It’s not easy to be seen as green!

In today’s market, a blur exists between ‘green’ products and services.

At one time the word – green – easily implied ‘living green’ but presently, there are many interpretations. From a political perspective, ‘green’ symbolizes activities that support or promote environmental protection; and from a product or service viewpoint, goods or services produced in an environmentally and ecologically friendly way, e.g. by using renewable resources. So, while Kermit the Frog may find it difficult to be green; in today’s market, the Green Industry struggles to be seen as green.

Recently, Today’s Garden Center magazine posed the question, ‘Do you think the Industry needs some type of nationally recognized symbol that highlights to consumers the significance of living green?’ As a reply, I’d answer ‘yes’. Through experience gathered as volunteer PR for the Virginia Green Industry Council, a workshop instructor and Industry columnist, I've noticed significant lags between Green Industry and other business sector marketing strategies. In fact, I recently published a book - The ABCs of Green Industry Communications - to help enable Industry market communications. See http://www.lulu.com/content/6083320 for details.

I became aware of this situation after publishing an article with Green Profit magazine. The Dean of a local Horticulture program having read my article requested I conduct research and then, teach a Green Industry communications college level course. Still, in spite of personal involvement, I can’t offer a 'pat answer' solution. On the other hand, I think a nation-wide effort should occur to develop a global Industry symbol.

As my colleague Tony Avent owner of Plant Delights Nursery located in Raleigh, North Carolina says “The most misunderstood and overlooked component of business success is communication, a form of communication that establishes a brand of product, you.” So, assuming Avent is accurate, can the Industry recover its ability to be seen as ‘the’ green Industry?

I believe consolidation is the answer. To give you an example of a consolidated effort that works-well, the Virginia 'Save the Bay' Foundation has an in character Captain John Smith who is running for USA president with his campaign 'prevent run off and pollution' to save the Bay!

As an Industry, we need to develop a symbol similar to Captain John Smith or Forestry's Smokey the Bear, an image easily associated with ‘living green’ and one that attracts the attention of all ages, cultures and groups. Still, market visibility – brand recognition – is not simply the result of a singular activity.

To clarify ‘brand recognition’ that works-well let’s first define what it is not. Branding is not
• advertising,
• public relations;
• a slogan, or a logo, or a website, or even a multi-media campaign;
• a tagline, or
• color palette.
In today’s market, branding is injecting a product, service or organization with unique, consistent, desirable persona-position that reigns over a consumer’s mind and is so highly valued that you and/or your product are not simply seen as ‘a’ but ‘the’ product. For, becoming a recognized brand – whether individually or as a sector - is the result of communicating an appropriate image sustained by viable products or services.

Regionally, consolidation efforts exist in states including Maryland, Georgia, New York, New Jersey, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina and Virginia but for most, the concept of working together, consolidation, remains a novel idea. Still, for ‘living green’ to be seen nation-wide as green, consolidation is required.

So, why not work together to develop a symbol that highlights the significance of ‘living green’; more specifically, the effect of consumer 'green living' choices and their influence on ‘living green’? As Kermit the Frog said, “It’s not easy to be green,” but it is possible to be seen as green! After all, ‘living green’ is the original 'green' and most certainly should be the leader of a nation-wide green living movement.