How Committed Is Your Company to Earth Day Outreach Rather Than Just Earth Day Branding?
Earth Day Marketing and Education- Do They Have to Be Mutually Exclusive?
Austin, Texas: With Earth Day only a few months away (April 22), we are getting our yearly calls and online orders for eco-friendly promotional products–mostly used for outreach programs.
Many of my clients are participating in Earth Day celebrations as a way of promoting their brand. Nothing wrong with that, as Earth Day helps businesses to reach a green-friendly audience.
However, many of my best clients view Earth Day as an opportunity to try to educate the public on improved recycling and conservation techniques and strategies. This provides for a robust interchange of ideas that can improve both short-term and long-term reduction in one’s carbon footprint.
I like to think of Earth Day as a way to combine both aspects–outreach and branding for businesses of all sizes. If you show that your company is truly committed to green causes, then you will want to educate.
Make Earth Day a part of your brand strategy–not an afterthought.
An educated customer is a life-long customer–so spend time educating your customers on why they should go green and how they can go green.
Don’t tout your company. Promote the cause and your branding will follow.
Speak at schools and community events.
Leave the audience with action steps that they can take to reduce energy consumption immediately.
Explain the whys and hows of recycling.
Discuss the need for reusable tote bags instead of plastic single-use bags.
Be a valued resource on issues of the environment.
Here are some ideas of educating the public and branding that you might find helpful:
If you are trying to reach students, some of our most popular promotional out-reach items are imprinted coloring books that make it fun to learn about recycling or energy conservation. Another low-cost item are recycling temporary tattoos that promote recycling and other green causes. These can be stock or have your logo added to them.
If you are reaching a more mature population, than recycling information guides have been a very useful way of education consumers on ways to reduce energy consumption, improve recycling and cut their carbon footprint.
Another popular items for Earth Day include jar openers made from recycled car tires, each with tips on improving the planet.
You can also use flower seed packets with tips on them, live tree seedlings with tips, and recycled journal books–again with helpful Earth Day tips.
Don’t give away items that will end up in a landfill. Make Earth Day a time for education and out-reach–and the branding will take care of itself.
Believe in Earth Day..and make it a daily cause–not a yearly event.
Here’s to a greener tomorrow, today.
