Great article, Amanda. I just read this so I thought I’d throw it into the mix…”A major social concern appears to revolve around the ecological balance within the environment. Problems of water and air pollution, solid waste, overpopulation, and other forms of residue from industrialisation and humanity seem to be concerning large numbers of Americans”. This is the first sentence in Harold Kassarjian’s article, “Incorporating Ecology into the Marketing Strategy” published in the Journal of Marketing in 1971. Companies attempted green marketing then. They attempted it in the 80’s and early 90’s as well. Then it stopped because it never worked at all. Green marketing didn’t drive sales or increase market share, and it wasn’t for a lack of consumer demand. Marketers, and R&D teams behind them, overshot and lost credibility. Every product had a “biodegradable” stamp on it. It didn’t work then because it wasn’t true yet. They weren’t green. Even if they were, there was no framework for efficacy. As you say, the various relationships that provide accountability are in place now and green marketing has meaning, momentum and some investment behind it.

Great article, Amanda. I just read this so I thought I’d throw it into the mix…”A major social concern appears to revolve around the ecological balance within the environment. Problems of water and air pollution, solid waste, overpopulation, and other forms of residue from industrialisation and humanity seem to be concerning large numbers of Americans”. This is the first sentence in Harold Kassarjian’s article, “Incorporating Ecology into the Marketing Strategy” published in the Journal of Marketing in 1971. Companies attempted green marketing then. They attempted it in the 80’s and early 90’s as well. Then it stopped because it never worked at all. Green marketing didn’t drive sales or increase market share, and it wasn’t for a lack of consumer demand. Marketers, and R&D teams behind them, overshot and lost credibility. Every product had a “biodegradable” stamp on it. It didn’t work then because it wasn’t true yet. They weren’t green. Even if they were, there was no framework for efficacy. As you say, the various relationships that provide accountability are in place now and green marketing has meaning, momentum and some investment behind it.