Eco-Friendly Building Trends & How You Can Sell and Market the Value of 'Green'

SOUTHERN BUILDING SHOW 2009
Eco-Friendly Building Trends and How you can Sell and Market the Value of “Green”

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Introduction
My name is Steven Kleber, CEO and founder of Kleber & Associates, an Atlanta integrated
marketing firm that specializes in the home and building products channel. With more than 22 years
of experience targeting consumers and influencers in the marketplace, I hope my perspective is
beneficial to you as you strive for business success, increased market share and a strengthened
competitive edge in today’s marketplace and during our nation’s challenging economic times.

Green Movement
Times have changed from the tree hugging hippy era when being “green” was thought of as just a
fad. With soaring, record-breaking energy, water and food costs, elevated concerns about our
nation’s economic and financial crises, and escalating awareness about global warming and the
preservation of the Earth’s water and energy supply, individuals nationwide are coming together in
an effort to reduce their carbon footprints.

Today’s Presentation: An Overview
Today’s presentation will be split up into two sections:

1. The industry’s eco-friendly building, design, architecture and product trends of note
2. How to market and sell the value of green
• Macro/global trends
• Short-term micro eco trends
• Consumerism
• “Generation Green” – demographic breakdown
• “Generation Green” -- motivating factors and purchasing habits
• “Generation Green” – how to market and sell to them

SECTION I: GREEN BUILDING, DESIGN AND PRODUCT TRENDS
The green movement has vastly altered the building, architecture, home design and home products
industries. “Going green” used to be focused more toward commercial applications that weren’t
necessarily visually appealing, affordable or functional for more residential uses. Now, building,
design and product interest and demand for eco-friendly design, building and home products has
risen, leading to increased selection and competitive pricing. People can now get a wider selection of
“green” products that are aesthetically pleasing, affordable and that provide cost savings over time.

Federal Incentives for Consumers
In addition to the changing environmentally-friendly landscape, federal incentives have increased
consumer demand and interest for energy saving products, design, buildings and services. As I’m
sure you’re aware the new energy product tax credits are applicable for consumers on:

• Windows
• Doors
• Insulation
• Roofs
• HVAC systems

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• Water heaters
• Biomass stoves
• Geothermal heat pumps
• Solar panels
• Solar water heaters
• Small wind energy systems
• Fuel cells

Federal Incentives for Builders
Home builders are eligible for a $2,000 tax credit for a new energy efficient home that achieves 50%
energy savings for heating and cooling over the 2004 International Energy Conservation Code
(IECC) and supplements through homes built through the end of December 2009.

Stipulations include that at least 1/5 of the energy savings must come from building envelope
improvements. This credit also applies to contractors of manufactured homes conforming to
Federal Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards.

There is also a $1,000 tax credit to the producer of a new manufactured home achieving 30% energy
savings for heating and cooling over the 2004 IECC and supplements (at least 1/3 of the savings
must come from building envelope improvements), or a manufactured home meeting the
requirements established by EPA under the ENERGY STAR program.

Other Builder Incentives
With an increased focus on energy and water saving options for today’s homes, builders, developers,
architects and designers can capitalize on organizational programs and product options:

WaterSense Program
• Help to make environmentally-products
the preferred choice
• Conservation of water
• Environmental protection
• Increased revenue, market share by
providing ways homeowners can save
on utility bills

ENERY STAR Program
• Market differentiation
• Market recognition
• Increased customer satisfaction
• Increased revenue
• EPA support
• Program flexibility
• Environmental protection
• For developers, increased ability to attract builders and easier access to rights for land
development
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LEED for Homes
• High-performance eco-friendly homes
• Use less energy, water and natural resources
• Create less waste
• For consumers, market:
• Lower energy and water bills
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Less exposure to mold, mildew and other indoor toxins
• Healthier and more comfortable
• Comparable pricing to a conventional home

Changes in Building and Design Landscape
New federal legislation that benefits both consumers and builders, along with the increased interest
in reducing the nation’s carbon footprint has contributed to the demand of new residential buildings
for homeowners including:

• Smaller homes on small lots
• Available of at-home gardens (locavore movement)
• Cluster developments – lots are smaller, commonly cared for, include exterior ecologically-
made materials and internal green products, design elements
• Communal Living -- “intentional communities” comprised of people of all ages and
backgrounds seeking to reduce their carbon footprints and a way of working within the
community to help one another and the environment,” most prevalent in larger urban areas.
• Cohousing communities -- boast high quality, energy efficient homes, a common house,
office/studio space for rent, and productive farmland in a woodland area.

Home Systems
• Greywater systems
• Water infiltration systems
• Solar
• HVAC systems

Energy Savings
• Appliances
• Windows
• Doors
• Insulation
• Roofs
• HVAC systems
• Water heaters
• Biomass stoves

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• Geothermal heat pumps
• Solar panels
• Solar water heaters
• Fuel cells

Water Savings
Low-flow:
• Toilets
• Faucets
• WaterSense plumbing fixtures

Other Eco-Friendly Options
• Low VOC exterior and interior paint
• Lighting
• Products made out of ecologically-friendly materials, i.e. flooring, cabinetry

Green Movement: The Bottom Line
The green movement isn’t just a fad, but a valid concern and priority for millions of people
throughout the nation -- we’ll discuss this is more detail shortly. That means that today’s builders,
architects, designers, remodelers and home products manufacturers must react to the needs and
demands of homeowners, especially among today’s emerging homeowners. It’s not window
dressing; it’s about providing customers with what they
are seeking in terms of buildings, design and product
performance in relation to the green marketplace.

And from a marketing and sales perspective, it’s essential
to market the value of green in all aspects of your
business by providing information, direct messaging and
marketing collateral, among other tools by leveraging
today’s multiple marketing platforms and reaching out to
today’s environmentally-friendly consumers in the places
they live and learn.

SECTION II: HOW TO MARKET AND SELL THE VALUE OF GREEN
TARGET AUDIENCES SHAPING THE GREEN MOVEMENT
Macro Global Trends
Let’s first discuss today’s global macro trends. The major forces that shape our societies—from
politics to environmental developments to financial meltdowns—have a major impact on changes in
consumer behavior. First, a brief definition:

Macro trends* are the broad forces of change that create the future context of today’s world. They
represent the sudden appearance and ongoing progress of emerging global phenomena, such as
market motivators and consumer values. Understanding and utilizing macro trends is now seen as a
prerequisite for excelling in business.

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Understanding macro trends—and determining their significance to current challenges—allows us
to strategically anticipate and adapt to change, and alerts us to the threats and opportunities in our
future business environments.

So what are the most important macro trends for the next 12-18 months?

