Marketing green products

Today there is a network of organizations or business entities manufacturing, or even marketing green products in an attempt to indicate safe environment concern. Green marketing involves the trading of products that are considered to be safe to the ecosystem or the environment. Activities incorporated in this process do not cause harm to the environment. Such activities may involve modification of advertisement, changes in packaging, production process and product modification. However, the definition results to contradiction due to meanings intersections (Grant, 2007). Holistically, the nature of green indicates that in addition to retailers and suppliers, new stakeholders should be included. Such stakeholders include organizations such as NGOs, educators, community members or regulators. Issues of the environment should equalize the principal requirements of the client. Green marketing has gained its popularity with time, since there is an increasing trend in environmental appeals and attractiveness on green products.

In green marketing, consumers are classified as true greens, symbolizing regular or frequent consumers of green products. Light green consumers purchase green products occasionally. Examples of green marketing products are Philips lights. This product emulated difficulties in delivering its sales, until a new launch of its brand named marathon was implemented. Its superfluous long life standpoint was evident in that it would save energy up to 26dollars within 5years. Similarly, in fuel savings, vehicle sharing services have played a major role. Electronic department on the other hand, is popularizing the use of HPs which has been expected to reduce global energy consumption by 20% by the fiscal 2010. Green marketing therefore involves a full-serviced strategy for marketing and development of a brand. The process ensures eco-sustainability or the developing of a market for those products that are socially responsible and are sustainable. Preferential in green marketing are normally allocated to environmental benefits other than the other activities which avail customer’s satisfaction such as price, availability, quality or performance (Wasik, 1996).

In its attempt to safeguard the environment, green marketing has a great range of activities such as production process changes, product modification, changes in packaging and modification of advertising. Conflicts arise in its varied meanings due to changing environmental, retail and social issues (Ottman & Reilly, 2006). The term evolved from a workshop held by renowned American Marketing Association, where the first book was published on green marketing. The process is faced with a great challenge to provide standards on what constitutes green marketing. Any company making green marketing claims has no definition as to what extent a product is good. As a result few firms have been associating themselves with green product manufacturing yet, market leaders have not been so vigilant in enhancing its sustainability. This thereby has resulted to slow growth rate of green products.

Kyoto Protocol for example has developed a Clean Development Mechanism which allows trade to take place between Developing Countries and industries. This forms a basis for capital flows to environmentally friendly operations. For example in countries such U.S, although they have not adopted the Kyoto Protocol, the country has availed programs enabling companies to carry out transactions voluntarily and as well in ways that can be regulated. Reduction of greenhouse gas has established promising ways in sourcing finances for sustainable development. However, the market has been inaccessible to a large number of projects which are small scale, remote or less developed localities. To increase benefits and participation, market awareness between prospective participants and stakeholders need to be upheld. Overcoming the constraints to green housing will result to upholding the support of activities benefiting the lives of people and the environment. Green marketing has revealed that effectiveness and appeals to the environment are actually increasing at a high rate. For example, energy star label has appeared in 11000 varied companies now. There are 38 categories of products from light bulb and washing machines to homes and skyscrapers. Recent research report has revealed a growing trend to green products

