There are a couple of opinions on how to grow a business. Cost cutting, mergers and acquisitions or stock listings can all add to a company’s bottom line, but are rarely about the long term building of a brand. The only real driving force of sustainable, profit-generating, lasting growth is increasing demand for whatever you are selling.
Published in: Marketing Journal – Special Edition: „Trust“
Author: Dr. Hildegard Keller-Kern
The world is coming closer together. Globalization wears on, the world trade grows. Large, global companies will play an even bigger role in the global economic performance. Their importance is not only reflected on increased sales figures but also on increased confrontation with issues of social responsibility. As a result, more and more companies write on their flags the subject of CSR to integrate it effectively in their image. But how big is this issue really? Is this going to be the next marketing hype or a revolution between businesses and consumers.
Published in: Marketing Journal – special edition „Trust“
Author: Christoph Prox
Time does change. Less than two years Marketing-Germany moaned about the still uncontrolled, excessive stretching of “stinginess is cool” culture fearing that branded products could be permanently damaged. And not so long ago, as studies characterised the youth as hedonistic, self-focused and less willing to take responsibility with no real interest in welfare. Now, not even a year after the World Climate Report from the UN, a global turmoil on the subjects of sustainability, good corporate governance and the new German Corporate Social Responsibility are on everyone’s lips. One CSR forum after another is taking place. Even the IAA, the fair for Germany’s favourite child, the car, with the theme “green week”, energy giants with high CO2 producer engines turning into the environmental angels, Smart moves from Lifestyle to Eco carriage and Volvic builds wells in Africa. The world is suddenly full of goody two shoes.
For more information please contact Anne-Kathrin Kirchhof
Published in: Markenartikel 9/2007
Authors: Dr. Hildegard Keller-Kern, Christoph Prox
Let us assume you just had a stressful week. Its Saturday morning and you arranged to go jogging with a few friends to wind down. A bit of exercise wont hurt anyone. Before the mini marathon, a bowl of Müsli – from Kellog’s or Oetker? And a cup of coffee – from Tchibo or Jacobs? Now my jogging shoes – from Adidas or Puma? Oh, you are a few minutes late, a quick call with the chic mobile from Nokia or from Motorola? With a mobile contract from T-Mobile or from Vodafone? The jogging pace is moderate, they are discussing about cars again: who is better, BMW, Audi or Mercedes? After jogging a bit of a chit chat and buy a coke at the corner shop: from Coca Cola or from Pepsi? How do people make decisions and how do they choose certain brands?
For more information please contact Anne-Kathrin Kirchhof
With this issue’s spotlight on on-line enabling green – we list 5 of our best websites.
Freecycle – this on-line community works on the basis that one man’s rubbish is another man’s gold and enables you to see what unwanted stuff is up for grabs in your area. The first UK Freecycle group was set up in London in Oct 2003. There are now 443 groups spread across the country, with 867,779 members!
Each month News invites an expert to give us their view on a topical issue. This month, we asked Ben Stewart, Head of Media at Greenpeace to share how using online campaigns has led to consumer empowerment for change in business practice. Read more…
So, why is this whole issue of “greenwashing” particularly relevant in marketing today? What is really driving this increasing onus on brands to speak the truth?
We believe the digital influence should not be disregarded. The Internet has had a significant impact on consumer purchasing behaviour and the power that consumers have both individually, and as a collective, to hold brands and corporations to account in ways they have never been able to before. Take the Greenpeace ‘green my Apple’ campaign as an example of how consumer pressure forced a global corporation like Apple to change their environmental policy.
