green printing

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Post From Yesterday on FSC Picked Up Nationally

The response to my post from yesterday, “A Negative Tipping Point for FSC Certification,” has been overwhelming.  In my 4 years of blogging, it has been far and away the most widely-read and distributed post.  Most notably, it was picked up by Ecopreneurist, a leading green business news website, which you can view here.

I have received dozens of tweets, as well as messages on Facebook and Linkedin, and virtually every comment has been supportive of my suggestion that FSC’s best days may be behind it in the printing and marketing industries.  I welcome your feedback as well!

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Green Tips for Marketing Success: Part 4 of 4 (Green Printing)

As I have written about on several occasions, my firm, Grossman Marketing Group, put together our 100 Tips for Marketing Success this year to mark our 100th anniversary.  21 of the 100 tips involve sustainability, and were broken into four categories: 1) General Sustainability, 2) Green Promotional Products, 3) Green Design, 4) Green Printing.  I am pleased to share the green printing tips below:

Let your colleagues, customers, donors and other constituents know that you are fully committed to environmental stewardship by using some of the following best practices in green printing.

  1. Encourage your constituents to either share or recycle the printed piece. Sustainability is more than the materials you use—it also involves the lifecycle of your item.
  2. Consider using chlorine-free paper. The best papers to use are bleached using an oxygen-based process, thus avoiding the creation of chlorine-related pollution.
  3. Use vegetable-based inks when possible. Not only are they generally refined in the United States, but they also reduce our use of petroleum, the majority of which comes from foreign sources.
  4. Consider papers with a high degree of post-consumer content, as they require fewer resources (energy, water, etc.) to produce.
  5. When using eco-friendly papers, make sure to explain the environmental benefits derived from these choices. These calculations should come from a third-party source rather than a calculation from an industry source. For a great example, please see www.papercalculator.org.
  6. Use renewable energy (like wind or solar power) in the production process. It is good for the environment and resonates well with the vast majority of Americans.
  7. You can make your collateral more environmentally-friendly without sacrificing quality or adding cost! For example, our house sheet of coated stock is 55% recycled with 30% post-consumer waste, and will not cost your organization any more than the non-recycled alternative!

I hope you have enjoyed reading these suggestions.  To download the full set of 100 tips, please click here. Many thanks for your interest!

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Green Tips for Marketing Success: Part 3 of 4 (Green Design)

Here’s the third of four installments of our green marketing tips.  These originally appeared in our our 100 Tips for Marketing Success, which we published earlier this year to mark our 100th anniversary.  The two tips below focus on green design.

Sustainability can help drive the design process. Where possible we help our clients create marketing pieces that require fewer natural resources to produce.

  1. When designing a piece, always consider how the item will be produced. When sustainability is important, use colors that work well with vegetable-based inks on recycled paper.
  2. By designing a lighter, smaller piece, you can save energy, freight costs, as well as reduce the amount of paper used. This can also help keep postage costs down if the piece is being mailed.

A leading industry publication. Graphic Design USA (GDUSA), featured our design group, Studio G, for its sustainability expertise late last year.  Here’s a link to the collection of agencies included.  Here’s a link to download the profile of Grossman Marketing Group that GDUSA published.

To download the complete set of 100 tips, please click here.

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Preview of Graphic Design USA’s Green Issue

green-hd-090930Graphic Design USA, a leading industry magazine, published a Green Issue last fall which included some very useful resources for marketing professionals.  They are releasing this year’s issue on October 15th.  They distributed a preview e-newsletter yesterday and I was excited that my firm, Grossman Marketing Group, was included along with some other excellent design shops!

Some of the topics discussed by the featured design and marketing firms are:

  1. How is the recession impacting clients’ green efforts
  2. How and why did these firms become interested in sustainability
  3. Does Green help in sales and marketing

My response to question 3 was included in the e-newsletter.  Here it is: “Definitely. It has been a huge differentiator for our business, especially since we were first-to-market in our region with a number of green innovations. Sustainability has become a key issue to organizations of all sizes, and they want to work with a design and production partner that is well versed in these practices.”

Please stay tuned for the full issue later this month.


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Graphic Design USA Survey on Impact of Environment on Design and Purchasing Decisions

gdusa-dark-logoGraphic Design USA Magazine published its annual survey on printing trends in the design industry this month.  The survey includes a page titled The Impact of Environment Matters On Your Design and Purchasing Decisions?”

