In AdvertisingAge today, there is an worth a read, "Economic Blues Leave No Room for Green." Essentially, the green-marketing movement is taking a hit from hard economic times. Companies are having to place less emphasis on their cause-related and environmental issues due to downturns. "In fact, marketing that is 'beneficial for society' or that minimizes the impact on the environment now ranked at the bottom of the top five priorities.. for the next 12 months" according to a Duke University study of seventy-two Fortune 1000 companies.
Unilever is just one example. Unilever is having to shift its marketing priorities as a result. One executive acknowledged that while green is a good way to go for consumer product, it's not among families high priorities at the moment. What does this mean for Unilever? While the company hasn't dropped it's cause-related marketing for Dove, it will focus on the new Dove Go Fresh line, and Wal-Mart Stores are even talking less about their sustainability themes with releasing 37 stories a month versus 72 stories a month this time last year.
The wane isn't necessarily the effect that going green isn't important to consumers. Rather, families and individuals are feeling the pinch a the gas pump, grocery store and other areas of their lives. So, while green is good, when it comes to the pocketbook, people will opt for discounts and lower priced products, at least for now.