Macro Global Trends
The current top 12 global macro trends, which look beyond the current recession, as defined by
Swiss business school IMD:

1) Economic Power Shifting: The focus of economic
power is shifting to Asia and BRIC in terms of
investment and output, away from the outdated
“Triad” markets of the 1980s and 1990s. The
question is how independent the BRIC markets will
be in driving global growth and what the role of the
Triad will be.

2) Shifting Market Landscape: While developed
countries will remain the largest consumer and industrial markets, the rise of a massive
global “middle class” in rapidly developing economies (RDEs) will shift the demand
landscape radically. The competition for these markets will be intense, but which
competitors will succeed?

3) Changing Geopolitical & Security Landscape: Globalization is driving new dimensions
of power beyond military might, including economics, resources and technology. But the
new global landscape is not stable: risks and nationalism are rising.

4) Fracturing Global Social Fabric: Globally the population is becoming older, more urban,
more Asian and more mobile. At the same time, traditional social structures are fragmenting,
shifting notions of personal identity. With demands for greater inclusion by previously
isolated segments of society, divides—and associated tensions—are increasing.

5) Growing Stakeholder Demands on Business: More stakeholders—public and private—
are actively demanding transparency and accountability from business. Corporations are seen
as part of society’s problems. Can they also become critical contributors to required
solutions?

6) Changing Consumer Landscape: In more diverse
and mobile societies and economies, new consumer
groups are emerging. Consumer segmentation now
requires new lenses, as new sources of similarity and
difference emerge. Consumers increasingly demand
more involvement in and customization of
consumption experiences.

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7) Changing Industry Landscape: Business models must become more flexible. Power is
shifting along the value chain and the competition to create and capture value—and
profits—is intensifying. The emergence of BRIC multinationals means more intense
competition. Flexibility and innovation are critical to avoid being “stuck in the middle.”

8) Changing Nature of Capital: Global financial flows are accelerating, with Asia increasingly
funding the deficit spending of the US and, partly, Europe, leading to global systemic risks
now being realized as the current credit crunch redefines the global financial system. New
power brokers are emerging, reshaping market dynamics and potentially raising tensions.

9) Changing Labor Landscape: A raging global war for talent for both skilled and “low cost”
jobs is increasing. Asia is increasingly important for all types of skills. Partnering and
outsourcing is on the rise within and across borders.

10) Growing Pressure on Natural Resources: Basic resources are under threat, including
water, energy, food and habitats/climate. Consumption of critical resources is outpacing the
rate that the planet can sustain. Public and institutional activism is rising, demanding action.

11) Changing Technology Landscape: A global technology revolution is gaining pace,
crossing national borders and scientific disciplines. New technologies, including
biotechnology and nanotechnology, will reshape industries and our daily lives.

12) Changing Economics of Information & Knowledge: Exploding connectivity and
channels for information are making knowledge creation a global imperative. Networking is
critical! Gaining an advantage in and protecting knowledge is difficult to achieve—and even
more difficult to sustain.

While for some of you macro trends are also something to be watched and interpreted by your
scenario-planning department, they’re crucial elements of your point of view. Let’s move on to the
short-term future.

Short-Term Future
Consumer trends emerge across the globe and have the potential to spread quickly because they
appeal to experienced consumers’ needs and wants in almost universal ways. The same goes for the
examples highlighted: they’re best of breed, and sourced
from Singapore to Sweden.

In that sense, we’re very much about the SHORT-
TERM FUTURE*: there is nothing in these slides that
can’t be applied today or tomorrow. It is all happening;
it’s a snapshot of what other organizations are having
fun with worldwide as we speak, and that makes it
perhaps even scarier than exploring the unknown, since
there is no excuse for not knowing or acting upon the
information provided.

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But. What if one or more of the trends and related examples featured in this report really do not
apply to your market or country? It’s a question often asked. The standard reply (assuming you’re
right about your market’s unreadiness):

• First of all, why limit yourself to one market or country? If you think your own country isn’t
ready for a trend, why not introduce it to another country that is ready? It's a global
marketplace out there, making it easier than ever for you to be a global entrepreneur or
marketer.

• Secondly, you only have to dive into one of the many global youth tribe studies to find
further proof that when it comes to brands, when it comes to consumption, the similarities
worldwide far outnumber the differences. It's a total cliché, but yes, younger consumers are
well-connected and well-informed, and treat the global marketplace as a smorgasbord of
best-of-the-best delicacies. A taste of things to come if we've ever seen one.

• Thirdly, instead of worrying about readiness in a specific market, you can also go ahead and
carefully prepare for that moment, while learning best practices from those who are already
applying the trend elsewhere. Just keep your costs down while waiting and learning :-)

Basically, either think big by taking something global, or think small while learning and not spending
too much money. Now let’s explore the global eco phenomenon.

ECO
What could I possibly add to the heaps of eco-documentaries, carbon emission studies, corporate
greening initiatives and Earth Day activities now dedicated to one of the world's biggest tasks at
hand: moving from wasteful, polluting economies to sustainable ones?

Well, how about a fresh, consumer-oriented look at some of the newer opportunities in the next 12-
18 months now that ‘eco awareness’ has been embraced by sizable parts of the global middle
classes? That means I won’t be talking about the hunt for renewable energy sources (it’s macro, and
it’s being documented everywhere),or merely ‘green products’ (ditto), but rather focus on sub-trends
like ECO-ICONIC, ECO-METERING, ECO-CHEAP, ECO-CHINA and ECO-GENEROSITY.

ECO-ECONIC
Will continue to grow in importance this year.

“Eco-friendly goods and services sporting bold, iconic markers and design, helping their eco-
conscious owners show off their eco-credentials to their peers. At the heart of ECO-ICONIC is a
status shift (isn’t there always?): many consumers are eager to flaunt their green behavior and
possessions because there are now millions of other consumers who are actually impressed by green
lifestyles.”

Here are the latest examples on this trend:

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• Philips has introduced an ecological lighting concept called the Light Blossom. The
Light Blossom collects energy and monitors light emission differently in its ‘day’ and
‘night’ modes: at night the LEDs beam light only when and where needed through
proximity-sensing technology and during the day the Blossom imitates a real flower with
petals that open toward (and follow) the sun, storing solar energy. The Light Blossom
can also function like a windmill.

• Texas-based Ronn Motor Company has
designed a sexy new eco-friendly car,
The Scorpion. This hybrid features the
company’s Hydrogen Fuel Injection
(HFI) fuel delivery system which
increases fuel mileage between 20-40%
and reduces CO2 emissions to nearly
zero. The USD 150,000 Scorpion will be
on the market soon.

• Toyota officially announced the details
of the new generation Prius in January
2009 at the North American
International Auto Show in Detroit, but a Solar Prius has apparently now been
produced in prototype form. Toyota placed solar panels on the roof; the power
generated by the system will be used for the air conditioning.