It is very clear that environmental issues are very important to designers and end-clients alike.  Here are the key points made:

  • Cost is always a concern, as there is a perception in the marketplace that environmentally-friendly papers cost more than typical products
  • “Green” printed products are often used to support a broader organizational mission that includes sustainability
  • As long as quality is not compromised, environmentally-friendly papers are preferred

I am quite proud that my colleague, Brendan O’Hara, was featured prominently in the survey.  Brendan is a team leader at Grossman Marketing Group and manages some of our most complex print projects, and is well versed in the broad array of environmental issues facing our industry.  Here’s what Brendan had to say:

“I spec FSC, windpower, carbon neutral, soy-based inks and recycled papers a lot. We are a very ‘green-oriented’ company. Even if the customer does not specifically request these printing attributes, we offer them as a value added option.”

Here’s a link to the entire page.

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Direct Mail Insight: Green Envelopes and the Big Picture

bigstockphoto_Mail_Box_With_Letters_2482928Last month, Target Marketing Magazine published an article on trends surrounding environmentally-friendly envelopes – I was on vacation at the time so I didn’t get a chance to pass it along then.  Here’s a link to the article.

As I’ve written on a number of occasions, “green” envelopes are an important part of an organization’s marketing and communications efforts (we have already sold more than a quarter billion envelopes made with 100% certified wind power over the past couple years).  In fact, they are often the first component of a direct mail piece that a recipient sees, and it is important to take that opportunity to send a values-laden message through the materials/inks/energy that are used to produce the piece.

Obviously, using green practices for direct mail should be just one of the many sustainable business practices that organizations employ – otherwise they could be accused of greenwashing.  However, given recent developments in technology, mailers can make their pieces more environmentally-friendly without adding much, if any, cost, which removes the most critical barrier to adoption.  Research has demonstrated that consumers want to buy products from companies that do business in an environmentally-responsible manner.  Marketing collateral is one way for organizations to demonstrate this commitment.

Here’s a link to the full article.

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Tips for selecting the right eco-friendly papers

green_papers****Guest post from David Grossman (SVP, Grossman Marketing Group)****

When getting ready to print a piece of marketing collateral, there are many ways in which you can make it more environmentally friendly.  None is more important than your paper selection.

There are a number of criteria by which you can evaluate your paper options:

  1. What percentage of post-consumer recycled content is contained in the paper?
  2. Is the paper made with 100% certified wind power?
  3. Is the paper FSC-certified (The FSC logo stands for Forest Stewardship Council, a group that works to ensure that the materials used are sourced responsibly.  Each step in the chain (i.e. from forest to printer) must be traceable.  The intent of the FSC system is to eliminate habitat destruction, water pollution, displacement of indigenous peoples and violence against people and wildlife that often accompanies logging)
  4. Is the paper process and elemental chlorine free?

While all of these factors combine to determine the eco-friendliness of a paper, the single most important factor is the percentage of post-consumer content.  This indicates how much of the paper pulp comes from material that has been used by consumers, then reclaimed and reused, thereby eliminating the need for that portion of the paper to be made from virgin fiber.

Obviously the goal is 100% post-consumer waste (PCW).  This means that no trees were used to make this paper.  There are varying percentages of PCW contained in readily available commercial printing papers made by the major paper mills.  Some of my favorites, which incorporate all of the aforementioned criteria are (in order of preference):

UNCOATED PAPER (all of these papers are 100% PCW):

Monadnock Astrolite PC 100

  • This is arguably the most premium of all readily-available eco-friendly papers.  The downside is that it is generally the most expensive
  • It has gorgeous finish/printability
  • Despite being 100% PCW, it is a bright white stock

Mohawk Options PC 100

  • Very smooth finish
  • Bright white shade
  • Excellent Printability
  • The one complaint I have heard is the occasional appearance of black specks throughout the sheet.  This is a byproduct of the 100% PCW

Neenah Environment PC 100

  • It can be slightly less readily available than Astrolite or Options
  • Nice finish
  • Nice shade of white

Rolland Enviro 100

  • This paper is very affordable and performs admirably for a value sheet of paper
  • Less smooth and less bright than the previously mentioned sheets
  • Prevalent black specks
  • Good for clients who want a paper with a more obvious recycled look/feel

COATED PAPER

Sappi LOE (Lustro Offset Environmental)

  • Contains 30% PCW, which is the highest percentage available in readily-available commercial printing paper
  • Beautiful finish
  • Excellent printability

Chorus Art

  • This imported sheet of paper has 50% recycled content with 25% PCW
  • It is extremely cost-effective and performs at a level far beyond its price point
  • Good finish
  • Good printability

For comparison’s sake, a typical sheet of paper contains approximately 10% recycled content, which may or not be PCW.  Please note that I didn’t mention any papers made by New Leaf Paper, despite their high degree of PCW.  This is due to their unreliable availability, especially on the East Coast.

