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Nuz Yu Uz, a Full Circle Marketing & Design publication.
© 2007/2008 all rights reserved.
Contact us if you have any questions or want to submit an article.
970-962-9203
© 2007/2008 all rights reserved.
Contact us if you have any questions or want to submit an article.
970-962-9203
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In Colors for 2008 It is time to change. Marketing and design firms can become catalysts for change guiding their customers toward better use of resources, both their own and that of the Earth, toward making an ecological statement, either boldly or quietly, and being part of the dialog of environmental consciousness, openly or in the background. The bottom line is that environmental green and big blue are good for business and good for our planet. The Human Effect Pollution and environmental impact is not a new discussion. In the late 1960’s and through the 1970’s, there was a push-and-pull about the ever-increasing stress humans were putting on the earth and its resources. The dialog was tough between those who wanted to clean up the streets, the water and the air and care for forests and those who wanted to protect their investments and jobs. A vision comes to mind of Lake Erie, a huge fresh-water lake full of life and activity but that died because of human pollution. There is the scene of the burning river in Cleveland, on fire because of the buildup of excess contaminants. Remember Love Canal or the time when people would simply throw a bag of garbage or a can out their car window? These and other examples were and still are, very real. We have a huge impact on our world. Today, the dialog continues but the debate now includes that of the whole ecosystem including global warming. For the most part, thousands of scientists believe humans do have some responsibility in the changing climate. A handful believes it is just the natural progression of the earth. The fact is, we are playing out a similar scenario as what occurred in the last century in the 60’s and 70’s between the environment and business. Whatever the full truth is about global warming and humans interaction and effect on the environment, most of us will agree that we humans do influence our surroundings, sometimes permanently, sometimes not. “Junk in, junk out”can have a whole new meaning Can people doing business and people protecting the environment find common ground? Yes! A simple example of this is Lake Erie. Once thriving and full of aquatic life it had a productive fishing industry. When the lake died, so did this industry. When the lake was cleaned up, the fishing industry came back, the industries along the lake began better waste practices and companies and products were created to help with the problem of waste management. When people talk of the need to find other sources of energy than fossil fuel (the word “fossil” alone should signal it’s time for a change), there is an outcry about how jobs would be lost and the expense too high. Humans are smarter. We bounce back with creative alternatives. New ideas generate new business and employment opportunities. Unfortunately, it seems we become fearful of losing what we already know (similar to how I feel right now about upgrading my word processing software that has a new fancy layout…where is that command now?). "Better the devil you know that the one you don’t.” There is also the notion we will spend more money to attain an environmental utopia. It is possible that we will spend a little more now save a bit later. Businesses may find themselves saving money now simply by reducing their printing costs, changing their processes and relying on other methods of printing and advertising. Every little bit helps, as more and more businesses decide to go with the in vogue color scheme of environmental green and big blue. We reap what we sow. We are what we eat. But what does all of this have to do with marketing and design and advertising and saving trees and money and getting results from our marketing campaign and…? Incorporating the “in colors” of environmental green and big blue can result in a win-win for both business and our planet. Take note of these two statistics: Just over 70% of consumers indicate that knowing a company is mindful of their impact on the environment and society makes them more likely to buy their products or services, and nearly 50% state it makes them more likely to buy their stock. According to a recent study by the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), almost 90% of the U.S. population state that it important for companies to not just be profitable, but to be mindful of their impact on the environment and society. It is not enough to say one is “green”. We ask our clients to look into their own processes, aside from marketing, and find areas to re-tool, becoming more efficient, environmentally friendly and sustainable. The printer mentioned earlier has taken a few steps in this direction: using all soy-based inks; reselling of old press plates; selling the old ink; and re-use of solvents. Not only are they adding less chemical waste to the environment, they have added new revenue streams to their bottom line. Smart marketing and business strategy means looking deep within the whole company and changing what needs fixing, thinking longer term than today and leaving a sustainable legacy. There are some simple steps in the world of marketing and design that can be taken to minimize a company’s impact on the environment and create goodwill with clients as well as the community. First, answer these questions when beginning a design project: 1. Do we need it? Can we live without it? Nine Simple Things You Can Do with Your Advertising: 1. Send e-mailings to customers instead of paper fliers. Create cool customized e-mail layouts. These steps may not save the world. But, ultimately they will yield positive results for business and the planet. Just considering the millions of pounds of paper and barrels upon barrels of ink used in marketing, taking a stand can have a great effect upon not only the environment but in the culture of doing business and marketing. We need a cultural shift about how we view business and the environment. Both can work hand-in-hand and can benefit each other. We welcome your ideas on how you have been able to use the new vogue “colors” in your business. Let us spread the word how different processes and solutions can create a better business environment and a cleaner living environment. This is the only Earth we have and our children and our children’s children need a vibrant place in which to grow and live. |
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