Wellness Companies

Business for Social Responsibility (BSR) has just released a co-authored new report, “Understanding and Preventing Greenwash: A Business Guide,” to help companies better communicate their environmental message based on a company’s true sustainability practices.

As a leader in LOHAS marketing, green marketing strategy and eco advertising, I have a deep understanding of the LOHAS consumer and have worked on many organic campaigns. While the advertising industry has long ago established that "sex sells," I maintain that "truth sells."  

So, to companies who are thinking about engaging in a little greenwashing, I'd recommend that you don't. Once trust is broken with your customer, audience or market, earning it back is not only an extraordinarily expensive proposition—it can be downright impossible. Why risk your business on a lie?

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

 

As a leader in LOHAS marketing, wellness promotion, yoga marketing, sustainable advertising and green public relations, I have had the good fortune to work with many wellness companies and progressive businesses. 

I've often been asked how can organizations best choose a firm that supports their branding and marketing efforts. The answer is simple. Do you click? Does the firm "get" you? Is there synergy? Do you feel a connection? Do you love their work? And of course it's always helpful to talk to the firm's clients to get a sense of what their experience has been.

Below is what Danielle Tergis, Marketing Director for Yoga Alliance has to say about her experience working with me and my firm, firefly180 marketing:

Lisa is super creative and has an outstanding ability to deliver results that are impactful and eye-catching. We've worked on a number of projects that required our messaging to stand out from the crowd and I couldn't be happier with the results. Her work ethic is also outstanding. She is committed to ensuring her clients are successful by giving 110% on every project.



Pictured here are Lisa, Colleen Saidman Yee, Rodney Yee and Danielle after a yoga class taught by Rodney and his wife Colleen.

I was just invited to be a college guest lecturer for a promotional writing course. As an expert in the categories of wellness promotion, green advertising, green energy marketing, wellness marketing and LOHAS marketing, I have been honored to build strategy and create campaigns for many wellness companies and progressive businesses. I love sharing my experience with students.

In 1990, when I launched one of the nation's first green advertising agencies, my area of specialization was seen as a bit of a curiosity. But times have changed. Dramatically. Businesses understand the power of great creative, but even more they understand that millions of consumers are passionate about buying from brands that align with their values. In addition, interest in renewable energy has brought about incredible technological innovation, an expanding sustainable energy market and a host of green energy conferences.

I've found that today more and more students are looking for careers that not only provide an income, but that feed their soul and contribute to the greater good. I applaud that passion. Because this is exactly the path to finding a job you love so much you can't believe you get paid.

 

One of my art director partners knew I was working late and just stopped by with a bag of freshly picked organic greens and veggies from her garden. Not only did that mean I had "instant dinner," her thoughtfulness was definitely the best part of my day.

As a leader in the areas of wellness promotion, wellness marketing, environmental advertising and green energy, I work with many progressive businesses and wellness companies. Not only do I really value locally grown organic food— even more, I appreciate the care that goes into growing it.

So while my friend brought me a gift from her garden, thousands of organic farmers throughout the country offer the same gift every day. While they may not deliver to your home, the evidence of their care, commitment and love for the planet is available in co-ops and grocery stores nationwide. 

As an agency that specializes in green energy marketing, environmental advertising, wellness marketing and wellness promotion, we work with many progressive businesses and wellness companies. 

Because so much of the work we do at firefly180 marketing is transferred digitally, we seldom have a need for a courier service. But when we do, we choose green. EcoXpress.com to be precise. It's such a simple choice that not only supports other green businesses, it also supports our commitment to lightening our carbon footprint. 

When it comes to delivery services, it's hard to imagine why every business in the U.S. wouldn't choose either a bike courier service or one that is equipped with a fleet of hybrids. (Or better yet, in addition to bikes and hybrids, one that offsets each delivery by supporting renewable energy or planting trees.)

So take a moment and think about the vendors you currently work with. Do they do business in a way that aligns with your values? Is their business giving back as much as they take? If not, maybe it's time to find vendor partners who do.

I've been working with Yoga Alliance, the largest professional yoga organization in the US, on an exciting brand evolution. In addition to designing brand architecture, logos and ads— their new website design has been at the heart of the process.

At firefly180 marketing, we specialize in yoga marketing, wellness promotion, wellness marketing and organic internet marketing. We work with lots of wellness companies and progressive businesses. To us, a website is much more than a site map, wireframe, HTML and graphic design. It is the living, breathing manifestation of the brand itself. 

A good website is the digital extension of your brand. And it should not only inform, it should leave the visitor with an amazing brand experience. That experience doesn't have to be about being dazzled by Flash animation. Or impressed at the site's level of interactivity. An experience can be as simple as leaving your visitor with a "feeling." After all, brands are all about emotion. They are the gateway to our heads. As much as our hearts.

