Posted on October 22, 2009 - by Janet Smith

Is Green Advertising Overload Blocking Successful Value Propositions?

People are busy, consumers are fatigued with too much advertising and really don’t get how their vacuum is now, “Green!” No doubt, high caliber advertising can deliver valuable information creatively, but the past economic prosperity has created advertising overload.  

Overload becomes lack of action and lack of action creates more advertising attempting to justify a premium price for green products.  In these economic times, it is a catch-22.

Presented tongue-in-cheek, Advertising Fatigue, when E=MC squared Generates Negative Energy evaluates a recent report from Stanford and Harvard stating that advertising extends brand awareness but does not address perceived quality. Viewers’ awareness of TV commercials decreases dramatically with that lovely fast forward DVR button, but their ‘Buyer Beware!’ hot buttons are in overdrive. Consumers, partners, affiliates, all business relationships including those focused on green, demand transparency, a.k.a., “nothing to hide”.

This is a classic case of too much and too little: too many green messages and too little trust in what those messages convey. 

“Compared to two years ago, consumers today have a greater understanding of the importance of conservation and clean energy but have not moved this awareness into action,” stated Andrea Fabbri, COO and Chief Marketing Officer of Ecoalign in an October 13th press release. “The challenge for communications and marketing professionals is to make sustainability an economic value. This must start from engaging with consumers on a more deeply emotional level to transform beliefs into the values that shape consumer decisions. But it also has to be complemented by solutions that address the economic barriers.”

Premium price elasticity will not be derived from escalating ‘Look at Me, I’m so Green!’ advertising. Consumers want value and current value propositions are simply not moving consumers to act.

Perhaps a shakeup is in order.

There are as many disciplines in marketing as there are in engineering.  One would not assign a graduate of computer science engineering to a senior bio-chemical or aerospace engineering position and one would not assign a retail shelf marketer specializing in snack product advertising or happy meal promotions to strategic marketing of disruptive technologies in established industries or product marketing to generate vertical solutions sold via indirect channels. 

Would not happen.

Through the next budget cycles, more and more CMOs will be driven to generate brand loyalty commensurate with the growing investment in carbon measurement and management throughout the supply chain. Top, middle or bottom of the supply chain, money needs to come in to substantiate money going out.

Corporations focused on quarterly results know that meeting long-range, high cost programs require consumer support, and consumers want value.  Look for CMOs to look beyond advertising and seek the foundational building blocks of transparent value propositions and solid business strategies to address ROI requirements and trust.  Look for CMOs to collaborate, leverage and require marketing solutions that address economic barriers.

Advertising is one tool in the tool chest of successful CMOs. When expectations are properly set, advertising can produce phenomenal benefits but advertising is not the panacea of all marketing. 

Related posts:

Firms Invest in Carbon Counting, but what Marketing Gain is Achieved?

Counting Emissions: One Product Line, One SKU, and One Supply Chain Vendor at a Time.

Are Corporate Social Responsibility Programs Increasing Shareholder Value?

Business Strategies for Renewable Energy

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Marketing Disruptive Technologies