Going Green is a Marketing Ploy - Part 2

In one way, I really hate April. Yesterday, April 22, was Earth Day. The day that people get together and "focus" on the Earth. The real issue that I see is that so many companies get together and pretend to really care about the environment.

As you may know, I maintain a news source for the copier and printer industry. I have been amazed at how many "green" news releases have come out this month when the rest of the year, very little is heard. Everyone seems to think that.

Going green is a way to market products to a different audience. The vocal minority that care enough about this dictate the marketing needs. If it was really important to them, they would do it with no marketing dollars. They would make it a quiet cause... or a cause that wouldn't net them any gain.

ADD Sidenote: I wonder if they make a greater profit on their own coffee or if they do this because they are so concerned about the environment...

Don't get me wrong. I love planting trees. I hate wasting water. I try to be efficient. I do hate recycling, though. But, it is one thing to be concerned about the environment and a whole other thing to sell your products based on that... it minimizes your credibility quite a bit.

The question I have... which may never get answered.... if companies maintained the same "green" practices they claim they do but not advertise it, would it make a difference on their bottom line? If it did, should that be an indicator that people don't really care about the environment but care that people say they care about the environment? If they really cared, wouldn't they just dump those advertising dollars in to more "green" ventures?

Don't forget to read part one of Going Green Is a Marketing Ploy.