Government is often criticized for being too big. Too slow. And too late.
Not the case for the wildly popular
Cash for Clunkers campaign. In fact, according to one of my favorite eco news sources,
Environmental Leader, this program which is one part
green public relations, two parts sustainable marketing strategy and seven parts economy-boosting eco business brilliance—has resulted in a 58% increase in fuel efficiency.As a leader in LOHAS marketing, organic branding, green energy and sustainable marketing arena, I love the fact that
700,000 gas guzzlers were traded in for more fuel efficient models. I also love the fact that this quick cash infusion has meant that many auto industry jobs from salespeople to line workers were saved. At least for now.
The beauty of good green business strategy is that it is based on a model of inherent sustainability. That means both profit for a business and low impact on the planet. U.S. car makers, buckling under pressure from shareholders, have for too long focused on short term gains. This was not only arrogant. It was bad business all around.
Now that U.S. car makers have been forced to reap what they have sown, I only hope that they have seen the light. And that they launch a course correction that is not about big and bigger. But green and greener.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Toyota's Prius has done it again. This is a brand that
continues to innovate, connect with
consumers and push technological boundaries. Their new rooftop solar array that pulls hot air out of the car while parked, reduces the need for air conditioning—thereby increasing fuel efficiency.
As the head of a green advertising agency that specializes in environmental public relations, eco friendly marketing, natural advertising, LOHAS marketing and green energy, I can't help but
love this brand. I just hope U.S. car manufacturers are watching. Learning. And greening.
Lisa Proctor is the president and creative director for firefly180 marketing—a branding and advertising agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green marketing and renewable energy marketing.
Somewhere down the line, in a lackluster windowless office, a business owner or marketing head got his or her wires crossed. It was the day they decided sales strategy meant selling. Not sharing. Not offering advice. Not being of service. But get their money first, ask questions later.
No one likes to be "sold." Especially if your audience is part of the more than $200 billion Lifestyles of He
alth and Sustainability (LOHAS) market. As an expert who has worked with scores of wellness companies and progressive businesses in the categories of wellness promotion, wellness marketing, environmental public relations and eco friendly marketing, I know for a fact that selling doesn't work.
What does work is understanding your audience. Listening. And offering solutions to problems. Sales come when you become an expert. When you are willing to guide your customers through unchartered waters and up Everest-like summits. Not only will the sales come. Your customers will come back again and again.
Walter Cronkite. His name was his brand. Besides being a respected journalist and communicator, he was the most trusted man in America.
While we feel the weight of this loss, Walter has lessons to teach us still. About trust. About integrity. And about connecting deeply with an audience.
Does your brand have what it takes to fill his shoes?
As the head of a marketing agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, environmental public relations, eco friendly marketing, wellness marketing and wellness promotion, I have long maintained that trust is the most vital part of any brand. I'm not talking about trust as a concept. But living, breathing, undeniable trust. When your customers know that if you as a brand screw up, you'll not only admit it, but make it right. The kind of trust that instills confidence when business is good. And patience when challenges arise.
Trust can't be bought. It can only be earned. Take it from Walter, when it comes to good branding, it's all about trust.
If you think environmental public relations is a great opportunity for spin, think again.
The public is smart. And the fact is that once some savvy blogger, journalist, reader or consumer smells deception, the gig is up.
As an expert in the categories of LOHAS marketing, wellness promotion, environmental public relations, wellness marketing and eco friendly marketing, I've worked with a lot of wellness companies and progressive businesses. And I can tell you with certainty that
any gains you think you've made by being less than truthful will cost you more in loss of brand integrity. If you still believe you can get away with a message that is anything less than the unvarnished truth—I hope you've got a crisis media plan in place. You're going to need it.
The next time you hire a wellness marketing firm, ask yourself these questions:
1. Is this firm fiscally and emotionally healthy?
2. Does this firm integrate wellness into their corporate model?
3. Is this firm proactive when it comes to healthy lifestyle choices?
4. Where does the concept of wellness fit into this firm's mission?
As an expert in the areas of LOHAS marketing, wellness promotion, eco friendly marketing and environmental public relations, I've found it's
essential to partner with a firm that is not only creatively, but personally aligned with your company, cause or product. Because the fact is, for most of us in the marketing arena, our job means much more than a paycheck. It's our passion. It's our way of contributing to a cause that's much larger than ourselves. And it's the reason we get out of bed every morning.
If you're working with a firm that's giving you less than 100%, maybe it's time you found a company who will. Doctor's orders.
Good creative is all about flow. It's not about forcing. Faking. Or over-thinking. It's about letting go. Using your head as much as your heart. Listening. And being heard. It's about climbing under the skin of your audience. Speaking their language. Being of service. And guiding them toward making choices that bring them joy.
At firefly180, when we launch into the creative process it is very much like jumping into a river and letting it take us where it will. When like us, you specialize in eco friendly marketing, environmental public relations, green marketing and work with wellness companies as well as the organic industry, there is new territory to be explored around every bend. New species to discover under every rock and reed. Sometimes the river takes us into a quiet pool where we take time to absorb the surroundings and reflect—but the pull of the river inevitably takes us ever further. And deeper.
Great messaging does not come from those who cling to the shores of the tried-and-true. But rather from being willing to explore beyond established boundaries to create a whole new set of maps that others will follow.
I've just arrived back to the office after spending a few days last week at the LOHAS (Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability) forum conference in Boulder, CO.
This conference is one of the few where wellness companies, non-profits, Fortune 100 companies, green marketing companies, environmental public relations firms, the organic industry and other progressive organizations gather to meet, learn about new market trends, share with others and recharge.
When I dove head-first into eco friendly marketing nearly 20 years ago, it felt like I was creating and speaking another language. My friends and colleagues all urged me to give it up. They were convinced I couldn't earn a living, that I was too narrowly defining myself and that even though
Forbes magazine had boldly declared the '90s, "The decade of the environment," many were convinced the movement was a blip on the radar that would soon pass.
Sometimes I thought they might be right. But as difficult as it was to blaze new trails in those early days, I simply couldn't give up. There was too much to be gained by unleashing the power of consumer choice to create change in the world. Marketing, I believed, was the key.
Last week, I joined 550 business and NGO visionaries from as far away as South Africa, Columbia and Japan. The language I helped to create nearly two decades ago is now widely known as LOHAS. It has become so widely spoken and has become such a powerful mainstream market that
Newsweek coined the term, "LOHASIAN" when referring to the category. There are thousands of languages spoken on our planet. But when it comes to business, I believe that LOHAS has the most potential to speak to positive change—and a positive bottom line.
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