Green Design Movement Moving Toward Period Of Stagnation?

By Nick Glenn, The Green Ad Agency

I just got back from a tradeshow in San Diego and witnessed firsthand why the evolving green movement may be about to cycle into a stagnation phase.

It is the classic case of what happens when either you read incredibly positive market research data or you believe that a successful test will lead to overnight majority market acceptance.

As a marketing guy my first fear has been realized. The emerging green movement was always a balancing act between politics and business. My fear was that in order for the movement to achieve majority acceptance it had to follow the normal cycle of market adoption and if not, it would falter.

The San Diego experience was a window into this. I saw a presentation given by an experienced architect who basically thought we should follow the example of the early eastern European nomadic herdsmen. These were the real first proponents of sustainability. I don’t think Genghis Khan was quite looking to be the first recipient of a sustainability award, rather one for population control was more in his mind. The basic premise is if you’ve got a few Yaks around you’ve got yourself a new roof, etc. The bottom line is that the activists who began this movement should realize that the United States is the land of choice. We are not all going to drive a Prius and we are certainly not going to put a set of 19” wheels with spinning rims on it either.

To date this movement has been driven by architects and the USGBC, neither of whom are marketing strategists. Product marketers and building owners have been left to react and attempt to adapt to the trend.

The USGBC et al. have seen this as a “green light” and have become more radical in their demands. As any marketer will tell you the most enduring changes occur over time and are highly influenced by our socialization process. I was in Silicon Valley in the early 80’s when it was predicted that in the next few years every home would have a PC. I rest my case.

Nick Glenn is President of The Green Ad Agency, which formed as an offshoot of The Ludlow Group, a Virginia Beach, Virginia based advertising and marketing agency with a 15-year track record of selling into the A/E/C community. He can be reached at (757) 463-4703 or by email: nick@thegreenadagency.com.

To view other columns on other topics, click here.