I just responded to a media request from a journalist who was wondering, "Who buys green and why?"

As an expert in the field of green marketing, LOHAS marketing, wellness promotion, wellness marketing, yoga marketing and organic internet marketing, I've spent the last 20 years working with clients that include wellness companies and progressive businesses to help them crack this code. But truly, the answer is quite simple. Green consumers want what's best for them and the future of our planet. And they are passionate about aligning their purchasing decisions with their values.

For instance, when a green consumer buys an organic apple, they are voting with their dollars to enjoy the superior taste and personal health benefit of the apple—but in addition they are supporting the health of the planet in addition to the farmers who choose organic farming methods.  

Green consumers want it all. And they know they can have it. They want to buy products that are as good for them as they are for the Earth. It's the ultimate win-win.

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 Health 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. 

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.

There's a lot of talk in the industry about wellness marketing. For us, at firefly180 marketing, wellness marketing transcends the medical industry. Pharmaceuticals. And the typical cadre of doctors, nurses and specialists. 

Yes, more traditional wellness care has its place, but to us, wellness marketing and wellness promotion is more holistic in its approach. It speaks to the needs, philosophy and desires of each individual. Because we specialize in working with wellness companies in the categories of green communications and natural advertising, we are perhaps more in tune to the fact that for many, wellness strategy may include meditation, acupuncture, Bach flower remedies, kinesiology, reiki, chigong or massage. 

But perhaps just as importantly, we feel that a good wellness marketing company should first and foremost practice wellness as part of its corporate philosophy.

Does your wellness marketing firm:

1. Have an office with access to lots of sunlight?
2. Promote exercise such as yoga?
3. Feature fresh flowers at the front desk?
4. Avoid synthetically manufactured fragrances and products?
5. Offer staff members healthy beverages such as organic herbal teas?

While these practices may seem outside the scope of wellness marketing, they are actually a measure of your firm's passion for an integrated wellness approach. So the next time you hire a wellness marketing firm, observe where they fit on the total wellness equation. Their score may not only be revealing, it may help you measure their ability to communicate your wellness message.

Recently, in a tiny West African village in Guinea, opportunity knocked.

This remote and steamy mountain village where residents live in one-room, windowless huts on communally-owned land saw an influx of workers looking for a place to live when a mining company boosted its labor force.

Since this community, with no housing market had no homes available, they began to move in with their neighbors and rent out the family-owned huts. Then using rent money, the villagers began to build new huts. As workers poured into the region, rents exploded and times were good.

Then the price for iron-ore plummeted and the new workforce was laid off. Now with hundreds of empty huts, the villagers are not wringing their hands in despair, rather they are preparing for the day the miners return. (And they know they will.) Bringing with them rolls of rent money.

As an expert in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, green communications, natural advertising and organic advertising, I've worked with my clients through several challenging market shifts. Each has ushered in a time of introspection. Followed by stunning reinvention.

The path to great sustainable marketing strategy or exceptional award-winning work is never a straight line. It curves, it swerves and it loops around until settling solidly on track. That's the creative process. One that brings with it rich and meaningful rewards.  And like the Guinea village, the knowledge that good planning brings with it future prosperity.

We've all seen the commercials, youtube videos and national media about the quirky blanket with sleeves that's raked in nearly $100 million during an economic period that's seen the near collapse of the mortgage industry, the demise of GM and 15 million jobs lost.

It just goes to show—you just never know. In fact, the next Snuggie success story could be yours. In times of economic challenge, marketing budgets are generally the first to be cut. Our economy operates very much as a flock of geese, with most businesses following the lead of the guy (or girl) in front.

As the head of an agency that specializes in creating advertising strategies and green marketing campaigns for eco business, wellness companies, the organic industry and progressive businesses, I encourage our clients to resist the temptation to follow. And to lead instead.

That's what Snuggie did. Despite the fact that the concept for their product wasn't new. And despite the fact that there were competitors in their field, they led. There are 100 million reasons for you to do the same.

I love a good glass of wine.

As the owner of a marketing agency that specializes in LOHAS marketing, wellness marketing, yoga marketing and sustainable communications, I tend to shop for organic brands. 

I'm happy to say that there are an excellent array of vintners from around the world to choose from. Organic wines are not only rich and full-bodied, but because they were grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers, they are actually higher in antioxidants. That means your organic glass of wine will actually help you slow the aging process and promote faster healing.

I work with a lot of wellness companies in the areas of wellness promotion—and when it comes to organic wine, I have to say that this is a success story about a glass being not only half full, but full to the rim.

I learned a great lesson from Tom, the guy who washes my windows. A second generation window washer, with sons who have followed in his footsteps, Tom loves his work. It's all about creating clarity. 