• Philippe Starck has offered his own take on the electricity-generating wind turbine. The
design, called Democratic Ecology, has been developed with Italian industrial group
Pramac and features transparent plastic blades. The device will be priced at EUR 500-
800, and it is designed to produce 80% of a home’s electricity. The first in a series of
designs reflecting Starck’s new environmental focus, the turbine could soon be joined by
a solar panel than attaches as a thin film to existing windows.

And a cool aquatic ECO-ICONIC example:

• The DSe Hybrid 12m is a sustainable luxury yacht that was recently introduced at the
Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show by Miami-based Island Pilot. The ship can
cruise indefinitely at speeds up to 6 knots while creating zero CO2 emissions using
technology that combines diesel, solar and electric power. On-board amenities include a
master stateroom with a 270-degree panorama view, a 26” HDTV and a Bose home
theater system. The prominent solar panels and two wind turbines show off the owner’s
green leanings.

ECO-CHEAP
With America still operating in a recession, count on all things ‘eco’ to be repositioned from ‘worthy
but expensive’ to ‘cheap and, oh yes, worthy’. Dubbing this sub-trend ECO-CHEAP, these
manifestations will be hard to miss.

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On the one hand, there will be cash-strapped consumers who go out of their way to save money on
energy bills, motorized transport and other waste-prone, eco-unfriendly activities. While the
environment may not be their first concern, they will nevertheless create less pollution.

On the other hand, there’ll be consumers who are still primarily interested in more sustainable
products, but no longer willing or able to pay the usual premiums. Examples:

• BMW repositions the fun-loving Mini as cheap
to run, and no doubt as eco-friendlier, too.
Which will become an even more compelling
story when the new Mini E (E for electric) goes
into mass production.

• Payless ShoeSource recently announced a new
line of affordable eco-minded shoes. Summer
Rayne Oakes, green fashion and beauty expert,
has signed on as eco-consultant for the green
footwear collection, which will use sustainable
and eco-friendly materials such as organic cotton and linen, natural hemp, recycled
outsoles and eco-smart packaging. See also Wal-Mart's Love, Earth line of affordable,
environmentally conscious jewelry.

What product or service will you reposition in the next 12 months to appeal to consumers who are
into ECO-CHEAP?

ECO-METERING
ECO-METERING is where ECO-CHEAP and ECO-STATUS meet.

Expect frugal, status-seeking consumers to embrace a growing crop of devices and services that help
them make the most of energy saving options (ECO-CHEAP) and simultaneously display the
related ‘green savings’ to peers (ECO-STATUS), or at least provide their owners with eco-bragging
ammunition.

Smart Meter Ontario, an informational site maintained by the government of Ontario, has a good
summary of the benefits of smart meters:
• You’ll be able to take action to manage your electricity bills. With attention to how and
when you use electricity, you'll be able to contain or reduce your costs.
• You’ll get real feedback about your electricity use.
• Your electricity bill will show how much you consumed—and, in the future, detailed
information may be available to you via the internet or by telephone.
• You’ll get more precise electricity bills. The bills you receive will be based on the hourly
readings taken and sent by your Smart Meter.

Examples:
• In September 2008, smart meter producer Echelon announced the first full-scale roll-
out of its Networked Energy Services (NES) System in Germany. The public utility of

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Hassfurt awarded the contract to provide all of its approximately 10,000 customers with
an advanced metering infrastructure over the next three years. In fact, Germany recently
proposed a new energy law requiring all new and remodeled homes to be equipped with
smart meters by 2010 to promote energy conservation and efficiency. Echelon also has a
deal with Swedish utility Halmstad Energi och Miljö AB to update its customer base of
38,000 electricity meters.

• Smart meters need a smart grid though. This year, keep an eye on GE and Google, who
are cooperating to develop a smart electrical grid that can make better use of power
derived from renewable energy, and will enable consumers to monitor individual energy
use, sell energy back to utilities from electric car batteries and program appliances to turn
on at times when electricity is least expensive.

More metering, counting and tracking of energy use:

• UK-based Ecokettle’s Eco Showerdrop is the world’s first low-cost, universal shower
meter. A digital LED display indicates
exactly how much water a particular shower
uses so that consumers can monitor their at-
home use of water, saving money and
energy. No installation or tools are required
to set up the Showerdrop, which is available
for order through several sustainable
suppliers posted on the website.

• RoofRay is a brand-new California startup
aiming to help consumers with the often
arduous process of getting solar panels
installed. Using the site's modeling tools,
consumers can estimate how much solar
energy a home could capture and how that would affect their monthly bills based on past
weather conditions, current power bills, the slope of the roof, and how much paneling
the roof can hold. Ultimately, RoofRay hopes to create "RoofRaytings" for buildings and
provide them to real-estate search engines as an indicator of the solar potential of homes
or businesses for sale. It also plans to create an online marketplace where solar installers
and integrators can bid for consumers' business. See also FirstLook.

• eco:Drive is a new Fiat-branded widget which aims to improve driving efficiency by up
to 15%. This means a smaller carbon footprint at the same time as saving on fuel. The
widget can be transferred onto a USB stick and plugged into Fiat’s Blue&Me technology
(a USB port on the dashboard). The software then evaluates driving and gives a mark out
of 100. Tutorials subsequently encourage drivers to improve their driving, their score
and ultimately, reduce their carbon emissions.

• Carbon Diem, a new software package that launched in the beginning of 2009, runs on
users' GPS-enabled mobile phones to determine how they're getting around at any given

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moment—on foot, by car, or on a bus, train or airplane. As an algorithm tracks the
transportation mode used and distance covered, the software uses that information to
keep an up-to-the-minute record of the user's carbon emissions, displaying the results in
both daily and weekly terms. In tests over the past year, Carbon Diem's accuracy ranged
from 100 percent when people are on planes or trains to between 65 and 75 percent
when they travel by bus, company founder Andreas Zachariah told The Guardian. Its
software is already Nokia N-series compliant, and the company is currently seeking
funding to speed up its development cycle for the BlackBerry platform.

In what ways will you embed ECO-METERING into your products or services in the next 12
months?

ECO-CHINA
Here comes NOW MADE IN CHINA with a green twist. Expect to hear from many more
Chinese manufacturers hopping onto the green bandwagon this year. I’m not saying it’s going to be
NOW MADE WELL IN CHINA, but still…

• Shenzhen-based automotive company BYD has
announced plans to be the first to mass-market
electric cars in China late 2009 or early 2010, with
plans to ultimately market the cars in Europe and
North America as well. The BYD e6 can go 300
km on a single full charge and will retail in China
for CNY 200,000 (approximately USD 29,000).
BYD’s gasoline-electric hybrid F6DM can be
plugged into a home electric outlet and is capable
of traveling 100 km with a full charge, and will
retail for CNY 150,000 (approximately USD 22,000). Both BYD cars are safer than other
electric cars because of the lithium ion battery technology BYD has developed, which uses
iron phosphate as one of the main electrode materials to keep the batteries from exploding
from overheating.

