ABSTRACT

This chapter discusses some of the motivations for greening marketing and organisational thinking. Green marketing is often incorrectly associated with superficial ‘green hype’ such as ‘new improved and friendly to the natural environment’. Green marketing is more involved than simply promoting a products or organisation’s green attributes or activities. It requires organisations to carefully evaluate the very nature of organisation–consumer exchange through a modification of the traditional marketing mix variables as well as other activities. Understanding organisational motivations for greening is important, for it shapes how an organisation undertakes its specific green marketing activities. In some cases organisations undertake greening initiatives in reaction to consumers seeking out new greener products or services. Competitive pressures may force organisations to introduce green marketing activities, and there is sometimes a chain reaction within an industry. In the green marketing area, a number of catchphrases have been used, including: green marketing, sustainable marketing and responsible marketing.