I admit that when it looks like too many people are getting ready to zig, I’m thinking that maybe it’s time to consider a zag. It’s not that I’m averse to change, just a little leery of lemming stampedes.
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A “green” article I can use
In spite of all the talk that everything of value in life can now be found online, it seems like my magazine subscription just keeps growing. Sure, most periodicals also offer online content (some will even send you updates every day if you want), but the really good information still seems to arrive the old-fashioned, mailbox-delivery method.
One of my favorite magazines comes directly from the U.S. Postal Service. It’s called Deliver and deals with not only direct-mail issues, a fairly self-serving approach, but also includes other valuable marketing topics. (You can order your tax-funded Deliver magazine online at delivermagazine.com.)
A recent issue was devoted to everything “green,” just like most magazines have been doing for the past year. But one sentence in the issue really caught my attention and re-enforced a quote from Roy Williams, one of the really smart people I turn to for business advice, who says, “There’s no real value in what people say, only in what people do.”
Here’s Deliver’s tell-all sentence on just how light green the buying public really is: “While the Landor survey found that 8 in 10 consumers believe that it’s important to buy from green companies and 30 percent of shoppers say they’ll now spend more on environmentally friendly products, only 3 percent of them actually do.”
There’s no point in asking people about their intentions, which pretty much throws surveys and focus groups to the wind. The only true measurement is watching what people actually do.
The tired cliché “actions speak louder than words” has never been truer than when asking people about anything green. And if you’re wondering why “green” hasn’t made the presidential hopefuls’ agendas, a moderator of a recent debate was told by two candidates, “Voters just aren’t there yet.”
Don’t bother with guilt
If some days you begin to feel a bit guilty about not keeping up with the rush to go green when compared to all the high-profile actions being taken by even the likes of Wal-Mart, (do they really believe that reducing their energy use by 20 percent will turn non-Wal-Mart shoppers into die-hard fans?) keep this thought in mind:
When times get tough, companies will do or say just about anything for even a perceived advantage over their competition.
The rush to green/organic/sustainable/natural that almost every company espouses took on Saturday Night Live skit proportions with an insert found in another business magazine I read. The full-color ad said: ”Supporting sustainable agriculture is part of our commitment to reduce our footprint on the Earth and protecting our natural resources. That’s why we contract organic farmers to grow our natural tobacco to produce 100% organic cigarettes, the Natural American Spirit brand.”
I guess if you’ve been worried about the hazards of smoking, you can rest easy now that there’s an organic alternative with a $20 online coupon. I sort of envisioned their footprint on the Earth in the shape of a coffin and wondered why they didn’t consider humans as a natural resource worth protecting. Oh well, at least they’re organic.
If going green and somehow being able to define what sustainability really means fits your company’s profile, culture and business plan, go for it. But if the whole process seems to be a bit forced and impulsive for your company, keep in mind that a recent study found that 75 percent of men and 65 percent of women now believe that the claim to be green is nothing more than a marketing tactic. It’s your decision. Just remember what that great Muppet philosopher Kermit said: “It’s not easy being green.”
Another great magazine
Another favorite magazine of mine is ddi (design & display ideas), especially their year-end issue when they name the best-designed retail stores and Retailer of the Year winner. While no real surprises seem to emerge, it’s reassuring to see that the judges have similar opinions as many of us retail fanatics.
This year’s Retailer of the Year, Whole Foods, also won Best In-Store Experience. They claim their vision stems from a four-step motto: Emphasis on the environment, community involvement, enhanced customer satisfaction and focus on staff excellence.
Few companies pull this off as consistently as Whole Foods. They were involved with the green movement long before it went mainstream. For them it’s a culture, not a tactic.
Other awards included: Best Apparel, Anthropologie; Best Box Store, Target; Best Entertainment, M&M World; Best Sporting Goods, Bass Pro Shops; Best Consumer Electronics was a tie between Apple and Best Buy; Best Brand Image was also a tie between Apple and Target.
If your team needs a break from the stress and pressure of spring, consider a couple of quick getaways for them to see where retail is really headed with a visit to these winning retailers.
- Robert Hendrickson
Robert Hendrickson is managing director of the Garden Center Group, an alliance of more than 100 garden centers, vendors and service providers. He can be reached at (410) 313-8067; robert@thegardencentergroup.com; www.thegardencentergroup.com.
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March 2008