'Green' Marketing

[Stonehouse Signs]

I know I know- this is a buzzword that has caught fire. I was just hired to do some marketing in house for a company in this industry, and am just getting my feet on the ground. I was asked to gather some information about how 'green' our company is. I am doing some internal research, but before I got too far I wanted to take this opportunity ask the contributors in this community what their interpretation of being 'green' is, and how the sign industry in general fits into this type of marketing/footprint, or how you have brought 'being green' into your marketing efforts.

IMHO this has just been more of a Ferby phenomenon, but I just left a green-friendly environment (anyone who knows anything about Boulder, Colorado should understand) and maybe we all can learn something that will help promote the industry. Maybe I'm all wet. Any conversation would be truly appreciated.

 

[Typestries]

MWYMO

Huh? Money where your mouth is. My interpretation of greening our horribly un-green industry: We are recycling all of our wastes at this point EXCEPT backing paper, adhesive vinyl scrap, and banner. Of that, most backing paper gets re-used by school kids. Most vinyl scraps go in the dumpster, but my recycler is working on that. And banner scraps are give to local contractors friends and family to use as tarps. ALL coro, PVC, polystyrene, acrylic, and polycarb are recycled in bins. We are saving a ton of $ on garbage, but more importantly we are keeping tons of trash out of the landfill. We also give free signs to organizations on the drop and backside of misprinted sheets. Computers and servers off at night and weekends. Lights off when not needed. Bought everyone water bottles and have water cooler, no more soda and water bottle waste.

If you tout how green you are, you better be able to show it. People will want to come see for real. This isnt the whole list we want to accomplish. It's a start though. I want my kids to have a winter to snowboard in when they are my age.

 

[BigfishDM]

I do a tree planting for every order thats placed with me and you get this neat recyclable bag that unfolds into this giant beach bag if you will. Its pretty cool and doesnt cost too much either. Its my way of giving back to mother earth I guess.

You can check it out at www.begreennow.com

 

[MachServTech]

HP is offering free recycling of banners and printed signage:

http://h30248.www3.hp.com/recycle/lfbanners/packaging.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvTGo3ZFj6g

An excellent way to put over a green agenda to your customers. "Hey Mr. or Ms Customer, when you're done with that sign/banner/popup we will recycle it for you free of charge (big cheesy smile)"

For some customers that may be a big deal.

 

[imagep]

HP is offering free recycling of banners and printed signage:

http://h30248.www3.hp.com/recycle/lfbanners/packaging.asp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LvTGo3ZFj6g

An excellent way to put over a green agenda to your customers. "Hey Mr. or Ms Customer, when you're done with that sign/banner/popup we will recycle it for you free of charge (big cheesy smile)"

For some customers that may be a big deal.

It probably takes more fuel and resources to ship the banners to HP than what is conserved.

I very much believe in capitalism, and I believe that the least expensive option is usually the most enviromentally friendly. If tossing something in the trash is cheaper than recycling it, then tossing it is generally more enviromentally friendly than recycling it.

My concern with offering to "recycle" something for customers is that they will think we will somehow reuse their banner - and they will expect a discount or sometype of deposit return.

My thought about green marketing is that we should start charging 30% extra if people want green ink on their signs.

 

[imagep]

I do a tree planting for every order thats placed with me and you get this neat recyclable bag that unfolds into this giant beach bag if you will. Its pretty cool and doesnt cost too much either. Its my way of giving back to mother earth I guess.

You can check it out at www.begreennow.com

Surely you are joking.

That website give me a good idea. I will go into competition with them. I can print up a bunch of "carbon credit" certificates and sell them (at a discount of course). It will make a heck of a lot of people feel really good about themselves when I take their money.

Edit: No, I will email people their carbon credit certificates - that way they are more enviromentally friendly!

 

[BigfishDM]

Surely you are joking.

That website give me a good idea. I will go into competition with them. I can print up a bunch of "carbon credit" certificates and sell them (at a discount of course). It will make a heck of a lot of people feel really good about themselves when I take their money.

Edit: No, I will email people their carbon credit certificates - that way they are more enviromentally friendly!

No actually I wasnt joking, do you think they are running a scam? I researched there business for a long time before I decided to do it. I thought and still think its a good idea. Also doing mailers on seeded paper which is expensive but its pretty cool that you can actually plant the advertisment once its done being read. Anyways sorry you didnt like the idea.

 

[MachServTech]

It probably takes more fuel and resources to ship the banners to HP than what is conserved.

I very much believe in capitalism, and I believe that the least expensive option is usually the most enviromentally friendly. If tossing something in the trash is cheaper than recycling it, then tossing it is generally more enviromentally friendly than recycling it.

My concern with offering to "recycle" something for customers is that they will think we will somehow reuse their banner - and they will expect a discount or sometype of deposit return.

My thought about green marketing is that we should start charging 30% extra if people want green ink on their signs.

Tossing in the trash may not be an option forever...

In some places....probably California or Oregon they will start to figure out much of our industry substrates have higher lead content than lead based paint. I think the handwriting is on the wall in some locations...probably not anytime soon in SC

http://www.alibaba.com/product-gs/235799780/Lead_Based_Stabilizer_for_PVC_Profile.html

Very common in banner material.