The Hindu Business Line : Earthly concerns

World Environment Day came and went. We had the same tired speeches from the same energetic politicians, the statutory saplings were planted and some commercial messages were released in the newspapers.

So what has all this to do with advertising or marketing? Everything. While we have merrily carried on degrading our planet as though there was no tomorrow, there is fortunately a new generation of consumers which is taking its rightful place in the purchasing firmament. A more informed, and a more concerned generation. A generation that is as interested in reading and seeing your advertisements and commercials and knowing what you want them to know, as they are about certain things that are increasingly important to them. Happily, the environment is one of them. And this consumer, in a world of perfect competition and `me-too' products is desperately looking for crucial differentiators that could influence her choice. And frankly, a good image as a responsible occupant of Planet Earth is as good a differentiator as any.

Cut back to the advertisements released on World Environment Day. The Baldota Group put out a fairly large advertisement that had a visual showing the arms of a person embracing a tree. The headline read "Happy Mother's Day." Honestly, I had not heard the name of the Baldota Group before. Not that it makes a difference to the Baldota Group. However, now, I have an idea that they are probably into mining, and they have now diversified into producing wind power. What I am very clear about is that the Group is committed to preserving the environment. They claim to have planted 17 lakh trees and have taken the pains to plan out and release an advertisement expressing their commitment to the environment. Does that mean I am a consumer of wind power or that I would buy the ore mined by them? Certainly not. It means I, and several other readers, have a positive image of this company. Something that could not hurt them, and would definitely help them if they were to indulge in some activity that involved retail customers. Even an IPO, for that matter.

I believe the time has come when the consumer wants to know if a company is committed to corporate governance, is an equal-opportunity employer, is enviro-friendly and so on.

As a marketer, these are fantastic plus points that could make the vital difference when comparisons are made between similar products and services. Remember the classic example of Body Shop that shot to fame and leadership simply because Anita Roddick who headed the company publicly proclaimed her products were not tested on animals. Suddenly she had a unique selling proposition. Other more established manufacturers of shampoos and moisturisers were clearly put on the back foot by this brilliant move.

It helped that Roddick had, or built up, a reputation as someone who genuinely cared for animals and thus did not want to hurt them by testing her products on them. Please remember also that her approach flew in the face of conventional marketing and advertising wisdom that would have probably concentrated on the more tangible benefits the product range had to offer.

On the other hand, think about the companies that generally have an image as polluters, even if they individually do not degrade the environment. The proposition conjures up images of thermal power plants, nuclear power plants, oil drilling companies, cement manufacturing companies, chemicals manufacturing companies and even paint manufacturing companies. All these units and more have the potential to degrade the environment they flourish in. People with long memories would recall Zuari Chemicals and the beating it took before it had to suspend operations temporarily in sylvan Goa.

Oil companies internationally have taken a hammering from environmentalists. Yet, I remember some memorable advertising from Shell that powerfully brings out its concern for the environment. BP, the petroleum giant, has the fresh earth colours of yellow and green as its house colours. I was pretty disappointed that the oil majors in India did not take the opportunity to display what they are doing to preserve the environment.

Gone are the days when they could sit back and look down from their rather monopolistic perch upon the consumer below. The entry of private players has ensured that they need to look at every way to endear themselves to the consumer and a good image as an environment-conscious company would definitely go a long way in this respect.

I recall driving past the offices of ONGC, Indian Oil and the like in Bandra East, Mumbai, many years ago. Right across from them was the stinking Mithi river trying to lurch sluggishly past these offices to keep her date with the Arabian Sea, a stone's throw away. I thought it presented a fantastic opportunity. Just imagine if these cash-rich oil companies had gotten together and cleaned up a part of the river, built a promenade on its banks and put out a little branding about themselves and their commitment to the environment! The project was definitely within the financial reach of these giants, and they would have positioned themselves squarely as being really environmentally-friendly. And of course, Mumbai may not have drowned last July.

I still remember Gujarat Ambuja putting out an advertisement that spoke about its rose plants near its cement plant that acted as the best environment inspectors. Things like this point to the visionary disposition that Narottam Sekhsaria exhibited from the very beginning. Little things that have built such a fine company today.

At the end of the day there is a crying need for marketers to realise the potential there is in positioning themselves as enviro-friendly corporates. Consumers expect it and corporate responsibility demands it.

(The writer is a comunications consultant)

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