DDi - October 2009 - (Page 48)

48 | Think Tank Winning over today’s greenwash-weary consumers he natural world is no mere abstraction for the eco-savvy customers of Patagonia. Indeed, many spend their weekends hiking, skiing, paddling or fly fishing, wearing outdoor clothing from the manufacturer. Visitors to Patagonia.com can click on the image of any garment and read about its ecological upside. “We use high-quality goose down, an exceptionally efficient insulator,” reads one such info box. “The down comes from humanely raised geese and is minimally processed. The light shell is of recycled polyester.” No surprises there. After all, Patagonia would be crazy not to tout its sustainability efforts, given the green bent of its consumers. But here is where it gets interesting: under the heading “The Bad,” the company then proceeds to describe exactly what is not green about the garment, noting that the zipper is treated with a water repellent containing PFOA, “a synthetic chemical that is now persistent in the environment. This product is not yet recyclable.” Talk about transparency. Not many companies would be keen on admitting that scary-sounding chemicals found in its products are “bad.” But by being so forthright—and by pledging to further green its products and operations as its ability to do so improves—Patagonia is building immense brand credibility. This preemptive strike can stop any would-be watchdogs from hurling “greenwashing” charges. Patagonia’s smart approach to green doesn’t end there. The site includes “The Footprint Chronicles,” an extensive overview of its green initiatives, as well as “The Cleanest Line,” a blog with a major emphasis on green that gives customers the chance to sound off. Starbucks’ SharedPlanet Web site is in a similar vein. It gives consumers an abundance of info about Starbucks’ considerable efforts toward sustainability—which include the recently announced plans to “go green” (pursue LEED certification) in all new Starbucks stores. Take a tour through the green blogosphere, however, and you’ll find no shortage of scathing criticism for the company. On one hand, there is little Starbucks can do to mollify a certain stratum of extreme critics. If it touts its efforts to buy Fair Trade coffee (a sustainability movement that helps coffee growers in developing countries), for example, these eco-warriors will nonetheless say Starbucks doesn’t T buy enough Fair Trade, or will assail the company for using too much water or too many paper cups. On the other hand, you can’t help but wonder whether the volume and tone of that criticism would change if Starbucks took an utterly transparent, Patagonia-like approach and said, “Here’s the good and the bad of what we’re doing.” Another option is to go very low-key. Befitting its regular-guy image, this is precisely what Dunkin’ Donuts did when it wanted to promote its participation in Fair Trade. Rather than running green-themed ads rife with imagery of smiling indigenous farmers carefully tending coffee trees on Guatemalan hillsides, the chain was careful not to overreach. It worked a simple Fair Trade logo into some marketing materials, which was just enough to prompt a nod of approval from those who care about such things—and not enough to arouse suspicions of greenwashing. When telling the story of their efforts to go green, brands must be cleareyed about their own complex relationships with consumers. Starbucks’ commitment to Fair Trade actually is a big deal, considering the enormous scale of this multinational corporation. Unfortunately, for Starbucks, its size and corporate aura make it an easy target for eco-warriors. It has a much harder sell than, say, Ben & Jerry’s, which all of us would immediately assume is green to the hilt, or for that matter, blue-collar Dunkin’ Donuts, which nobody expects to be on the cutting edge of the environmental movement. The bottom line is simple enough. If you aim to make green a fundamental part of your brand messaging, do not do so until sustainability truly is written into the company’s very DNA, from senior management on down. If your efforts are more modest, make sure your marketing is just as low-key. And no matter how green your company might be, communicate those efforts with an honest and straightforward transparency. Doing so can deflect criticism and win respect from today’s increasingly eco-savvy shoppers. —Joseph Bona directs the Retail Design practice for CBX, a full-service branding agency based in New York. Contact him at joseph@cbx.com. | October 2009 www.ddimagazine.com http://www.Patagonia.com http://www.ddimagazine.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of DDi - October 2009

DDi - October 2009
Table of Contents
From the Editor
Newsworthy
Consumer Insights
Quick Tips
Greentailing
Editor’s Choice
Design Snapshot
Green Super Section
Eco Shoppe
Hannaford Bros.
Channel Focus: Hospitality
Green Depot
Right Light
How to Pass the LEED AP Exam
Green Products
In-Store Technology
Product Spotlight: Color & Materials
Calendar
Advertisers
Classifieds
Think Tank

DDi - October 2009