Creative Sustainability Could Improve Sales, Market Share

June 13, 2007

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Toyota, Timberland, Aspen Skiing, Ben & Jerry’s, Flexcar and Hewlett-Packard received global citizen statuettes at Advertising Age’s first Green Conference to commemorate their companies’ efforts in leading the way in environmentally sound corporate practices, AdAge reports. The article has some interesting insights into increasing sales and market share while doing good.

At the conference, Carol Yang, VP-corporate marketing, Timberland, implied that while there is a fine line between preaching at customers and teaching them about issues, incentives don’t hurt. Encouraging consumers to bring Timberland shoe boxes back to stores to be recycled by offering them a discount on future purchases is a good way to drive greenness – and sales.

Aspen Skiing Co. watched responses to survey questions about the importance of the company’s environmental stance jump from 10 percent to 33 percent in the past decade. The number who make purchasing decisions based on these policies jumped from roughly two percent to 33 percent. If one-third of Aspen’s customers cared about environmentalism, reasoned David Perry, senior VP-mountain division, there’s a good chance a third of his competitors’ customers do as well, providing Aspen with the opportunity to move market share.

For a closer look at sustainability efforts by the six companies highlighted at the conference, see AdAge’s special report.

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