In this day and age, where environmental awareness has been significantly elevated, it is key to make decisions with sustainability in mind.  There is no choice that has more of an environmental impact on your printing than paper selection.

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Recent award for green marketing leadership

nedmaLogoI was honored and humbled to receive the 2009 New England Direct Marketing Association Prodigy Award, for my work in the green marketing and sustainability space.  I received the award at the NEDMA 2009 Annual Conference held earlier this month at Bentley College in Waltham, Massachusetts.

According to NEDMA, the Prodigy Award is given each year to one marketing professional in New England under the age of 30 who has added the most to the art and science of direct marketing in the prior year.  NEDMA started the award eight years ago to recognize some of the most talented young marketers in the region.  During that time, members of organizations like Hill Holliday, Mullen, Oceanos and Vistaprint have been recognized for their expertise in areas including graphic design, direct mail and interactive media.

Many thanks to NEDMA for including me in this process and for all the work the organization does  to help develop the next generation of marketing professionals in New England.

Please click here to read the full press release.

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Report on Boston Business Journal Green Business Summit

George Donnelly, Editor-in-Chief, Boston Business Journal, presented Ben Grossman, Director of Grossman Marketing Group's Green Marketing & Sustainability Practice, with an award recognizing his firm's innovation in the printing and marketing industry. (Image courtesy Boston Business Journal)

George Donnelly, Editor-in-Chief, Boston Business Journal (R), presented Ben Grossman, Director of Grossman Marketing Group's Green Marketing & Sustainability Practice (L), with an award recognizing his firm's innovation in the printing and marketing industry on Friday, May 15, 2009. (Image courtesy Boston Business Journal)

As I wrote last month, my firm was honored to receive a green business award at the Boston Business Journal Green Business Summit.  We were especially excited to be the only firm in the marketing services space to be recognized.  Many thanks to our client, Zipcar, for nominating us.

The summit was held last Friday, 5/15/09, and we were presented with our award (even the plaque was made with recycled materials!).  Please click here for a list of the other winners.

Here’s a summary of the main points of the article that appeared in Friday’s issue about why my firm, Grossman Marketing Group, was recognized:

  1. We were the first marketing & printing company in our region to offset 100% of its energy with certified wind power – and offer that eco-benefit to our clients at no extra cost
  2. As a result of our wind power initiative, we have produced more than a quarter billion eco-friendly direct mail packages since 2006 for clients including the National Park Foundation
  3. We recently negotiated preferred pricing arrangements with paper producers that enable us to offer printed materials made from a minimum of 25% post-consumer waste at no extra cost over the virgin fiber alternative
  4. We have plans to build a sustainability consultancy

Here’s a link to a PDF of the article. Many thanks for your interest!

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Preview: BrightTALK Green Marketing Summit

brighttalk_logo_blackgreen_medI was flattered to be invited to present to the BrightTALK Green Marketing Summit tomorrow (Friday, 4/24).  BrightTALK is aiming to become the “YouTube for Business,” meaning they arrange targeted meetings/summits online and then store the webcasts so people can watch them in the future (upon registration).

According to the BrightTALK site, “This summit will help companies leverage the growing interest of consumers in purchasing products and services from companies with strong ‘green’ messages through understanding the need to develop a green marketing strategy. Summit attendees will gain insight from companies who have implemented successful green marketing initiatives and improve their understanding of why going green will help build a strong brand connection with their target audience.”

The summit will include representatives from companies like Intel and HP, as well as green marketing experts like Joel Makower, who runs GreenBiz, among other ventures.

My session, scheduled for 4 pm EST, is titled: Green Marketing: Bridging Theory & Practice – A Guide to Making Your Direct Marketing Efforts More Sustainable. To attend the summit, please click here.

Here’s a brief abstract on my talk from the BrightTALK site: “Please join Ben Grossman, Director of Grossman Marketing Group’s Green Marketing & Sustainability Practice, to learn about the latest trends in green marketing.  Specifically, Ben will discuss how the green movement is having an impact on communications, and will highlight ways to make your organization’s direct marketing efforts more sustainable and relevant to your constituents.  He will highlight creative ways that he and his colleagues have helped organizations like ZipCar, J.P. Morgan and the National Park Foundation, leverage green marketing techniques without adding any extra cost to the bottom line.”

There will be a live Q&A session, so I will be back with a full report over the next several days.