to get the customer to demand change. But it’s not just the supermarket who are to blame.
One of the things I do find amazing is that packaging designers start with the premise that their packaging will end up in the bin (even if it’s the recycling one). I recently wrote an article on ‘second life packaging’, challenging more designers to design in a second use. Good examples are GU’s glass dishes and the Ty Nant Welsh mineral water bottle – who hasn’t kept one of their deep blue bottles as a vase? But this opens up another ethical debate.
In America several states have banned bottled mineral water because of the packaging and the carbon footprint. And there’s another modern phenomenon – mineral water. Back in the days when I did my Saturday job, if you wanted water you got it from a tap.
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A well known car brand has reduced pollution by 10%, a supermarket chain has reduced packaging by 20% and an airline is switching to biofuel.
More good news, a leading Colombia drug cartel are saving lives in Columbia. This year they shot 25% less people protecting their illegal heroine operations. And now they are paying their farmers more they could be eligible for a Fairtrade certificate.
Micky ‘the Rat’ Johnson is improving home security. This year he’s broken into 50% less homes. He’s also driving a Prius instead of his old 3 litre Ford Granada, so has reduced his carbon footprint going to jobs.
An Albanian sex trade gang have reduced the number of women they are kidnapping and exporting by 15%. As they only use boats not planes they are claiming better green credentials.
All these people are doing their bit for a better world. Well that’s the spin. But we, the public, aren’t stupid. We are no more likely to think Micky is a better person for doing less crime than a car company for polluting slightly less. No matter how glossy the ads.
The trouble with so many green and ethical claims is that brands think that by doing slightly less damage they think this makes them green. This is the mentality of a 7 year old, “but mum I only hit Tommy twice.” Putting 20% or even 60% less poison into rivers does not make you ethical. Putting none in does.
So it’s no surprise that the ASA had 93 complaints about 40 greenwash ads last month and is now requiring brands to validate their claims. Even ISBA are getting in on the act by announcing that they are planning to put together guidelines. The DMA are already working on guidelines for greener direct mail.
In the green rush, too many brands have forgotten one key ethical value that is even more important to the consumer than claiming to be green – honesty. Try it sometime, it really works to build trust and a great business.
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To some Wholefoods is a Mecca of green godliness. However, I think for many of the shoppers there it is a posh overpriced deli. Well it is High Street Ken darling.
I’m having one of those days when ideas seem to be as infrequent as a W3 bus. Far and few between. This brief, for a fairtrade, organic, environmental rain forest saving health drink is not going well. No big Tango like idea yet. So seeing I am in High Street Ken, and it’s lunchtime, I thought I’d pop into Wholefoods for some inspiration. Nip up to the cafe on the first floor, pick up a Mexican, seafood, pizza or a burger, there’s ample choice. It’s all healthy, organic and low on environmental damage but high on social conscience.
When Wholefoods launched their first store in the UK the green press saw it as possible threat to the big four supermarkets. Wholefoods would lead a green evolution in food retailing.
Besides locals and tourists, it must be full of spies from the big supermarkets – if you pull your camera out a security guard will suddenly appear and exhibit serious signs of paranoia. I faked I was a tourist, using my few words of Spanish, and put it back in my pocket.
Now for those that are not familiar with this American brand of eco shopping,
Wholefoods sell lots of good green stuff. Lots of organic, local, healthy food and things. (Things is an easier way to cover all the oddities I came across.)
To some it’s a Mecca of green godliness. However, I think for many of the shoppers there it is a posh overpriced deli. Well it is High Street Ken darling.
Looking beyond the ethical claims, and they walk the talk, the food is exceptionally good and it’s impossible to leave without buying something.
Its big sell is natural and organics. It’s interesting that Organic has become a brand in its own right. To some it means chemical free, non polluting, planet friendly food. To others, posh food that tastes better and is healthy. (Just for the record, organic doesn’t mean it’s always grown chemically free, there’s a few loopholes in the regs.)
Fairtrade doesn’t suffer from this dual identity. It’s stuff that gives traders a fair deal. Simple.
In a recent survey by the Grocer magazine, Fairtrade and Organic came out as two of the most recognised food labels. (Though, I have been told that Tesco’s organic labelling is better recognised that the badly designed soil association one.) Unlike the many others that most consumers have no idea about - what does that red tractor mean? No idea.
Instead of filling my empty layout pad pages with the next big idea I spent a good hour people watching followed by a chat with a few customers. As my suspicions were confirmed, this is a really nice deli that sells quality yummy food at a price most locals have no problem with. As one of the check out staff said, “if the customers were green why do they all ask for the plastic carrier bags over the recycled paper ones?”
I hate to disappoint those that thought this was a going to change the world, I doubt Wholefoods will be a threat to Tesco or Sainsburys and certainly not Asda – here they pat their gold credit cards rather than their pockets. It’s probably more of a threat to M&S and Harvey Nicks or Harrods food hall. But it’s a great concept with great food. And maybe as a consequence more people in Kensington will notice and ponder the ethical values that the business was built on as they climb into their Range Rovers.
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Today’s conference was a rewarding day that left many people a little less green about green issues.
(As there will be synopsises of all the speeches being published on the Applied Green site soon I won’t try and sum up all the speeches. But check the site out later this week or beginning of next.)
If there were a couple of key messages that came across in between many case studies, stories and revealing facts it would be that green is here to stay. That it’s not a passing fad or fashion. That those brands that don’t take it seriously are going to find themselves loosing market share as well as customer faith in their brands.