ECO-GENERORSITY
The ECO trend lends itself well to combinations with other trends. So here’s one that should make
some waves this year: ECO-GENEROSITY.

Basically, once companies and consumers can no longer get
away with anything less than totally offsetting their negative
impact on the environment—and this will happen sooner
rather than later—the only way to stand out, to gain any
kind of respect in the eco-sphere, will be to go the extra
mile and to be GENEROUS. From planting more trees
than is strictly required, to cleaning up not only your own
mess, but someone else's, too.

Count on being sustainable or being carbon-neutral to soon be merely the starting point, not the end
goal. So start thinking about how your brand can actually boost the environment instead of just

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limiting the damage. Call it PR or responsibility or both. As long as you’re going out of your way to
be generous, everyone wins.

Alongside those macro and micro consumer trends, and eco-friendly building, design and product
introductions surrounding the sustainability of the green movement are the multifaceted groups
driving and shaping this new evolution.

Let’s first explore some changing habits among our target consumers.

Consumerism 1.0 – 4.0
A refresher: when dealing with (and selling to) people, everything always comes back to status. In a
traditional consumer society, he or she who consumes the most, the best, the coolest, the most
expensive, the scarcest or the most popular goods, will typically also gain the most status.

While this will ring true this year for many
consumers, 'old', mass-era status symbols, from
the Audi R8 to Patek Philippe’s Nautilus watch,
will no longer be every consumer's dream.

After all, as mature consumer societies are
increasingly dominated by (physical) abundance,
by saturation, by experiences, by virtual worlds,
by individualism, by participation, by feelings of
guilt and concern about the side effects of
unbridled consumption, status is to be had in so
many more ways than leading a lifestyle
centered on hoarding as much as possible. So
different status spheres will co-exist: think of
this as Consumerism 1.0-4.0…

• Consumerism 1.0: Consumers buying and possessing more and/or better stuff than fellow
consumers.

• Consumerism 2.0: Consumers driven by experiences instead of the fixed—and enjoying the
status derived from the stories they can tell afterwards, too. Freeing oneself from the hassles
of permanent ownership and possessions is big for this one.

• Consumerism 3.0: Consumers participating, creating, developing skills and acquiring
knowledge. Status comes from finding an appreciative audience, impressed with what one
knows and can create, instead of what one consumes or experiences.

• Consumerism 4.0: For some, giving, caring, contributing, being generous, and yes,
consuming less are the new status symbols.

However, these various forms of consumerism are not exclusively tied to specific countries or
regions, and most individuals adhere to more than one level, as they enjoy a variety of lifestyles,

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activities and persuasions, which can be mixed and matched depending on the kind of recognition
they’re looking for, and from which crowd or scene they’re hoping to get it. Individuals from the US
to India will be into buying more, more, more for years to come, while simultaneously, other
individuals from Belgium to South Korea will want to actively consume less. Worth keeping in mind
when you’re busy coming up with the Next Big Thing!

Nadaism
The real-world examples in this presentation all have ‘something’. They are focused on real
consumer needs and wants, they have been thought through, and reflect their creators’ enthusiasm.
They stand out. They’re interesting. And so they should be, because there is so much clutter, such
abundance, such an onslaught of smart professionals and brands from around the world having
joined the game, that consumers are indifferent to any new product, service or experience that is
average. Mediocre. Run of the mill. Me-too. A duplicate.

So the one danger that overrides all other threats
this year: Nadaism, or the art of doing something
that’s just… ‘nothing’. Nothing special, nothing
loved, nothing remarkable, nothing exciting.
Nada.

We know you know this. But to prevent you from
letting your standards slip or your attention waver
remember: The sad lie of mediocrity -- “Doing
4% less does not get you 4% less. Doing 4%
less may very well get you 95% less.

That's because almost good enough gets you nowhere. No sales, no votes, no customers. The sad lie
of mediocrity is the mistaken belief that partial effort yields partial results. In fact, the results are
usually totally out of proportion to the incremental effort.

Big organizations have the most trouble with this, because they don't notice the correlation. It's
hidden by their momentum and layers of bureaucracy. So a mediocre phone rep or a mediocre chef
may not appear to be doing as much damage as they actually are. The flip side of this is that when
you are at the top, the best in the world, the industry leader, a tiny increase in effort and quality can
translate into huge gains. For a while, anyway.”

This year, stand for something, and do it well. If you don’t, others will run with the prize.

Good Times
And yes, even with sliding currencies, financial meltdowns, plummeting or rocketing oil prices and
other doom and gloom dominating the news, there is plenty of opportunity to delight, to care for,
and to offer excellent service to consumers, as those consumers will certainly communicate no
shortage of needs, wants and hopes. And they will absolutely remember the way you listened to and
acted upon their wishes in tougher times.

Also, while any time is a good time to focus on innovation, let’s not discount the creative and

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innovative juices that are released when budgets tighten or even dry up. Expect to see more (low-
investment) innovations popping up in the next 12-18 months than ever before. The impetus to
innovate really is every recession's silver lining.

Now, let’s move on to how actually to apply trends to make sure good times are had by all.

Apply!
Applying trends isn’t that hard. Use this checklist, and ask
yourself if a certain trend has the potential to:

1) Influence or shape your company's vision.
2) Inspire you to come up with a new business
concept, an entirely new venture, a new
brand.
3) Spawn a new product, service or
experience.
4) Help you speak the language of those
consumers already ‘living’ the trend, i.e.
Generation Green: show them you get it,
show them you know what they’re excited about. Basically, marketing, advertising, or
PR.

That's all there is to it. Seriously, though: don't be too earnest about the quest at hand; it's about
coming up with exciting new products and services for your customers, nothing more and nothing
less.

Generation Green: Demographic Breakdown
Let’s first start with the important demographic groups that make up what I like to call “Generation
Green” and how they relate to the eco-friendly movement in your area of business including:
• Women (Female Fever!)
o Chief Purchasing Officers of the Home
o Millennial Moms
o Single Females
• Emerging Homeowners
• Ruppies

First we’ll start with the women -- or the nation’s “female fever” as we like to refer to it.

