Avoiding green marketing myopia: ways to improve consumer appeal for environmentally preferable products

Ottman, Jacquelyn A., Edwin R. Stafford, and Cathy L. Hartman. "Avoiding green marketing myopia: ways to improve consumer appeal for environmentally preferable products." Environment 48.5 (2006): 22+.

Another problem organizations have with marketing their products is striking the right balance between making sure the product is useful to the consumer AND good for the environment. Successful green products are able to appeal to mainstream consumers or lucrative market niches and frequently command price premiums by offering “non-green” consumer value such as convenience or performance. Green marketing must satisfy two objectives: improved environmental quality AND customer satisfaction. Also, customers may be buying products such as organic foods and energy efficient appliances, not for environmental reasons, but because of their perceived safety and/or money savings. In fact, there are five desirable benefits associated with green products: 1) efficiency and cost effectiveness 2) health and safety 3) performance 4) symbolism and status and 5) convenience. Any of these can be combined in any way to create the most appropriate campaign for the specific audience.