Observations from an Advertising Professor
February 11, 2008
Posted by Dr. Kim Sheehan, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of Advertising
University of Oregon
Consumers commenting at the Greenwashing Index Web site seem to be knowledgeable about many environmental issues. Comments regarding the Ford ad with Kermit the Frog call into question the value of Ford talking about the miles per gallon (MPG) rating for their Escape SUV. Consumers are savvy enough to know what a good MPG rating is and is not. Advertisers should study what consumers already know about the environment and how they feel about it.
Similarly, comments about the Honda ad discussing Honda's development of Hydrogen Fuel Cells shows that Web site visitors know enough about this technology to raise their skepticism of the ad. Advertisers shouldn't talk down to consumers about environmental issues. If consumers aren't interested in the issue, there may be little an advertiser can do to get them interested, but if they are interested, they probably already know a lot. Respect consumers' intelligence and help them learn more.
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Comments
- On February 15, 2008
- tigerlincoln of Portland, OR said:
- I have mixed feelings about the idea of greenwashing. As a former advertising exec. turned green-entrepreneur, I see greenwashing as a means to an end. Here's my argument: If our goal is to stop global warming and reach sustainability, than 1) awareness needs to be raised about the issue so that demand will increase for more sustainable products and 2) large business will need to change the way they do business toward more sustainable practices. When large companies like Ford greenwash on national TV (regardless of how hypocritical as it is), it reaches a majority of the US population. The result is raised awareness of global warming in an audience that is not, or trying not to think about it. There's no use preaching to the saved, so the saying goes. The net effect is higher overall demand for green products. The flip side is this; when companies see their sales rise from greenwashing, they now have the proof they need to sell actual change to their boards and shareholders. I have reservations about this. But generally, companies follow the mighty dollar wherever it leads. And if it leads toward becoming more sustainable, is that such a bad thing in the end? I would guess the #1 argument against greenwashing is that it redirects dollars from companies that are legit to companies that are not. My response to this is that savvy customers see through the BS and will buy the more sustainable product anyway. The effect of greenwashing is to raise the overall demand for green products and services. Think of it as raising the level of the ocean for all boats. Over time, market forces and competitive pressures will force companies to put their money where their mouths are anyway.
