When cultivating your brand’s image, there are a number of things to consider. Brand identity involves identifying values, a personality, and the type of voice that will be used. No matter what a brand’s mission is, it’s becoming more common. And important for brands to consider their sustainability and environmental impact.
Going green in business is not just good for the environment; it can be good for your brand’s image. It can attract valuable employees, as well as new customers who align with your efforts.
Questions to Ask Yourself as a Brand
To survive as a brand, your message and product should represent your identity. Whether you keep this process in-house or hire a marketing company such as Gravitate One to help, ask yourself the following:
- Who is my ideal customer?
- What problems does my product/service solve?
- What is my brand’s personality?
- Who is my competition?
- How does my brand stand out?
- Why should/do clients trust my brand?
- What’s my brand’s story?
After you’ve ruminated on these questions and come up with answers that help define your brand. You can also look at how going green boosts your image.
How Environmental Awareness Helps Brand Image
Many companies have to conduct environmental surveys before carrying out jobs. If a city wants to add a parking lot or a playground, they have to assess the impact this development will have on the surrounding area. Anderson Engineering is well aware of the importance of knowing any potential risks a project can have for the environment and offers solutions for several industries. If you want to know what type of impact your product will have on the environment, you may need to hire a company to analyze every step of the sourcing, manufacturing, and distribution processes your employ.
WHAT IT MEANS TO “GO GREEN”
You may need to start small when it comes to going green as a business, especially if it presents overhead costs that you need to consider. In order to be sustainable, you could start with one aspect of conservation that best aligns with your brand identity. Refer to an energy audit of your business to understand your carbon footprint and pick the conservation efforts that make the most sense.
- Go paperless in your office and with your customers
- Get away from single-use items in your office
- Allow employees to work from home to reduce driving
- Switch to recyclable packaging
- Source sustainable materials for your products
- Contribute to organizations that promote environmental research and conservation
- Get employees involved in conservation events
A 2015 study conducted by Nielsen Research found that 70% of consumers polled responded that they’d pay more for products sold by environmentally friendly brands. So while there may be increased costs upfront for your brand, there’s a good chance that going green will eventually pay for itself.
WHAT CONSUMERS WANT
There’s a delicate balance between consumers wanting convenience and wanting to support brands that promote sustainability. The Economist conducted a survey and found that consumers expect brands to do as much as the government when it comes to conservation efforts. That’s a lot of responsibility to shoulder as a brand! However, it usually pays off, both literally and in terms of elevating your brand image.
If you’re going green with your brand, be sure your target demographic is interested. Millennials, ages 23-36, are typically the generation most concerned with eco-friendly practices. Here’s a more thorough look at who expects what from brands based on age.
Concerned with Knowing Where Products are Sourced
- 47% Generation Z (9-23)
- 59% Young Millennials (23-26)
- 60% Core Millennials (27-32)
- 62% Mature Millennials (33-36)
- 56% Generation X (41-56)
- 48% Baby Boomers (57-75)
Intentionally Purchases from Companies that Actively Protect the Environment
- 49% Generation Z
- 60% Young Millennials
- 61% Core Millennials
- 58% Mature Millennials
- 53% Generation X
- 47% Baby Boomers
Intentionally Purchases Products with Eco-Friendly Packaging
- 48% Generation Z
- 55% Young Millennials
- 60% Core Millennials
- 55% Mature Millennials
- 55% Generation X
- 51% Baby Boomers
Makes an Effort to Buy more Biodegradable and Eco-Friendly Products
- 48% Generation Z
- 56% Young Millennials
- 59% Core Millennials
- 58% Mature Millennials
- 52% Generation X
- 47% Baby Boomers
Check labels for Sustainability Certification
- 47% Generation Z
- 57% Young Millennials
- 58% Core Millennials
- 53% Mature Millennials
- 51% Generation X
- 43% Baby Boomers
Knowing these demographics can help you target initiatives that appeal to your ideal client. For example, if you sell a product that appeals to everyone from Gen Z to Baby Boomers. Eco-friendly packaging is probably most worth your investment. It’s a concern most ages have, so it can have a bigger impact on your consumers regardless of their age.
BENEFITS OF GOING GREEN
Brands that can make it easy for customers to shop responsibly see some obvious benefits.
- Tax credits/incentives
- Healthier work environments and happier employees
- Increased profits
- Increased efficiency in the workplace
- Reduced overhead costs
- Competitive advantage over other brands
Studies show that consumers tend to offer loyalty to brands that support going green initiatives. While some customers may balk at increased pricing associated with purchasing environmentally friendly products. Many customers are willing to absorb those costs.
Examples of Brands Going Green
There are countless small businesses and huge corporations putting in the work to reduce their negative impact on the environment.
- Apple
Uses solar power in CA stores, offices, and headquarters
Accepts used products for recycling
Doesn’t use PVC in their products so they are easier to recycle
- Frito Lay
Uses steam-generated energy to power their AZ facility
Switched trucks to electric
Uses 100% renewable energy for power
Uses recycled or renewable material in half of all plastic hardware
- Proctor & Gamble
Reuses wastewater for irrigation and fire extinguishing tanks
70% of their sites are zero-waste
Uses wind electricity to power some plants
90% of product packaging is recyclable
Puma
Packaging decomposes in three months
The eco-conscious consumer is quickly becoming the dominant one, so it makes sense for brands to get on board with ways to cater to this demographic. And as more companies do so, the costs associated with eco-friendly practices will likely decrease.