Green marketing has enhanced fuel savings, reduced traffic and parking problems through car sharing services. This has been an up-grade to the environment since more open space is created and greenhouse gases are reduced. For example, an individual driving less than 7500miles per annum and does not drive to work may have enormous savings by simply joining services such as flex car, hour car or even zip car considered to be environmentally safe. Additionally, the sector of electronics provides space for green marketing thereby pulling new customers. For instance, Hewlett-Packard Company expressed its plans to avail energy efficient items and services worldwide below levels of 2005. Also, due to high increase in pollution within New Delhi, India’s Supreme Court ordered a shift to alternative fuels. The court gave directive to the systems of public transport for a total adoption of CNG to stop pollution (Ottman & Reilly, 2006). Nevertheless, for green marketing to attract more customers, thereby increasing company’s incomes, several things need to be done. Effectiveness is actually achieved through increasing awareness to customers, being genuine and creating conducive environment for participation. Being genuine involves truthfulness to a company’s claims. Other business policies must be consistent with the environmental friendliness. Creating awareness involves both letting the customers know your intentions in environmental protection and also allowing them know the significance. Allowing for participation revolves around personalizing the gains of protecting the environment. In an attempt to market various green products, firms such as Wal Mart have joined the move towards creating safe environmental by trading in merchandise that are considered to be environmentally safe and rouse sustaining. For example, a company may decide to be environmental friendly by deliberately encouraging or popularizing non-plastic bags. Normally, when a green claim is taken to be false by consumers, this may result to a company seriously damaging their brands and sales. Also this can happen if the competing company’s products or practices are revealed to be contradicting. For example, firm’s such as Marketing Green Incl, established in 2000 has been relentlessly offering various green marketing strategies consultations to a number of organizations practicing under manufacturing industry in U.S.

In addition, there are a variety of cars manufactured under modern technologies by popular market leaders in an attempt to observe green marketing strategy. According to research, the recent strategy taken by automakers such Toyota, Ford and Honda supports the move toward green marketing. Environmental friendly vehicle include Mercury Mariner Hybrid, Toyota, Ford Escape Hybrid, and Lexus RX400h. Trucks, pick-ups and minivans are said to pollute the environment. In the list above, the only luxurious vehicles are the Lexus RX400h and Acura RSX. There’s an increased consumer appeal in flexible fuels and hybrids. This is because the consumers are becoming more familiar with powertrain technology alternatives and the perceived drive by high gas prices. For example, increasing premiums on prices in hybrid vehicles encourages consideration for alternative hybrid by customers. The premiums can move from 3000dollars to 10000 dollars. This does not happen with vehicles which are not hybrid. Vehicles with alternative fuels such as diesel and E85 are also at an increasing demand. Predictions show that consumers below 25 percent considerations in the future would only be on gasoline-powered vehicles. One of the main challenge in use of powertrains as alternatives is their unrealistic expectations on fuel-saving capability. Marshall revealed further that hybrids especially do not always live as far as the EPA estimate of the vehicle. Therefore there’s need for a continuous education to the consumers on the technology and the benefits thereof. Control of acceptance within the consumers can be highly instrumental through consumer premiums and management of consumer expectations.

In conclusion, it’s important to note that the green marketing operation goes along way in satisfying the consumer’s desires, as well as the perceived diverse needs. Evaluation has also reflected the importance of the process in preserving and conserving the environment. The process normally manipulates promotion, price, distribution as well as the product, thereby offering superior environmental gains through increase in energy savings, reduction of waste, and decreased toxic emissions to the ecosystem. Improved consumption of green products results from environmental campaign through high level of public awareness. As drawn fro the discussion above, the proponents of green marketing are mainly aiming in integration of green products into the overall lifestyles of consumers. The traditional objective in business has been maximization of profits by application of integrity in natural environment. Environmental concerns have however proved to be are constraints or limitation on business operations. Green marketing has also served in enhancing environmental responsibility to our ecosystem by offering various products that conforms to various requirements defined under safe environmental products. This arises from the possibilities to capitalize on opportunities emerging from sales of the environmental friendly products and services (Grant, 2007). As such the discussion above indicates that, while few organizations claim to be going green, the impact brought about by the green practicing firm has a positive impact to our environment in terms of reducing pollution to our ecosystem.

References

Ottman., J. & Reilly, W. (2006). Opportunity for Innovation. Burlington, Canada: Booksurge Publishers.

Grant, G. (2007). The green marketing manifesto. Hoboken, N J: John Wiley and Sons Publishers.

Wasik, J. (1996). Green Marketing &Management. Oxford, England: Wiley-Blackwell Publishers.