Eco-branding
From green to brown: beyond the ecological speech

They are a lot of companies that declare to be on the green wave, developing all kind of products that protect nature: hybrid cars, recyclable packaging, ... But is Green our essence, the reason of being of our company? Is our commitment to the environment for real? Does the customer want something more than just a green brand? Is the future in green companies? The trends are changing. Also ecological concepts and evoked moods…

Green is more than just a colour. Green is the essence of nature, it is an ideology, a lifestyle: it is an environmental consciousness. The adjective Green can give a "natural” touch to multiple phenomenon. Green cosmetics means natural in terms of ingredients and " Green medicine" is the practice of healing by homeopathy and alternative therapies.

In Spain 61% of consumers say they are increasingly concerned about the environment ⁽¹⁾; 55% have already bought eco-friendly products or services; 30% declare to have the intention not to purchase products harmful for to the natural environment ⁽²⁾ and, despite the current economic crisis, 39% of Spanish consumers and 48% worldwide, are ready to pay extra 10% for sustainable products ⁽³⁾.

Today no brand can avoid the environmental theme. And with global increasing awareness of our lifestyles, eco positioning becomes a double-edged weapon. In Coleman CBX we distinguish between different types of brands according to their eco-management model: those that are trying to communicate a new commitment without a solid base, those which add Green to their positioning as one more adjective in its positioning and, finally, those that contribute to the planet’s sustainable development. To look or to be ecologically responsible. It is the crux of the matter.

Green: fake ecology / ecology of fashion

In recent years, the green was no longer an option to become an obligation. Companies started to change their mentality and their values in order to develop new environmental proposals: launching second lines (such as San Miguel Eco beer "made with organic ingredients"), highlighting one or two features in their products (the sports store Decathlon offers pesticide-free sportswear), looking for sustainable partners and projects of recuperation of threatened areas (for example now Coca-Cola and WWF work to reforest the Guadiana)...

However, the abuse of this trend is causing some fatigue and distrust among consumers, especially when certain product categories do not meet customer expectations.

One of the obvious examples can be found in the positioning of the cars. The Green here is related with Less consume / More efficiency and Less CO2, when what is really expected from brands are the motors with alternative energy.

According to the study "Our Green World” by TNS Research Institute, most of the Spanish do not believe that companies support these initiatives because of being concerned about the environment: 78% think that the marketing or better image of the company are real reasons ⁽⁴⁾. These data reflect the end of an era. Green fashion is losing strength, while the ecology, becoming really important factor, asks organizations and categories to be related to other colours and contents.

Green with Yellow and Blue: ecology and quality of life.

Along with the colours of the sky, natural quality of Green became a symbol of life in the broadest sense, of wellbeing, personal ecology and breathing ecology. In such a way brands do not try to find a new eco commitment, but to complete and enrich their positioning. Ecology is attractive for me because it can be connected with my brand image.

BP Group’s trademark is represented by Helios, named after the Greek god of the Sun. A single global brand, along with the name of the company "Beyond Petroleum," has demonstrated a transformation of the oil company in relation to the environment and their aspirations as an organization. Since that moment, BP is working towards "affordable energy, safe and friendly environment ⁽⁵⁾.

With this kind of positioning, the environmental commitment is not just a promise or brand essence, but one more evidence of its concern for “progress, responsibility, innovation and results orientation."

However, this option blurs the environmental awareness in a more inspiring way. And the future is in introducing ecology in the brand’s DNA, betting more on a green company, than on a green brand.

Green and Brown: ecology and sustainability

Only together with Brown Green is able to transmit the naturalness of the land, the simplicity of nature, the authentic being and, ultimately, the real commitment.

Along with the colour of the land, Green matures, becomes more conscious, rational and empirical. The matter is not about just painting the face green, but about having "ecological intelligence" ⁽⁶⁾. We should understand the impact of our everyday decisions and act in harmony. The matter is not only about brand personality or ability but also about its behaviour (attitude and role in the society). The matter is not about feeling comfortable, concerning about environment and health by buying these products, but also about being sustainable.

According to the Green Brands Survey 2009 ⁽⁷⁾ research about consumer’s environmental awareness on the international level, good environmental behaviour is responsibility of companies. 77% of respondents say that it is quite or very important that companies had a sustainable ecological politics. As Dan Esty, one of the leaders of the research, says: "Consumers expect companies to recycle seriously, to use energy efficiently, reduce packaging and commitment for eco-innovation."

