Study reveals going green is considered "girly"

Jennifer Collins Apr 20, 2011

Jeremy Hobson: A new study says around two-thirds of U.S. consumers want to buy sustainable products but don’t follow through.

From the Marketplace Sustainability Desk, Jennifer Collins tells us why.


Jennifer Collins: Here’s one big reason. Four out of five guys said: Green is just plain girly.

Graceann Bennett: They would start to get really sheepish.

Graceann Bennett co-authored the OgilvyEarth report.

Bennett: And kind of uncomfortable when they talked about things like even carrying a reusable grocery bag.

A little too much like a purse apparently. And then there are the car ads — like this one featuring a guy and a polar bear hugging.

Nissan Leaf commercial: The 100 percent electric Nissan Leaf.

Dave Almy: The marketers may have themselves a little bit to blame on this one.

Dave Almy tracks green marketing with ADC Partners.

Almy: There has been an aggressive pursuit for female heads of household.

Bennett says marketers have been preaching to the choir. And millions of Americans aren’t in that choir — if two-thirds of the population joined, it might quadruple the green market. Bennett says to appeal to men, advertisers need to push value, utility and maybe even a little humor.

Chevrolet Volt commercial: Chevrolet Volt. It’s a big step up from the leaf blower.

I’m Jennifer Collins for Marketplace.

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