If you are going to do the green talk you need to do the walk. In a rush to look ethical, green wash won’t wash. Thinking that a few nice ads making green claims will do the job wont. They’ll soon be unpicked and, as has been revealed this week, have you up in front of the ASA (complaints about false green claims have reached an all time high).
While some speakers left us inspired (Jonathan Porritt & Eugenie Harvey) others really made us think (Russell Davis & Jon Gisby). There were many interesting facts and stats.
Arlo Brady gave us glimpse of a trailer for a new film ‘11th Hour’ that follows ‘An Inconvenient Truth’. Its message was that whilst we have the technology and will, what we need are the political and business leaders to grasp the green nettle and act now.
Another theme was that if many people all make a small change we achieve a big change. Both SKY (Matt Anderson) and We Are What We Do raised this. SKY’s commitment to sustainability and environment is impressive and they have invested considerable funds in delivering their CSR policies rather than spending money on vacuous spin.
Several speakers highlighted the change from having to make sacrifices to how being green means you can now make a difference and have fun. ‘Easy green’ has become the new way. Green is now the new cool, being non-green is now seen as un-cool, old fashion and outdated. Brands are realising that you are either part of the problem or part of the solution. As a consequence more and more brands are working together and dropping competitive attitudes.
One area of debate was over the difference between what the public says and what they do. (No real surprise to those of us who work daily in this arena.) People pay lip service to ethics but when it comes to putting their hand in heir pocket it can be a different outcome. However, there has been a dramatic growth in the purchasing of ethical products & services – the spend is now more than tobacco and alcohol (Co-op report).
Add to this the fact that the public are very confused. Most don’t know the difference between climate change and global warming. Too many symbols on food. Too many conflicting stories in the press. Consumers are looking for guidance. There is a need to keep it simple.
While some brands are getting it right, far too may are getting it wrong. Maybe because they are rushing to jump on the green bandwagon or because too many traditional agencies don’t get green, don’t understand ethical consumer mindsets and are badly advising clients.
The industry needs more conferences like these. We need to be challenged. With still only a small number of us working in this specialist area we need the wider audience to get to grips with the issues, the changing attitudes and more importantly, to realise that as we now work in what is being called the ‘honest economy’. Agencies need to seek out the truth in a brand not create fictional ones.
Shocking to hear, but honest, is that the consumer doesn’t trust brands or advertising. What they do trust are real people. Use different language – instead of 'brand' think 'reputation'. Word of mouth is your biggest form of advertising but it is also what can kill you if you try to con the public.
And let us not forget about “brand terrorism”. A bunch of 14 year olds with a £600 PC can destroy a multi-million dollar brand on the internet within days just by publishing the truth.
Those brands that will be winners over the next decade are those that take the time to get it right. To realise that honesty is a key value. To take the time to understand the new consumer. To realise that there is a new set of rules in marketing. That you need to do the green walk before you do the green talk. That being more ethical actually improves business and profits.
Those brands that lie will simply die.
This week Kate Pare, 26, of Wimbledon, who works in marketing wrote a column in the London Paper’s ‘More or Bore’ section. “The world's do-gooders are starting to grate my genetically modified carrot.”
Her piece was a rant about greenies and ethically minded consumers. She thinks we are a bunch of puppets, running around tearing our hair out over colour coded bins.
She thinks the ethical movement is all dreamed up for people who want to jump up and down in their Toyota Prius hybrid cars, screaming: "Look at me! I'm doing the right thing! I give goats at Christmas”.
Seems, despites the fact she believes “she rocks”, Kate is no convert to Al Gore or Jonathan Porritt. Well she does live in Wimbledon, the land of the 4x4.
So who is Kate Pare? She claims she works in marketing. Client side or agency? Who does she work for?
If you know who Kate Pare is, please share it with us.
Oh, by the way, 60% of readers of the London Paper gave her a ‘bore rating’. Seems most of their readers don’t support her views.
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There’s little doubt that the UK is ahead of the green game.
Having just returned from Spain, I was surprised that green issues don’t seem to have caught on in their marketing. I did see one excellent commercial encouraging people not to waste water but by contrast there were plenty of car ads encouraging planetary destruction. Ironic considering you can buy bio-fuels at most petrol stations.
Talking to an owner of a local supermarket he told me that Fairtrade and Organic were only just starting to happen, as for green it wasn’t on his agenda.
The Spanish are a very laid back nation unlike us Brits who take everything so seriously. Which in the case of environmentalism is just as well.
Here, it seems, we are well ahead of the green game in our marketing. Almost every brand here is trying to be some shade of green. And even though some of it is green wash, better wash than nothing at all. However, more and more brands are embracing genuine green and ethical values and discovering it’s good for business and the bottom line. In fact the economic case for being more ethical is been proven again and again.
There must be few marketing directors who aren’t asking the question, “how ethical do I need to be to win the green pound?”
This Wednesday sees the latest in a series of green conferences – APPLIED GREEN, a festival of minds. It should prove to be fascinating with an interesting group of top thinkers and speakers and probably just as interesting group of delegates all discussing what must be the hottest issue in marketing in the last decade - the impact of green issues on conventional business and mindsets.
Headlining is Jonathan Porritt, founder director, Forum For The Future.
As Brand Republic’s official green blogger I shall be reporting back on the conference so check out this site on Thursday morning if you can’t make it. I believe there are still a few tickets left so there’s still a chance to join the debate of the year.
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See here for more details visit the site.
To get your ticket contact Celia Miranda at Campaign on +44 (0) 20 8267 4919 or send her an e-mail at celia.miranda@haymarket.com.
CHRIS ARNOLD
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