5. Discussion and conclusions
This paper has examined the nature and the reasons for rejection of ‘green’ brands compared to non-green brands. The findings show that ‘green’ brands, being typically small brands, are rejected at higher levels than non-green brands. Looking closely at the reasons, rejection of ‘green’ brands is primarily due to a lack of awareness rather than any particular objections to buying these brands. These findings are important as they suggest that marketers should move their focus away from trying to address the reasons not to buy ‘green’ brands, towards how best to make brands simply noticed and considered.
The implication for the marketers of ‘green’ brands is that their focus should be on making ‘green’ brands salient in as many buying situations as possible – to increase their likelihood of being considered and purchased. Indeed, the toughest marketing challenge for any brand, ‘green’ or not, is simply to be noticed and thought of in a buying context. ‘Green’ brands potentially have an advantage in that they are offering an extra benefit to consumers that their competitors are not: a ‘green’ alternative. However, focusing on just this one attribute, without building mental links in the customer’s minds to buying situations and other valued features, could potentially inhibit a brand’s growth. While being ‘green’ could potentially be a benefit, this alone is not a path to gain access into a consumer’s consideration set. Through communication and promotion, those brands should be built to be category members and link to cues which trigger buying from a category in a variety of occasions.
