Just a few years ago, natural household cleaning products were almost solely restricted to the shelves of health food stores. Now, a quick browse of product offerings from mass-market retailers like Target and Walmart shows how environmentally sustainable products are becoming more like the norm, rather than hard to find.
Product Sales on the Rise
A company called Packaged Facts found that in 2011, sales of green cleaning products topped out at $640 million, a significant increase from 2007 totals of $303 million. One of the big reasons sales more than doubled in four years is likely that marketing departments realized the need for such products existed. The key was to make it easier for customers to find them without going to great lengths.
Clorox’s Existing Product Line
The Clorox Company is just one example of a well-known company that branched out and appealed to eco-friendly consumers. Their Green Works line features a full assortment of household cleaning products made from mostly natural ingredients. Whether consumers are looking for toilet bowl cleaner or all-purpose wipes, the collection has products to suit those needs, and they’re readily available in grocery stores.
Boosting Awareness in the Population
A new awareness campaign for the product line began when marketers from KRC Research polled potential customers to find out their reasons for wanting to live a green way of life. Results from 600 women found that respondents felt societal pressure to be eco-friendly, and that choosing to refrain from doing certain things such as recycling might bring judgment from peers. Also, 93% of people said environmentally friendly living should be accessible to everyone, which may be why Clorox has opted to launch a new, more inclusive marketing scheme.
Re-Branding to Improve Sales
The Green Works line first became available in 2008 and was very well received, even gaining endorsement from the Sierra Club. However, as years passed, sales dropped, and now the Clorox Company is starting a campaign based upon the phrase “You Don’t Have To Be Ridiculous to Be Green.”
Search engines continually update algorithms and requirements related to SEO for Google to align with periodically fluctuating user-driven guidelines. Similarly, marketers must constantly retool their techniques to get the best results, both in terms of sales goals and customer perspectives. However, the new marketing tagline seems to imply that people who are already living the green way of life might not be practical. Only time will tell, but this could potentially offend those who are already loyal users of Green Works products.
Social Media: A Key Tool in Green Marketing Efforts?
Mintel, a company that tracks worldwide consumer trends, found the secret to long-lasting success for environmentally friendly products may lie in social media tactics. Specifically, among adults ages 18 to 24, 14% switched over to a green cleaning product after reading a post about it from a friend on a social media website.
The above information is a strong example of how when marketing all product types, it’s always smart to respond to customer needs. Companies should revamp marketing campaigns if necessary, especially if the desire is to attract brand-new, eventually loyal consumers.