The Six Sins of Green Marketing

As society becomes more environmentally conscious, more green products will begin appearing on store shelves and more green advertising will take place in magazines, on television, and on the products themselves. Between 2008 and 2009 there was an estimated 79% increase in green products offered and an additional 73% increase between 2009 and 2010 according to TerraChoice. While conducting this study TerraChoice also reviewed the marketing techniques associated with these new products. From the data TerraChoice created six sins associated with green advertising and discovered that approximately 95% of products advertised commit at least one of these sins. The first is the sin of the hidden trade-off. This is focusing on a narrow set of attributes and not the product as a whole such as focusing on sustainable harvesting and ignoring its pollution. The second is the sin of no proof. This is making an environmental claim that cannot be substantiated such as claiming to have a percentage of post-consumer recycled content without any evidence. Third is the sin of vagueness. This is making a claim that is poorly defined such as calling a product all natural while ignoring natural toxic ingredients such as mercury. Fourth is the sin of irrelevance. This is making a claim that is truthful but unimportant such as calling a product CFC-free when CFCs are banned by law. Fifth is the sin of lesser of two evils. This is making a claim that is true within one category, but distracts a consumer from other harmful aspects of the product such as organic cigarettes. Sixth is the sin of fibbing. This is giving false information such as giving the impression of a third-party endorsement where no endorsement exists.