The car industry sector knows well if the future will be sustainable or not. The latest edition of the Detroit International Salon, which sets trends in the world market, sees future in hybrid and electric vehicles. Today there is no brand that does not work on new projects focused on ecology and respect for the environment. It is a direction where Japanese manufacturers take the lead.

Ultimately, consumers want a green company, with sustainability as a part of its strategy. Director of REI’s Corporate Social Responsibility, Kevin Hagen declared: "There is a big difference between trying to be green and to find sustainable business solutions. The first has unexpected consequences for the company, can be both positive and negative. The second is more serious option, it can be measured and contributes to a company's profitability ".

Cases and interests

Last July, water company Font Vella and Lanjaron, launched the first recycling plastic bottle (R-PET) and took the opportunity to present his plan of cutting of 10% of CO2 annual emissions, and informed about the achieved results: decrease of 16% of energy consumption in bottling plants in the last 5 years, and of 15% of the plastic packaging since 2000 ... This eco-management initiative aims "the result of our activity to be the most respectful possible to the nature and neighbourhood environment."⁸.

The new vision favoured to evaluate the product life cycle. To analyse all organized and transformed materials "from its creation to its end"(9), because "the problems are not associated with a single stage, but with all products and with its life cycles” ¹⁰.

The recent campaign "Do you know where your Coca Cola comes from?" informs us about the energy impact of using one of its local products: "One Coca-Cola produced in our country covers more than 200 km, what supposes lower environmental impact (up to 14 times) than one Coca-Cola from abroad. ¹¹.

Beyond the curiosity factor, life cycle analysis helps us to introduce environmental standards into stages of production, distribution, use, recycling and final treatment of the product, in order to create products that minimize resource consumption as much as possible. This methodology, known as eco-design, changes the corporate mentality but also represents a great business opportunity: it allows us to reduce costs, position ourselves as an innovative and distinctive company and be able to reinvent the product or category.

Ariel ExcelGel: Procter & Gamble found that the need to heat water for washing clothes was the main environmental impact of its line of detergents. So the company created Ariel Excel, which allows us to save 50% of energy in each washing only by changing from 40 to 15 º.

El Ventero: Forlasa Group SA, "considers being essential to respect the environment through an optimal environmental integration of its business over the entire operating cycle” ⁽¹²⁾. Therefore it has an ambitious goal for the future. CO2 = 0; which can be achieved by using renewable energy in the manufacture of cheese The Ventero.

Sanex Zero %: The multinational company of cleaning products and personal care Sara Lee Household & Bodycare has launched the Sanex Zero %, a shower gel made with fewer chemicals substances and presented in a new packaging "Eco-pack", which reduces 73% of plastic and can be used to fill the bottles when the gel is finished.

Now you can meet sustainability everywhere and eco promise is no longer the purpose of purchasing the product, but it is one more adjective for its attributes. Sustainable companies can communicate the most exciting benefits for consumers without worrying about the Green positioning. Sustainability becomes a standard for all products, making our brand more credible (our green challenge is provable and transparent), and not being the main reason for purchasing. As Joel Makower says ⁽¹³⁾, "design a green product but sell its other benefits."

Thus, Ariel Excel Gel “makes part of a new generation of detergents exclusively designed to offer you a dazzling clean ⁽¹⁴⁾. El Ventero cheese "is healthy for those who eats it" and the new Sanex Zero% does not lose "necessary substances for cleansing and moisturizing the skin ¹⁵.

"To make doing green staff part of normal life"¹⁶

The agreement green-brown will make ecology a part of everyday life and a consumer culture. Thus, only brands with sustainable values can be considered strong brands and prove their positioning beyond the fashion and trend. Without specific environmental contributions our green commitment is just a chrome, just a cliché, a short term allowed.

Unambiguous messages, transparency, quantitative and measurable demonstration of environmental contribution in action, brand products and brand behaviour allow us to appear as green and sustainable brand in minds of our consumers. Only in this way we understand how in the Top Green Brand 2009 ⁽¹⁷⁾, together with such brands as Nature, Toyota or The Body Shop, P&G and Johnson & Johnson and Microsoft come out.

From this time marketing plans should incorporate more sustainability practices. Not only thinking about making products for sale, but also on its return; closing cycles. The marketing plan should finish with recycled product.

Víctor Mirabet
Legal Advisor of Coleman CBX Branding
www.colemancbx.com