Women
Of the key consumer groups that make up Generation Green, women are considered one of the
principal forces and influential buying groups. In terms of sheet volume, they account for about 51
percent i of the total U.S. population. They can be subdivided into three distinct groups in terms of
age and characteristics, yet all share the same attitudinal traits that categorize them as Generation
Green and include the:

• Chief Purchasing Officers of the Home

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• Millennial Moms
• Single Females

What are today’s women like and what are their motivating factors and purchasing habits leading
them to reduce their carbon footprints? Let’s begin with today’s Chief Purchasing Officers of the
Home.

The Chief Purchasing Officer of the Home
Over a period of several weeks last year, my agency conducted research designed to further
understand the characteristics and attitudinal traits of a mounting demographic—the educated,
financially secure and ecologically aware female.

After surveying a pool of noted kitchen and bath remodelers and designers, we found this
demographic to be armed with financial power and knowledge, soon coining these women the Chief
Purchasing Officers, or, CPOs of the Home
as they are responsible for about 80 percent
of all household related purchasing
decisions and control the family purse
strings.

As they also typically manage the majority
of household finances, they are an essential
portion of Generation Green and are a
prime target for those of you in the
residential building, design and remodeling
industries.

Needless to say, this group cannot be
overlooked.

What CPOs are Really Like
Our research found that today’s educated and multi-minding females are typically career driven, hard
working and highly motivated. Despite the importance of her family life, the CPO’s career goals are
a driving force behind her individuality. If the CPO is married, she often manages family finances
and balances the checkbook.

Overall, this group consists of empowered women who work long hours in their respective careers
and have achieved success in both their personal and professional lives by juggling and balancing the
two. They make time for the extras in their lives that are important to them and shed the bulk of
other small distractions.

CPOs make BIG purchasing decisions
As these modern-day women enter middle age, they tend to revisit their idealist roots -- getting more
involved in their home, family, and community including protecting the health of their families,
children, and grandchildren with strides with a goal of achieving a healthier, cleaner way of life. They
control both the purse strings and the wallet in the home and own the sweet spot of prime earning
and spending power, estimated at an annual $1.4 trillion.

16


Some further points to mention include that over the past three decades, women’s median income
has risen about 63 percent compared to their male counterparts, up just 0.6 percent. Furthermore, in
three out of 10 homes, the female head of house is now earning at least half, if not the majority, of
the household income.

Lucky for us, women are heavily immersed in the home building, design and remodeling
marketplace, as they view their homes as their greatest investments with resale value at top of mind.

What Makes Them Green
Green isn’t just a color to today’s CPOs, it’s a way of life. They are concerned about the future of
the world and their families’ health. Also, they have HUGE spending power so these women are the
primary force driving up-and-coming pollution free and conservation products.

They buy from companies that are socially responsible in their manufacturing, marketing, and
product performance. In addition, they often consider a company’s sustainability and corporate
philanthropy initiatives as foresight to what they offer the community as a whole and evaluate this
factor when it comes to time of purchase. One example is upscale chain Whole Foods, where
customers who bring their own bags are rewarded with "wooden nickels" that can be deposited in
boxes assigned for donation to select local charities.

Now that we’ve taken a look at the CPO of the Home, let’s find out more about today’s “Millennial
Moms” taking center stage over yesteryear’s “Soccer Moms.

Soccer Moms No More
Gone are the days of the beloved soccer moms traveling to and from their children’s games and
practices in the infamous minivan of the 90s. Replacing the former generation’s “soccer mom”
stereotype is the latest group of Millennials who are finally of age to be mothers . . . and they are
VERY different from their predecessors.

Millennial Moms Embrace New Trends
Today’s young moms have a more relaxed attitude about their children. Realizing that raising
children isn’t always going to go smoothly, Millennial Moms are more natural in their approach.

What’s notable is that they are also hanging on to their individual personalities. They are more
interested in enjoying motherhood (and life) then being consumed by it. In this generational cohort
you’ll see other interest groups pop up like “eco moms,” “yoga moms” and the famous “mommy
bloggers” as these women strive to balance their environmental, social, political and economic
minded lives and personal interests with motherhood and family.

Millennial Moms have a unique outlook on life
Speaking of balance, they experienced their own mothers juggling a demanding career and work life
with no avail, as many of their parents’ marriages ended in divorce. This wasn’t always the case, yet
as a result, Millennial Moms realized the limited obtainability of this “perfect” life, thus, are more apt
to customize and tailor their own lives similar to the way they choose the music on their iPods.

17


Technology also provides these Moms with added comfort and freedom as they realize they have
convenience and control on their side. As a result, Millennial Moms tend to be more empowered
then the mothers who preceded them due to a number of factors like the Internet, social media and
instant access and a seemingly unlimited supply to information via the Web.

Remember, Millennial Moms are also an integral part of the Emerging Homeowners group (which
we will be talking about later) who thrive on community and a collaborative environment.

Millennial Moms are the Real Deal
To put it in perspective, according to a recent
article in Brandweek, ii there are nine million
Millennial Moms in the U.S. (U.S. Census
Bureau). This group is still growing and has yet to
hit its prime baby-making potential. Moms
classified as Gen Y-ers or Millennials are also
projected to have more kids than their Gen X and
Boomer predecessors, and, at a younger age.

For those of us in the home building and
remodeling marketplace, this is one of the vital
groups to watch.

Millennial Moms are technological savvy, enabling them to participate and research environmentally-
friendly brand and product groups from the comfort of their own homes and on their own time.
They know what’s going on in the world around them and have unlimited access to information at
the tip of their fingertips.

As America’s youngest generation of mothers, Millennial Moms are increasingly aware of the green
movement and what they can do to become a driving force and reduce their carbon footprints.

Being eco-friendly also hits closer to home as their children and future grandchildren are the most
likely to suffer the ill-effects of global warming, pollution, drought and an overall lack of the world’s
precious natural resources.

Single Females
Last, but certainly not least, are today’s single females. In relation to the home marketplace, single
female homeowners outnumber their male counterparts 2 to 1, proving women in all facets of life
are a prime force to be reckoned with.

Remember, single women aren’t synonymous with those women featured on “Sex and the City”
who actually made being single the new trend. Single women come from all walks and stages of life
including a divorcee, widow, single mother, or a first-time homebuyer just beginning to hit salary
peaks.

18


Single Females: An Overlooked Opportunity
Typically, young single women reside in their homes five years or less, creating an immense
opportunity to service or sell to them repeatedly as they are buying new and existing homes and are
refurnishing and redecorating them continuously….a
prime opportunity for builders, designers, remodelers and
home product manufacturers. In fact, the number of
singe females operating as the ‘head of household’ is
increasing at a staggering rate.

