Carefully Marketing Your Client's Green Side by Denis Wolcott and Craig Ruark

Carefully Marketing Your Client’s Green Side
Craig A. Ruark, LEED AP (BD+C), Nevada By Design
Denis Wolcott, APR, The Wolcott Company

People are increasing aligning their personal values with the brands they buy. =Sustainability
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Role of Public Relations?
The connection between Sustainability Programs and Corporate Communications efforts is more than a philosophical one.John Friedman The New PR: 2010
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Demands on PR Pro
Leading the “change strategy”
The conduit between new programs, skeptical public
The “connector”: bringing in new, beneficial partners
Moving from “Reputation Manager” to “Trust Builder”
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Increasing Pitfalls, More Dynamics
Companies are transforming, realizing profits
“Greenwashing” still exists
The bar keeps rising…
…and companies keep making mistakes
Consumer attitudes keep evolving
Sustainability reports are bigger, more complex
Social media audience lives here
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Who is your audience?
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

LOHAS
(Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability)
Purchase green goods and are active in environmental stewardship;
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Naturalites:
Focus on health and organic goods but are not politically active in environmentalism;
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Drifters:
Have good intentions but various factors other than the environment influences their behavior.
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Conventionals:
Do not have “green attitudes” but take mainstream actions, such as recycling and conserving energy;
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Unconcerned:
Do not conduct behavior that prioritizes the environment or society.
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Audience Segments
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Do They Matter?
63+ million global LOHAS consumers
support businesses that
sharetheir commitment
To:
natural living
health of their families
communities and environment
Natural Marketing Institute
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Total Effective Market!
LOHAS17% = 63,000,000
Naturals 17% = 63,000,000
Drifters 24% = 88,941,176
Total 58% = 241,941,176
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

People (women in particular), are more interested in consequences not causes!
For instance:
Higher food prices
Skin products (do they cause skin cancer)
Products that may cause birth defects
Products that we breath (do they cause asthma, etc.)
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Four Key Motivators Drive Interest in the Environment
Personal Protection
‘The environment is getting worse and I need to protect myself and my family.’
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Cost
‘By reducing, re-using my family’s consumption,
I can save money.’
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Status
‘Letting other know
I care about the environment
shows that I am responsible’
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Altruism
‘Improving the environment
by minimizing human impact
is the right thing to do’
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Social business effects
Environmental
Economic
People – Planet – Profit
The triple bottom line
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

People, Products, Performance,
Planet and Purpose

April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Social responsibility is a natural expression of our Purpose to touch and improve lives. We see it as an investment in the future that helps both children and communities thrive, now and for generations to come. In addition to helping improve lives in the communities where we operate, we are reaching out to people and communities across Asia, Latin America and Africa where we do not have operations or sell P&G brands. These remote parts of the world with profound social needs have often become opportunities for us to extend our “first moment of touch” through our social investments.
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

2001-2007
Expanded its sustainability initiatives
Partnered with Conservation International
Saw its market capitalization rise from $7 billion to $21 billion
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Greenwashingvs.Eco-superior
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Eco-Superior
The act of promoting a company’s efforts to be more green than their competitors
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Eco-Superior claims
More Efficient
Less Waste
Sustainable Business Practice
Giving Back (improving lives)
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Environmental Claims On the Rise
The total number of ‘green’ products increased by an average of 79%.
Green advertising almost tripled since 2006.
Most common “green” claims:
Kids (toys and baby products)
Cosmetics
Cleaning products
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Where is Sustainability Communications Headed?
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Programs, Message, Operations
Align a company’s sustainability DNA
Beneficial NGO partnerships
Support efforts central to the product
helpthehoneybees.com
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Message
Be Transparent
Publicly available social, environmental policies
Annual report (Based on GRI)
Don’t overpromise
Not like any other PR program
Changing behaviors vs. buying a product
Education along with reporting
Research
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Examine the operations
Effective environmental management system
Strong vertical controls
Strong internal environmental roles, responsibilities
Sustainability vulnerability audit
LEED building, but far from employee homes
Newsweek magazine ranking
Employee recruiting
April 2011
Ruark and Wolcott

Questions
Denis Wolcott: 213-200-1563 denis@thewolcottcompany.com
Craig A. Ruark: (702) 938-1525
cruark@nvbydesign.com

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Carefully Marketing Your Client’s Green Side by Denis Wolcott and Craig Ruark Presentation Transcript