The Green Marketing Manifesto

Author: John Grant

ISBN: 978-0-470-72324-1

Hardcover: 320 pages

Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Recommended Retail Price: SGD 52.38 (including GST)

Available at all major bookstores

Book Review

John Grant is the co-founder of the St Luke ad agency and has worked with clients such as IKEA, LEGO, Body Shop and innocent on green marketing and sustainability. His experience and thoughts can be summarised in The Green Marketing Manifesto, which articulates a green marketing strategy grid  with 9 different approaches to green marketing.

The green marketing strategy grid is made up of three marketing objectives:

A. Green: Setting new standards in responsible products, policies and processes

B. Greener: Sharing responsibility with customers

C. Greenest: Supporting innovation – new habits, services, business models

And three levels at which marketing can operate:

1. Personal: Product/benefits/individual

2. Social: Brand meanings/herd instincts/tribes/communities

3. Public: Company as credible source, as cultural leader or partner

This 3 x 3 grid results in nine strategies that companies can adopt for their green marketing:

A1: Set an Example (Framing vs Pointing)

A2: Credible Partners (Eco-label vs Cause-related)

A3: Market a Benefit (Less vs More)

B1: Develop the Market (Educate vs Evangelise)

B2: Tribal Brands (Exclusive vs Inclusive)

B3: Change Usage (Switch vs Cut)

C1: New Business Concepts (Social Production vs Property)

C2: Trojan Horse Ideas (Tradition vs New Cool)

C3: Challenging Consuming (Treasuring vs Sharing)

Besides the green marketing approaches, John explains that companies need to go beyond image marketing to create sustainable brands. Companies should not make normal products seem green (greenwashing), instead they should make green products seem normal and acceptable. His vision is:

Green (and sustainable) products are not just responsible. They are better: more durable, cheaper, nicer, healthier, more thoughtful, offering extensions into social communities, belonging to something. The green products, services and businesses of the future are creative, in a sparky, thrilling way.

The Green Marketing Manifesto is an essential guide on green marketing for companies with green products and services, marketing executives and CSR professionals.

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Promotion for Green Business Times Readers

Readers in Singapore can now buy the book from John Wiley & Sons (Asia) Pte Ltd at a 20% discount from 20 Apr 09 to 20 May 09.

1. Place your order to this email address: csd_ord@wiley.com or call: +65 6463 4604
2. Quote the ISBN of the book title
3. Quote the 4 digit promotion code to be entitled to the 20% discount – Promo Code 2400.

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5 Principles for Companies to Avoid Greenwashing

As more companies jump on the green bandwagon and declare that they are green, there are some who are not being honest or who overstate their so-called green practices or products. In Singapore, greenwashing also occurs, and recent businesses accused of greenwashing include Starbucks, Tuas Power and Compass Point.

This article includes a list of simple principles that you can apply in your green marketing to reduce the possibility of consumers or environmentalists accusing your company of greenwashing. As the principles are general, you can use them in any industry and for any product or service. Read more