Green Marketing... Sounds Good I Guess?

Green marketing is one of my favorite things to talk about. Is it good? Is it bad? The logical answers to those questions are most likely hidden deep, deep down in the depths of a peer reviewed article. Currently, I think green marketing is an awesome trend-- when used for good and not for corporate evil in the name of profit. Good intentions sometimes have unforeseen consequences and green marketing prides itself in its good intentions. I guess it would be helpful to define what exactly green marketing is before I rant about it any further.

"Green marketing (also known as eco-marketing or sustainable marketing) is the practice of marketing the offering based on its environmental benefits.

It is a practice of marketing the products that are environmentally friendly in themselves and have green benefits, or the eco-friendly business practices that are used for its production" (Pahwa, 2018)

For another class I was taking at Appalachian State University, I was required to run a social media account for a company of my choice, so I create a pseudo-account for a brand practicing green marking, the Pela company. Their company's goal is to create a waste free future, creating the world's first compostable phone case as an effort to eliminate plastic waste.

Green marketing exemplified through Pela is what I would call an ethical use of the influence green marketing has on profit through digital anthropology. As online communities are becoming more aware of our environmental crisis, many people have started capitalizing on this very real trend to 'save the environment'. However, though companies like Pela are literally eliminating plastic waste, neither transparency nor regulations on the sustainable aspects of production are required. Pela exhibits their corporate responsibility by creating more sustainable products than competitors, but labelling products as 'green' or 'eco-friendly' when they still contain harmful chemicals or perpetuate waste is where green marketing can be distorted for profit rather than environmental gain.

One of the main messages I think Pela is branding themselves with is that not everyone is producing products that eliminate waste, or even considering it; Pela can be an example of the future of ethical green marketing and the end of single-use or multi-use plastics.

@thepelacase is the Instagram account I made for a previous social media class. Check it out for some early examples of my social media management and green marketing on social media. Check out @pelacase for Pela's verified Instagram account, they offer deals and advertise new products for more insight on professional green marketing on social media!

Pahwa, A. (n.d.). What Is Green Marketing? [The Complete Guide]. Retrieved from https://www.feedough.com/what-is-green-marketing-the-complete-guide/