Welcome to Optimism offers us some nice sarcasm to see us through the day ahead...

Honda greens direct mail

With this...

Yes, it's a letter you can plant. Seeds embedded in this letter about Honda's lawn and garden equipment will sprout when hte letter is buried. Awesome.

How will the Budget affect the merketing community?

Well, it's proved that the green worries of companies UK wide aren't going to go away, with taxes announced on plastic bags, the most polluting cars, and cargo flights.
For the lucky companies, they've already announced some of the changes the government are hoping to make - take, for example, Whole Foods and M&S's positions on plastic bag use. The pressure to keep ahead of regulation has been increased.

Alcohol is also under attack, with above-inflation tax increases in an attempt to discourage alcohol abuse and child poverty. Another substance at risk of demonisation, and which could therefore do with a good comms strategy. Equally, two issues which brands could adopt a leadership position on.

Bingo halls have also been complaining today that their tax burden hasn't been alleviated. They've been suffering ever since the smoking ban, and may now be facing closures. Is it time to target a new demographic?

All in all, sustainability seems to be the key message. Companies take heed.

Brand Republic sums up the ethical hairpulling going on...

On BrandRepublic this week, Chris Arnold offers a nice blow-by-blow account of the current supermarket war over green, applauding the immense success of the media machine that has been Plan A, whilst raising a well-groomed brow at Tesco's £1.99 chicken.

The real contenders for the leafy crown are, of course, M&S and Coop. Asda's efforts have fallen on deaf media ears - I've certainly read more in the industry press about their absent parent, Walmart.

So who's winning? Well, M&S have certainly dominated communications channels, right down to their latest 5p plastic bag move. However, Coop are proving how important coherent brand values can be.

For social responsibility is enshrined in the heart of the company, one of four ethical values it subscribes to. And here, in the co-operative world, profit is less likely to hijack the operation. They have wind turbines, solar panels, and their own paper recycling facility in Manchester. Over 4000 of their branches are powered by wind and water. Their tills have an auto-switch-off function to save energy overnight. And yes, they have a green credit card. Wow.

But it did take me a good ten minutes of googling to find all that out. Is there a danger they'll be left behind in the communications race? Perhaps they'll be happy with that - a 'green gem' for those in the know. And perhaps, without huge shareholder demands to live up to, rising above the greenrush is a luxury they can afford to take.

Inspired by this blog entry.

The Green Thing - Eat less meat

Tongue in cheek dig at saintly Prius

Courtesy of AdFreak and Winding Road, my attention has been drawn to some pretty rocking 'Prius' ads. According to the maker, minding your ecological sins excuses you from pretty much any level of naughtiness, with the strapline 'at least he/she drives a Prius' adorning each execution. Is parody a mark of love or hate? I think these reflect positively on the brand - unlike those fake Chevy ads of a while back. Me like.

Top marketing blogs

Having just read Seth Godin's "Everyone's an Expert", in which he advocates providing 'lenses' to help others navigate the online world, I've decided to list a couple of my green/marketing/green marketing faves for you all to enjoy.

News
Adland
Adverblog
AdFreak
Adverbox
Revolution
Marketing Week
Brand Republic

Green
GoodGreenPR
BusinessGreen
Greenbang
Marketing Green

Musings
Adliterate
Adpulp
Big Picture Advertising
Punk Planning
Iain Tait
The New Brand Tarot Blog

Trends
Springwise
Trendwatching

Women fall for green brands

Women are, apparently, more susceptible to green brands, a new study claims.

According to a study by the Havas agency, which claims to be the first carbon neutral communications agency in the UK, more than half of women (51 per cent) are willing to pay extra for a brand if it is environmentally friendly, compared with just 39 per cent of men.

The research from the agency behind ads for brands bmi, Peugeot and Citroen, also reveals that brands who promote their environmentally-friendly credentials are perceived more positively by women (63 per cent) than men (52 per cent).

Read more here.

Ad agency or ideas agency?

Saatchi and Saatchi are broadening their remit - through their World Changing Ideas Award scheme. Read more on Fast Company

Coca-cola's recycling campaign

Tiscali launches environmental channel

.. with a definite consumer bent. Everything from green health spas to cars. And, of course, the obligatory list of green tips:

Environmentally friendly kitchens

1. Always use lids on your pans to reduce heat loss.
2. Turn down the heat as soon as anything boils, a gentle boil uses less energy.
3. It's more efficient to use a small gas flame on full blast than it is a large flame on a low setting.
4. Ensure your gas flame is blue and not yellow. If not, get it looked at.
5. Only boil the amount you really need. Use an electric kettle instead of the gas hob.
6. Don't open the oven door unless it's essential to avoid losing heat.
7. Don't leave the fridge door open for too long, as it will have to work harder to regain it's cool temperature.
8. New fridges and freezers are up to 75% more energy efficient than those made 30 years ago. Investing in a new fridge can save £100's of your bills.
9. Use your old coffee grounds, teabags and fruit and vegetable peelings for compost in the garden.
10. Washing up liquid is a good multipurpose cleaner for floors and surfaces as well as dishes.

10 fun Friday green buys

Courtesy of The Times!
Why not try...

Woven handle bamboo bag
Made of recycled juice packs by a women’s cooperative in the Philippines, I love Doy bags.

Games picnic table
Bit chilly still, but here is a colourful bench that is made from 2000 plastic bottles.

Drinking glasses
Made from Corona beer bottles, cobalt-blue mineral water bottles and Coca-Cola bottles, snazzy drinking glasses from Ecooutlet.

