Earth Day Marketing: How Are You Communicating Your Green Message?

  • Apr 6, 2011

Earth Day is just 2 weeks away and many marketers are still scrambling to find a last minute effort to come up with their Earth Day campaigns.

In fact, my phone has been ringing off the hook for the past three days (and nights…I just finished a phone call at 8:30 P.M. with a client in Massachusetts) with clients looking for last minute eco-friendly promotional ideas for their outreach programs.

Putting your name and logo on recycled promotional items is great. I would not be able to stay in business without it, nor I would have chosen it as my profession if I did not believe strongly in them.

That being said, my questions to most of these callers are:

1. What is The Goal of Your Earth Day Message?

  • Are you looking to change behaviors?
  • Are you trying to change the public’s perception of your organization?
  • Are you looking to educate the public–as sort of a public service or outreach campaign?

All three of these agendas require a different marketing message. Make sure your message matches your goals.

2. Can You Back Up Your Message With Deeds and Achievements?

  • As they say in my home town of Austin, Texas, are you “talking the talk–or walking the walk”?
  • Did you just wake up this morning thinking that you had to do something green for Earth Day?
  • Did your boss call you in for a meeting and declare that you will be participating in an Earth Day event–and this is all news to you?
  • Or has your organization been planning your green agenda for many, many months and Earth Day is a natural extension of your marketing mix?

3) How are You Planning to Communicate Your Goals, Message and/or Agenda?

  • Will you be using social media?
  • Will you be giving a speech?
  • Will you be exhibiting at a community Earth Day event?

Hopefully, if you are truly a green company, the answer is all three.

According to the 2011 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker, consumers do not expect companies to be saints. A full three-quarters (75%) say it is okay if a company is not environmentally perfect—as long as it is honest and transparent about its efforts.

My advice: Be real. Don’t fake it.

Happy Earth Day.


  • Category: green marketing
  • Tags: 2011 Cone Green Gap Trend Tracker, earth day marketing, earth day promotions, eco marketing, Eco Marketing Solutions, ecomarketing, last minute Earth Day ideas, Robert Piller