Why 'Buy Green' Fails

As more companies become eco-friendly, they're often struggling to connect with consumers. Why? Because their communications are all wrong.

- JASON FEIFER

Eco-friendly products have a problem.

Consumers say they want sustainable products; surveys show that up to 70% are willing to buy them. But only 1% to 5% actually buy them-a serious disconnect.

What's the solution? "That's where marketing comes in," says Edwin Stafford, a Utah State University marketing professor who's studied the sustainability issue for more than two decades.

A growing body of research says we have it all wrong: Although consumers say they want green products, they don't respond well to traditional eco-friendly messages. So if you have something green to sell, you need to think differently about the story you tell.

Here are three ways to do that.

1/ Focus on the product.

Decades ago, Philips released a $20 light bulb called the Earth Light. It earned its name: In a time where wasteful incandescent bulbs reigned, the Earth Light was an innovative, energy-efficient, long-lasting bulb that was better for the planet.

But nobody bought it. Why? "I don't buy light bulbs to save the planet," Stafford says, speaking for consumers at the time. "I buy light bulbs to illuminate my room."