Additionally, the idea of three head-of-households living
under one roof may become the new tradition. Think of
it this way. One home may be comprised of a divorced
wage earner, her daughter just boomeranging from
college and a widowed mother, all under one roof. What’s
more, this group can be sub-defined as a CPO, Millennial Mom, Ruppie, or an Emerging
Homeowner, so their approach to buying green products and support for the green movement
comes in many forms as we’ll get into later.

Wrap-Up: Women and their Role in the Green Movement
If you think women aren’t a force to be reckoned with, think again.

Women spend about $5 trillion annually, which amounts to about half of the U.S. GDP. They are
also buying 91 percent of all new homes. In terms of eco-friendly products, nearly 50 percent of
women say they want “green” choices, 37 percent are more likely to pay attention to brands
committed to environmental causes, and 25 percent of all products in a woman’s shopping cart are
environmentally friendly. iii

And remember, they are not just BUYING eco-friendly products and services for the home, they
are DRIVING the green movement. They have the power to influence companies to participate in
everything from reducing climate change, to restoring our water, air, and protecting the health of
their families, children, and grandchildren.

They can, and are, using their purse to pull builders, designers, architects, product manufacturers
and service providers into a new, cleaner, and more environmentally-friendly direction. Women are
past the point of letting providers tell them what to buy. They are telling YOU how to build, what to
manufacture and how to run your business, based on the purchases they make every day.

Respect modern-day women, in all facets of life, as the powerful buying force and influential part of
Generation Green they have proven to be, and you will have an increased chance of expanding your
business and exceeding your profit margins.

Let’s now talk about today’s Emerging Homeowners.

Emerging Homeowners—Gen X
Generation X, born between the years 1965 and 1981, is an influential buying group about 51
million strong. Now between the ages of 27 and 43, this group spends $125 billion a year, with a
total spending power of more than $200 billion annually.

19


Generation X—What This Group is Really Like
Generation X can be defined as diverse, self-reliant and pragmatic. They judge “green” companies,
brands, products and services by how well they honor their promises. They are highly visual and go
the Internet for all research prior to making any definitive purchasing decisions. They are constantly
every changing and upgrading and respond to a more stimulating and entertaining shopping
experience.

Generation X tends to view the green movement as their responsibility to guide their predecessors
into a world where sustainable design and practices are possible, practical and necessary.
Sustainability is a way of life for them, from simple recycling to incorporating solar power home
systems and energy and water conserving products into their homes. To them, it’s not about
companies talking the talk, but walking the talk.

As this group is more adaptable and open to change, sustainability is just another step in creating a
secure future by resolving the very issues we as a nation have created. As this group has children,
they will have a huge affect on the future of the sustainability movement as their children and
grandchildren will no doubt concern themselves with securing their own future while becoming
members of the Green Generation.

Emerging Homeowners—Gen Y
A consumer group of some 80 million, the Millennials cover an age span of 21 years and include
consumers in their upper 20s with money to spend. They are first-time homebuyers, and may be the
most avid adapters of new technology and ecological products in the marketplace.

Due to new federal legislation passed this year, the Millennials
are best poised to enter the lackluster housing and remodeling
market with numerous unprecedented advantages:

• Falling home prices
• Historically low mortgage rates
• An enormous federal tax credit for first-time
homebuyers ($8,000)
• A 30 percent energy tax credit (up to $1,500) for
energy saving projects

Millennials, Defining Traits
Millennials are defined as inclusive, hopeful, confident, open-minded, influential, technologically
advanced, community minded, achievement-oriented, sociable, optimistic, talented, highly educated,
collaborative, motivated and resourceful.

They have always felt preferred, needed and important. After all, their parents have been telling
them that their entire lives. By-products of their Boomer parents’ child-rearing styles, “You are
special” was the mantra of Millennials’ youth. Since childbirth, they have been taught to be
interdependent and to “start achieving now!” They’ve grown up participating in a variety of activities

20


like sports, clubs and extracurricular activities. It seems as if they’ve been multitasking and
overachieving since the moment they came out of the womb.

Millennials, Defining Traits
They are the first generation to grow up with the Internet and other forms of digital media. They
care about the environment, are economic and political minded, and so they are very sophisticated in
their approach to sustainability and the products they choose for their home. Because of their
individuality, the green movement means different things to different members of this group and
they like to actively discover ways to get involved in adapting their lifestyles to make eco-conscious
choices. As members of this group can also be classified as Millennial Moms, they share similar
traits.

Do They REALLY Care About the Environment? Just Look at the Numbers
Like Generation X, Generation Y also embraces sustainability as a way of life. According to Outlaw
Consulting (a qualitative research firm focused on generation Y), this young demographic not only
favors green products, but also company environmentally responsible messaging with green
packaging, signage and marketing. As proof, one of their top five favorite brands is Whole Foods.

In addition, many of the 84 percent of Generation Y actively concerned about the climate crisis
stated that the green movement related directly to product purchases. iv Still not convinced?

Do They REALLY Care About the Environment? Just Look at the Numbers

According to a recent poll from Maritz Research environmental messaging has a major impact on
customer loyalty among Generation Y, with 50 percent of respondents saying it influences their
shopping behavior.

21


About 46 percent of respondents say they'd shop at a retailer more if it were environmentally
friendly. And 47 percent say they're willing to pay more for environmentally friendly services,
products or brands. v Convinced now?

Millennials’ Home Design and Building Preferences
Millennials favor value engineering and prefer green building and homes that use sustainable,
recycled materials. They like color palettes of earth tones like blue sky, stone gray, greens, and slate
blue. Recycled materials for their furnishings and buildings are critical to this group. For surfaces,
consider bamboo, cork and concrete.

They also tend to favor more resource-friendly home choices—contrasting the Boomers’
McMansions—and smaller spaces/cluster developments with areas that are more open and in
locations closer to the action.

As this group ages, the industry’s youngest homeowners will continue to have a tremendous impact
on the eco-friendly home building, design and remodeling movement and will continue to play an
even bigger role in shaping its future.

Ruppies
“Ruppies” (a new generational cohort identified as “retired urban professionals”) is a vast influential
demographic with an estimated $2 trillion in annual spending power, controlling about 50 percent of
all discretionary income.

This group is about 40 million strong, comprised of affluent empty nesters born between the years
of 1946 and 1964. In fact, every eight seconds a baby boomer turns 60 and becomes a new Ruppie
candidate.

Ruppies Set the New Standard for Post-Retirement
What’s important about this group is that they’re certainly not going into retirement quietly. They
are living their lives the way they want to, without any predisposition to typecasts, setting the new
standard for life after retirement.

Motivated by a desire to stay young, healthy and fit,
Ruppies remain active and an integral part of “what’s
happening” in their communities. From an aspirational
point of view, 20 percent of this audience claims that
they are “much healthier than other people their same
age.” And, they are urban making them an exciting
market for a wide range of products for urban living
previously targeted to the younger demos. These guys
are not sitting on a porch in a retirement community in
Florida.

