You’re business is going green. This should be great, right? Definitely, but be weary of a growing new trend: greenwashing.
Greenwashing is the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service to benefit the public image of the company.
In theory, green marketing is executed for environmental purposes, to raise awareness of the efforts a company is making to be eco-friendly. However, many corporations have recently been caught engaging in not-so-green marketing tactics to help their brand image, taking take advantage of the growing interest in saving the environment, and not really benefit the environment.
As green marketing and corporate responsibility continue to move into the spotlight so will public awareness about the legitimacy of a company’s green actions.
A few companies have already seen the repercussions of greenwashing. Mobil Chemical developed and marketed a new product as “biodegradable.” After the product came under scrutiny for misleading claim, one Mobil Chemical spokesmen later admitted that “degradability is just a marketing tool, We’re talking out of both sides of our mouth because we want to sell our bags.” The company was later sued by six states and the FTC.**
If your company decides to go Green, make sure that you can back up your claims. Show your social responsibility by actually going green Instead of trying to position your product as the more environmentally friendly product. Green marketing should be good for your brand. Don’t risk hurting it.
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