Recycled chain bottle openers
Made from recycled bicycle chain, find them here – like the company name, Rebycle, too.

Jimi wallets
A range of wallets, including leather ones, made from recycled designer belts.

Ipod cover
Designed to protect your Ipod from scratches, these colourful covers are made from recycled plastic.

Handmade lampshades
Made from 100 recycled card and sourced in the UK. Find them here.

Table mat
Made from recycled bottle tops and made in Africa, each mat is unique.

The Nokia Remade
The first handset to be made entirely of recycled waste materials, including rubber tyres, as reported on the Mousetrap Technology blog.

Marmot EcoPro sleeping bag
A four season sleeping bag, made out of used plastic bottles and old fabric, soon to be launched by Cotswold Outdoor. In the meantime, they have a rucksack, called Osprey React, made out of 70 per cent recycled materials.

It's a green Friday...

IBM releases study on social responsibility. Surprisingly, it's a good thing. More...
CRO releases its hundred best corporate citizens. I haven't even heard of most of the top 10 though. More...
BusinessGreen offers a great guide to the Government's Carbon Offsetting quality mark ,and why so many people don't like it. More...
Philips goes green(er). More...
BP gets some flack form the Guardian. Their PR people must just love them. More...
Springwise brings us an interesting case study on the growth of collaboration: not online this time, but on an eco clothing brand! More...

Walkers walk the walk. (hehehe...)

Not satisfied with examining their own carbon footprint, Walkers are now asking us to improve ours...

"There’s so much to see and do here in Britain, there’s no need to go to the airport. It’s all right on your doorstep – this is just one way you can help reduce your family’s carbon footprint."

Eating crisps gains you points, which you 'bank' online. Earning points gets you discounts on all sorts of good old-fashioned British fun. Like trips to Alton Towers or, for the more violent amongst you, paintballing expeditions.

I like this. It's good and wholesome (apart from the crisp consumption required to earn your treats), and the points barriers aren't too high. The site is very much in keeping with Walkers down to earth tone of voice, and it's a great example of brands talking 'green' in their own way, rather than imposing heartfelt eco-messaging awkwardly on their branding.

Visit the site here

Porsche bad, Toyota good...

Investors make green demands. More...
Bad PR move from Porsche? Surely owners of their products can afford a £25 congestion charge... More...
Toyota storms the hybrid market. More...

Afternoon tea.

BRC defends supermarkets' eco-creds. More...
Shipping bites back. More...
Government aims for yearly emissions range targets in Climate change Bill. More...
Volkswagen extends eco range of cars. More...

This week we're holding our breath for...

... the government launch of a code of practice for the offsetting industry. Woo hoo!

Measuring products' green credentials

If there's one thing high school science taught me, it was that you should never believe everything you're taught. Every year, we were given permission to throw the last year's knowledge out of the window - molecules were revealed to be naught more than atoms, and finally even that pretty little satellite diagram of neutrons, protons and electrons went out the window.

One of the key realisations of growing up is that we, as adults (offically, at least) have to make choices where there is no 'right' or 'wrong'. Consequences are uncertain.

As marketeers, we help people deal with the problem of choice by differentiating and defining products and services. However, I've been wondering recently if we've become our own worst enemy. We match products to niches through rigorous consumer analysis, leavinbg no gap unfilled (we hope) and no desire without its solution. A clearly-measured differentiator nearly always exists to help consumers make choices, whether it be a brand promise or the recommendation of word of mouth.

In the green space, however, claiming knowledge or authority is a dangerous thing, and the lack of objective measurement leads to unsubstantiated differentiators which lack clarity.

Yesterday, for example, I spent a good five minutes in a quandry in the loo-roll aisle. Before me were two products: recycles own brand, or FSC certified premium brand. Now, my position is usually pretty clear - buy the greener version as long as there's not a huge price premium. I can even cope with lack of quilting if necessary. The mind was willing, but the yardstick wasn't there.

Corporate leadership is a fantastic thing. Don't think I'm arguing against innovation. But we're beginning to see a point where companies are making moves, but there's no standard scale on which to operate.

Could this be the next move for our corporate giants? How long will it be before they band together to put their collective punch behind an assessment tool? I must admit, I'm longing for more than my Walkers crisps to come with a carbon weight attached...

Eco-eggs

e upon a time,I spent a whole Easter holiday making a dolls house out of my Easter egg boxes. But no longer shall this be an available amusement for all the nation's children!

With just over a month to go until Easter, Easter eggs are now in store. New this year, Cadbury has launched a range of eggs to appeal to UK consumers that are concerned about packaging, in line with the company's Purple Goes Green climate change commitments.

The world's largest confectionery company has unveiled a range of 'eco-eggs' called Cadbury Treasure Eggs, which rather than being sold in a box is simply foil wrapped. The Treasure Eggs represent a reduction of over 75% plastic and 65% less cardboard than previously used in standard eggs.

As well as the new range of eco-eggs, the company has also pledged to cut packaging in its existing range of small & medium boxed eggs.

I've never before considered the effects of reduced packaging on childhood. Will there be as many fairy liquid spaceships, cardboard fortresses, and toilet roll castles in the world? Sad.

Breakfast browsing 18/02

A government advisor has commented on the 'immorality' of drinking bottled water. More...
Big business beats the government on climate change. More...
Potneital changes to green marketing rules haunt US business. More...
Cadburys unbox the Easter egg. More...
Parents: are you suffering from eco-guilt? More...