22


Ruppies are Engaged and Interactive
The internet, not surprisingly, is contributing to this emerging consumer movement by breaking
down barriers in much the same strategy as living in place designers. Web sites such as
RetirementLivingTV.com redefine what it means to age gracefully by offering its visitors education
on the best places to settle after retirement, health tips on staying young, as well as providing
interactive games, blogs, forums and e-newsletters that allow Ruppies to stay connected with each
other. This group is learning about green and changing lifelong practice to be a part of the
environmental movement.

They want to be current on everything but attack
new ideas in a detailed and thoughtful way, trying to
understand the background essence before taking
the plunge.

Green may have only been the color of grass when
they were 20 somethings but they can be the leaders
for funding and sheer available manpower and
energy who will be a driver for the future of the
environmental attitude correction.

Now that we know who Generation Green is, let’s
explore how they buy and how to market to them the value of green.

Showing the Green Side
Citing the study I mentioned earlier in the presentation, when surveying the women in our focus
groups regarding the eco-friendly home products inquired about during our research, we found
homeowners most interested in:

• Low-flow rate and touchless faucets
• High-efficiency toilets
• Countertops
• Appliances
• Energy-efficient roofing options
• Flooring
• Cabinetry made from recycled materials

Showing the Green Side
In addition, to capture the most of Generation Green’s coveted income, focus on energy efficient
dishwashers, cooktops, and refrigerators in the kitchen and water-conserving toilets and faucets in
the bath. Also popular are solar hot water heating, water storage tanks, solar power systems, micro
hydro systems, and grey or black water treatment systems.

We’ve also found three other areas that are increasingly gaining popularity—solar passive options
for the home, low VOC substrates and hybrid water heaters.

23


Of the motivating factors associated with these types of eco-friendly products, energy savings,
preservation of natural resources, look and feel of natural products and indoor air quality were
ranked the highest in terms of importance.

Interestingly, in a May 2008 Harris Interactive Study, three quarters of those 2,602 U.S. adults
surveyed said “they were doing their part” to keep the environment in check. In addition, of those
who checked off various personal actions they were taking to be more green compliant, 46 percent
of those surveyed checked “installing resource-friendly appliances.”

GENERATION GREEN: MOTIVATING FACTORS AND PURCHASING HABITS
Cost
The focus group participants in our study were all familiar with the Energy Star logo. When asked if
they would pay more for an item that bears this logo, they indicated they may be willing to pay an
incremental increase as long as the increase was no more than five percent.

Cost is a main purchasing factor and must be in line with products not considered eco-friendly.
CPOs, Millennial Moms, a majority of Single Females and Emerging Homeowners who are just
beginning to hit salary peaks, tend to make decisions that affect their day to day lives, like decreasing
their utility bills. Currently, homeowners are specifically looking for those products and services that
provide energy and water efficient benefits, as they are also typically the most accessible.

It’s also important to consider the tax benefits from the newly passed government legislation.

As I’m sure you’re all well aware, the 30 percent energy tax credit (up to $1,500) includes energy
saving projects completed in 2009 and 2010 such as replacement windows and doors, roofs,
insulation and water heaters.

With Ruppies, price is not always the determining factor. In fact, safety and convenience are more
typically the underlying factors. Ruppies tend to have a more socially-conscious attitude, meaning
the products they choose to buy and companies they purchase from must resonate with this
outlook.

Quality and price outweighs brand name
Though the Women are sometimes brand-conscious, they do not forsake quality for brand name.
The younger generations are also known for having little or no brand loyalty and tend to purchase
items that fit their needs and fall within their budgets. Generation Green understands that a brand
product does not necessarily equate to quality workmanship. Moreover, these green-minded
individuals are price conscious and evaluate products’ perceived value prior to making a buying
decision.

Moreover, with Ruppies, their brand loyalty isn’t as high as you may presume. In fact, according to a
recent article in Multichannel News, despite popular belief, this older cohort actually has LESS brand
loyalty than their younger counterparts. So what gives?

Well, customer service is vital to the long-term success of a brand in the eyes of Ruppies and if they
don’t feel they’re receiving the highest quality service, they’ll abandon your brand with little
afterthought.

24


Combination of luxury and environmental-consciousness
One participant in our focus group indicated she would be thrilled, from a style point of view, if
there was a marrying of both worlds: luxury and eco-friendliness.

Emerging Homeowners tend to have varying styles, but often will choose design and comfort above
any other product classifications.

Ruppies are probably the group with the largest discretionary income and choose products and
services for the home that allow them the flexibility, comfort, convenience and performance they
desire.

HOW TO MARKET AND SELL TO GENERATION GREEN
Go digital
Generation Green is comprised of avid and savvy users of the Internet. They use this medium and
find it extremely useful as a way to research and learn about things that interest them, compare
information about product brands and pricing, or for generation information collecting.

By nature, Generation Green is comprised of fervent information seekers. Remember, Millennials
grew up with the Internet and do not know life without it or the wealth of information it provides.

If you’re product or service isn’t searchable online, you won’t be on their radar. Furthermore, this
group embarks on vigorous and thorough Web research to compare products, services, speak with
the brands and builders themselves on social media applications like twitter and facebook, and
sometimes even make final purchasing decisions online.

You want to engage with Generation Green where they interact – the Internet and social media.
Incorporate interactivity into your website to stimulate the online customer experience. Make
purchasing, design, product choice and comparative information simple and accessible. Provide
them with flexibility. Allow them to personalize their choices and become part of the product
development. Show you care about their environmental concerns by talking about and
demonstrating what your company is doing to make sustainability a reality.

Brand Called You 2.0
The advances in technology have created increased opportunities for brands to become more
engaged with their important customers –
what I call, “brand called you 2.0.”

Branding today is about being an interesting
and desirable brand to other individuals. To
peers. To friends of friends.

It’s playlists and videos and pictures, it’s
one’s musings and creative outbursts, it’s
gaming scores, it’s preferences, it’s
portfolios, it’s an entire personal branding
campaign trying to impress everyone.

25


Brand Called You 2.0
Some telling BRAND CALLED YOU 2.0 self-help examples:

• The Ziggs helps people manage their business and social lives online by building a virtual
brand for them the same way one would manage a corporate brand. Users can enhance their
brand by learning how to make themselves more ‘Googleable’, shaping their social image
and managing their online relationships.

• Nokia’s lifeviNe allows
the user to log
everything from pictures
to music and video on a
map and then share the
entire journey online. It
can be set to
automatically upload and
can be filtered by user,
time or location. There's
also an online widget
that allows friends to
track users’ activities on
their Facebook page.

