Nearly half (49%) of respondents said that a company’s environmental record was important in their purchasing decisions. But just 21% said this had driven them to choose one product over another.

So what does this mean to brand marketers?

Then ask yourself if you can articulate the problem or need that green features and benefits solve for your consumer. Keep in mind that numerous studies have shown that most consumers don’t see a ‘green’ problem in need of solving. And they won’t pay a premium for something that doesn’t provide them with a unique solution to an important problem or need just because it’s green.

Also, keep in mind that some consumers feel companies should adopt environmental and energy friendly policies as a matter of business practice. So don’t assume that announcing that your brand is green is necessarily going to result in a competitive or public relations advantage.

Finally, even when green is relevant, its positioning should be secondary to key product benefits. Consumers, as indicated in the study above, focus on their needs first. Then they’ll consider whether your green products fit their needs and budget.

Here's an excerpt from a July 17th article in The New York Times entitled Cooling Off on Dubious Eco-Friendly Claims that reinforces some of the points in my above post:

"The advertising industry is quicker than most to pick up on changing consumer tastes and moods, and it seems to have grasped the public’s growing skepticism over ads with environmental messages.The sheer volume of these ads — and the flimsiness of many of their claims — seems to have shot the messenger. At best, it has led consumers to feel apathetic toward the green claims or, at worst, even hostile and suspicious of them."

See also:
Brands: What Do You Mean By Green?