Marketing Responsibly and the Environment

Marketers respond to the values of consumers. Through the screening and evaluation of consumer wants marketers are able to align their products with the demands of their consumers. The current consumer demand involves an interest in products that are environmentally conscious and sustainably manufactured. This is especially relevant among the target market segment of Generation Y and Millennials. These demographic market segments tend to be less focused on the individual and more focused on the community. These cohorts also have a greater concern for social issues and the human impacts on the environment. When targeting these demographics it is essential to focus on the interests of this demographic.

Companies that successfully market to this cohort recognize the concerns that these generations have for environmental issues. In response to the changing consumer value, marketers have reevaluated the marketing mix to meet the needs of environmentally conscious consumers.

A company that is especially adept when in comes to meeting the environmental interests of its consumers is Seventh Generation .

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Seventh Generation strives to provide its consumers with innovative cleaning and hygiene products that are toxin free, from the earth and good for the earth. The Forbes article, 11 Companies Considered Best For The Environment ranks Seventh Generation number one on a list of 84 companies considered "Best for the Environment".  Seventh Generation uses its marketing mix to promote plant based products. In order to provide a clean that comes from truly 'clean' products that are good for the health of individuals and good for the environment. 

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While many companies that are promoting their products as environmentally sustainable are perceived as Green Washing to expand their market interest. This is not the case for Seventh Generation, because it mission and values are to do good for the earth using a triple bottom line. The triple bottom line promotes a mission for the business that  values people, the planet and profits, rather than a mission that has a focal interest only in producing a profit. 

The customer's perspective of Seventh Generation is that they are true to their value of caring for the seven generations that will follow our own. The company is not only interested in caring for the earth for the people who now inhabit it, but also for the future generations to come. 

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The Seventh Generation Earth Month campaign strives to highlight the value that the company places on caring for the earth every day through both the goods that it produces and the values that it practices and instills. 

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Seventh Generation strives to enable it's consumers to change its purchasing of routine products, by providing a reason to change to current routine purchasing patterns of consumers. Through the creation of products that are good for the planet and good for consumer health Seventh generation is able to provide its consumers with a method for bettering the world and for taking action to promote a sustainable future for our environment and all who call this planet home. 

Works Cited

Kerin, Roger A., Steven W. Hartley, and William Rudelius. Marketing. 12th ed. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.