It's the same with marketing. Good branding and communication strategies are designed to create the same kind of clean, clear results. Instead of using a few drops of dish soap in a pail of water and a squeegee, my agency, firefly180 uses words. And images. 

With a specialization in green advertising, LOHAS marketing, alternative advertising and eco advertising, my team and I use our tools with the same passion as Tom. The result is creative and brand strategy that sparkles. And our clients who are often eco businesses, progressive organizations and wellness companies are left with a clear vista that reveals limitless opportunities.

Today Costco announced a new green initiative that is not only a smart proactive move, it shows they know their customer. And they know what their customers want.

Their electronic recycling program which allows customers to trade in and recycle laptops, cell phones, digital cameras and gaming systems, is a smart environmental communication strategy. It's fast. It's easy. And of course, you can always replace what you recycle with the electronic selection offered at the store. But the beauty of the program is that Costco is taking responsibility for the waste caused by products they sell. 

When it comes to communication strategies, it's important to walk your talk. And Costco is by offering an ever increasing array of organic food and non-toxic cleaning products. Add to that their new energy-saving solar panel initiative and you've got the makings for a good solid green marketing campaign.

As an expert in green marketing, wellness marketing and wellness promotion, I work with lots of wellness companies and progressive businesses. Is Costco perfect? No. But neither is any other business out there. The fact is, just by getting out of bed each day, each of us causes environmental impact. The best we can hope to do is to lessen that impact and be conscious of taking steps to restore the Earth.

For most of my career, I've lead the way as an expert in green marketing, environmental communications, LOHAS, wellness promotion and wellness marketing. In short, I've worked with a lot of wellness companies and businesses creating social and environmental change.

Since my work has been very much about protecting the planet, fighting climate change and preserving biodiversity, I took a trip deep into the rainforest of Ecuador to get first-hand experience with the region of the globe considered the lungs of our planet. 

I was extremely privileged to spend time in two Achuar villages. This tribe had had no contact with the Western world until a few decades ago. Their life today is much as it has been for eons. They live in harmony with the forest. Use blow guns for hunting. And subsist on a diet that includes manioc and fruit. These culturally rich and wise people chose to reach out to those of us in the west, because they were directed by their dreams. They "saw" the strength and possibilities for planetary healing when the North American eagle and the South American condor flew together.

We have much to learn from the Achuar as well as other indigenous people. After all, it would be wise for all of us to acknowledge and trust the power of our dreams. 

Environmental marketing is not about spin, greenwashing or anything less than 100% transparency. I wish the marketing team behind Solo's new, bare launch would get a clue.

Marketed as "eco forward" with "environmentally preferable materials like bamboo and sugarcane," these single-use plates could well be a better alternative. While I applaud the company for greening their line, I wish they would have given consumers more credit. Savvy green and LOHAS consumers want to be more than "marketed to." Solo's ads and packaging do not reveal a breakdown of their product's content. And on the product's site, there is no mention of content on product pages—instead you have to drill deep into the FAQs to find that this line contains just 20% post consumer fiber. Why is this information buried? It's not necessarily bad. It may not be perfect, but it's definitely a step forward.

Also missing is information like how much bamboo is included?  How much sugarcane? Why sugarcane? Was their virgin paper content sustainably harvested? And why are they now front-and-center with post-consumer content?

As an expert in wellness promotion, wellness marketing, communication strategies and environmental communication, I've seen campaigns like this implode once consumers start to dig for answers. Without Solo revealing vital product information, consumers are left to ponder, "What are they hiding?" Maybe nothing. But "nothing" is worse than talking down to your market, especially when you're hoping to get a premium price.

You've got to love AMC's award-winning series, Mad Men. It's great TV. And great fun to watch. And yes, I'm sure you could find agencies staffed with lying, egomaniacal, sell-their-soul-to-make-a-buck and cheat consumers advertising types. But truly, if this were the case, those careers would be short lived.

We live in a culture fueled by instant communication. And one that demands authenticity and transparency. This demand for businesses that are willing to pull back the curtain have opened the door for agencies like mine. At firefly180 marketing, we're not your traditional advertising agency. Sure we do great work. Sure we win awards. But we specialize in working with progressive businesses and wellness companies where we focus on green advertising, LOHAS, wellness marketing, wellness promotion, organic campaigns, renewable energy and yoga advertising. We believe that business is the most powerful force for change on the planet. And to that end, we are passionate about leveraging marketing as a force for good. 

I'm a co op shopper. In fact, I belong to two. That makes me part owner in two businesses that offer organic brands and products from wellness companies.
As an expert in green public relations, wellness promotion and wellness marketing, I very much believe in the power of consumer choice. I know my choices are a vital part of growing the market for organic and sustainable brands.

But best of all, I'm part of a larger community of like-minded consumers who care about their health as much as the health of the planet.