Be Informative (slide 31)
Today’s consumers want to speak with knowledgeable brand representatives that can give them the
information they are seeking -- whether it’s in-person, online or on the phone. Taking into
consideration that Genereration is well-informed and technologically savyy, marketing materials and
sales representatives must provide the information they seek or they will have a negative brand
image or worse, go somewhere else where they can get the information they desire or answers to the
questions they are asking.

Limit the fluff
Reach Generation Green with a sound, honest message that provides the details out up front in a
concise manner. Hype is not what attracts this key audience. They are leading busy lives and do not
have time for gimmicks, or false “green” claims/greenwashing.

With this group marketing materials also need to be detailed and attractive, but it is the information
available that will influence their decision to explore further. Generation Green appreciates
personalized, information-based messages. The Web plays a critical role in the initial research phase
with this group, but women often want to touch and feel the items before they move forward with
any decision. The importance of quality in the messages you use to attract them and in the actual
products themselves cannot be underestimated.

Protect Your Assets

26


Speaking of greenwashing, it’s not only important to resonate honest claims to consumers but also
to yourself. Before you make the leap to earning points toward green home certifications by
installing green products, it’s important to ask the tough questions up front.

Here are 12 questions vi to ask your product manufacturer before a lawyer is asking you them later:

1) What is this product supposed to do?
2) Can large quantities of this product be delivered in a timely manner?
3) How does the product compare to existing products?
4) Does it meet recognized industry performance standards?
5) Does the product meet building code requirements?
6) How long will the product last?
7) How difficult is it to repair the product?
8) Is there test data available?
9) Are there installation issues that need to be considered?
10) Are there any maintenance requirements and are they necessary to ensure long-term
performance?
11) How will the product perform if it gets wet?
12) What is the product’s performance history?

Communicate referrals from a trusted source
When it comes to decision making about large-scale purchases, such as a household-related items,
Generation Green prefers receiving input and advice from a trusted source such as family members,
spouses, significant others or friends. Remember the video about “the future of advertising.”

Also keep in mind that Generation Green is reliant on the Internet; therefore, creating an online
community via your company Web site where current customers and prospects can converse about
your company, product or service, will pay dividends in the future. Endorsements and customer
testimonials also go a long way with this group, especially with the Women and Ruppies.

CARE!/Be active within the green community
When it comes to raw emotions towards brands, those emotions are often caused by not caring. And
as anyone can attest, there are an awful lot of companies who stopped caring a long time ago.

Sure, there’s hardly any company left that does not have some kind of ‘social responsibility’ program
in place. But while supporting a faraway orphanage, making sure office coffee cups are recycled, and
celebrating an annual ‘Diversity Day’ are all laudable causes, social responsibility is hardly ever more
than the sum of a number of initiatives that at times can feel forced, a response to societal pressures
instead of a holistic plan to be good, if not generous. And that doesn’t even include a plan dedicated
to caring for customers.

Now, with a full blown recession having set in, expect to hear even more about ‘caring’, as that’s
what consumers and citizens will demand from governments and organizations: someone to take
care of their jobs, their savings, their fellow citizens.

27


And yet, in major markets, trust in government and the corporate world is at an all-time low (just
one finding out of many, by Faith Popcorn: “In the US, three out of five (64%) people don’t trust
the ethics of major corporations”).

So everything seems aligned to make generosity (“liberality in giving or willingness to give”) a leading
and inclusive brand theme this year. We’re talking truly living a generous, caring brand, generous to
customers, generous to employees, generous to the environment, generous to social causes, and so
on.

As always, companies can learn from consumers (nothing new there), who started hopping on the
generosity bandwagon quite a while ago. Especially in the online space, where giving is the new
taking, and now sharing is the new giving.

Last but not least, due to ongoing individualization, self-expression and the feeling (or the illusion)
of being in control in the online world, consumers have never before considered themselves as
important or as entitled as they do now.

Be active within the green community.
Join and support green-minded organizations, chapter associations and other national, regional and
local community programs that have the same environmental goals as your company. Enhance your
environmental and innovative product development by partnering with eco-minded industry
organizations and charities. This is especially important with today’s Emerging Homeowners and
Millennial Moms who are actively involved in social networking and blogging. Just being a member
is not enough. This audience will see through that and consider it window dressing and not credible.

Generation Green isn’t just looking to purchase a high-efficiency toilet; they are looking to support a
remodeling contractor or plumbing manufacturer that offers the innovative new developments that
benefit Mother Nature. Remember that an underlying commitment to the sustainability of the planet
is just as important as saying your product or service is “green.”

Create compelling, green focused marketing messages
Generation Green is sharp, knowledgeable and not easily fooled. With the plethora of greenwashing
companies, genuine green-minded businesses must be wary of how they present their marketing
messages. It’s also important to convey clear reasons why your audiences should buy from you and
align with your brand.

Aligning with environmentally-conscious industry organizations is one way that allows you to
demonstrate your commitment to the Earth’s natural resources, but also reinforces and validates
your reputation within the green community. Generation Green isn’t just going to buy from
companies that say they’re green; you need to prove it.

Smarter Marketing
The most important thing to remember when trying to reach Generation Green is to tailor your
sales and marketing messaging to each individual demographic or generational cohort—whether it is
Women, Emerging Homeowners, or Ruppies—or a combination of the above. Remember their
connection to the environment and what drives them to remain a part of Generation Green.

28


Understanding your key audiences -- what they are like, what motivates and attracts them to the eco-
friendly movement, how they buy, and how to reach them with relevant and appropriate sales and
marketing messages, will pay dividends in the end.

Thank You/Contact Me

Phone: 770-518-1000 x203
Email: sk@kleberandassociates.com
Web: www.kleberandassociates.com (you can also download our white papers from here)
Twitter: @stevekleber
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/ownerkleberandassociates
Blog: www.kleber-marketing.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/pages/Atlanta-GA/Kleber-
Associates/63701448764?ref=ts

i
http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
ii
Brandweek, “The Post-Soccer Mom.” June 25, 2008
.
iii
http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/women-marketing-55051206
iv
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080813/COMM11/808130390
v
http://www.mediapost.com/publications/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=67815

vi
http://www.ecohomemagazine.com/news/2009/may/12-tips-for-avoiding-green-product-litigation.aspx

Other resources:
Daily Dog. “Top Ad Execs: Green is So Last Year: Tenuous Environmental Ties Spark Consumer Skepticism as
Advertisers, PR and the Media Struggle to Cope.” July 21, 2008.
Multichannel News. “Generation Buy Fickle Yet Free Spending: TV Land Study.” July 7, 2008.
Advertising Age. “What Obama Can Teach You About Millennial Marketing.” August 11, 2008.

29

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