Month: January 2009

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News roundup – it’s about the wind

As I have written in the past, renewable energy is critical to our nation’s future – not only from a carbon emissions perspective but also for national security reasons.

My firm’s adoption of and support for renewable energy (we offset 100% of our energy with Green-e certified wind power through Renewable Choice, the firm that both Whole Foods and Burt’s Bees work with to offset their energy usage) has enabled us to offer products and services to our clients that have helped them support the environment, without adding any extra cost to their respective bottom lines.  Because my firm made the commitment more than two years ago to absorb the additional cost of these wind power credits, we have been able to grow our business in turbulent times and attract new and progressive clients.

I am pleased to share two exciting news pieces:

  1. A PDF of an article published last month by the American Marketing Association’s Marketing News magazine (a live link is not yet available).  The staff collected a range of good and bad marketing campaigns from 2008 and asked various marketing professionals to chime in.  They asked me to comment on the marketing of T. Boone Pickens’ wind power initiative (which is now on hold due to economic concerns) – the news brief is on page 1 of the attachment.
  2. An article in The Somerville News (a newspaper in my company’s home market) about recent successes my family firm has had as a result of our green initiatives (one correction I need to make is that the reporter spoke with my brother, David, but refers to him as Steve, who is my father and president of the company).

In this increasingly difficult business climate, I can certainly attest to the importance of corporate sustainability and social responsibility programs as a means of differentiation from one’s competition (not to mention the right thing to do!).  Although organizations are looking harder for lower prices than they have ever done before, they are also very much interested in working with a partner who they respect and can learn from.  If your company does not have sustainability initiatives in place now, I implore you to start thinking about them.  Not only can they help you generate interest from prospective clients, but they can also help you save money (on energy, water, etc) – which is now more important than ever.

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Cape Wind one step closer to approval

logo_01Cape Wind, the nation’s first proposed offshore wind farm, moved one step closer to final approval on Friday, when the Minerals Management Service (MMS) issued a favorable final review of the project.

Please click here for a story in the Boston Globe.

Please click here for the full report from MMS.

Support for Cape Wind is broad in Massachusetts; in fact, the project has helped create awareness of, and demand for marketing materials made with renewable energy.  I hope this project moves to construction, as it would provide much-needed electricity to Massachusetts, and would serve as a shining example of renewable energy ingenuity for this region.

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Sustainability as a marketing strategy

Below is a quick interview with Don Carli of the Institute for Sustainable Communication, during which he discusses sustainability as a marketing strategy for growth and provides some insights into where the green movement is headed.  Here are his main points:

  • Sustainability is becoming more top-of-mind for companies
  • Executives see sustainability as a growth strategy, especially in an economic downturn (so do I!)
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Boston Business Journal article on my firm – It pays to be green

flagThe Boston Business Journal has been publishing quick focus pieces on specific Boston-area businesses and the efforts they are taking to remain resilient during the recession.  My firm was pleased to be spotlighted.  Below is the article that appears in the Friday, 1/9/09 edition of the newspaper (I am also including a link):

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Marketer: It pays to be green

Grossman Marketing Group plans to focus its sales pitch on companies looking to be — and save — green.

That is because most businesses do not believe that using environmentally friendly marketing products can actually be cheaper than traditional marketing materials, said Steve Grossman, president of Grossman Marketing.

“Most people still have a hard time getting around the fact that green products can be cost-comparable,” Grossman said. “We want to lead more aggressively the no-extra-cost factor.”

Overall, the 100-year old print and marketing-materials company hopes its green push will stave off the effects of the recession, as direct-mail spending has dropped off considerably during past downturns. Envelope and direct mail makes up about 40 percent of Grossman Marketing’s business and grew nearly 20 percent in 2007.

The company also plans to step up the consulting services offered by the business, providing sustainability and marketing advice to its clients at no charge.

“It strengthens the relationship with our customers. They see us as their partners to advance their sustainability initiatives, but also, especially in the short term, to reduce their cost basis,” Grossman said.

Growing the green marketing business is just one part of Grossman’s three-pronged strategy for this year. With its recent investment in Consolidated Marketing Solutions Inc. of Massachusetts, based in Wilmington, Grossman Marketing is stepping into the online branding and marketing business.

“They want to do business with like-minded companies,” Grossman said.

— Jackie Noblett

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Here’s a link to the article: http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/01/12/story14.html