The Marketing Ps: Planet

Planet is something that I, and some others, have added to the 7Ps to make up to 8. It may be new but it should have already been thought of in when considering CSR  and ESG anyway.

Given the focus on the environment and climate change, then the way that marketing activities and the products / services being marketed affect the planet should be key considerations.

How can you ensure that planet is part of your marketing mix?

Of course, it depends on the activities that you are doing. But below are some ideas for you to consider.

Giveaways and merchandise:

Pens – if they are plastic then make sure that they recyclable if not actually made from recycled plastic. If they are wooden, ensure that they from sustainable forests and not contributing to deforestation.

Branded clothing – opt for fairtrade cotton for t-shirts. If man-made fabrics then see if they can be from recycled plastic – there are fleeces made from recycled drinks bottles for example.

Notepads – recycled paper instead of new paper is a given for notepads or any printed collateral that you have.

Events:

Do your events have to be in person or will webinars and videoconference have a similar result? During the Covid19 pandemic many events migrated online and remained very successful. As well as making it easier to attend, travel emissions can be avoided too so it is more environmentally friendly.

For those events that can not be held online, there are ways to reduce the environmental impact. Instead of handing out collateral send a PDF afterwards; try and use as much local produce in any refreshments as possible to reduce food miles as well as supporting local businesses; if the room is being heated or cooled, a degree change on the setting can make a large difference to electricity or gas usage and emissions. When evaluating venues then ask about how they reduce their impact on the environment and take that into account when you make your final selection.

Exhibitions:

To minimise the environmental impact of your stand ensure that the display components can be reused. Modular systems can vary on the sizes of stand they can be used with. Some systems use fabric backdrops that can be washed and drip dried so if they are accidentally stood on during break-down they are not renewed. For manning the stand, choose staff who are close to the event to avoid travel emissions and accommodation that minimises environmental impact.

Website:

Hosting your website needs server requirements in a data centre somewhere. Data centres are notoriously heavy energy usage, so wherever possible select a host that uses renewable energy as their supply.

Vehicles:

If you have fleets of vehicles for deliveries or transporting staff to deliver a service, then ensure new vehicles are fully electric or at least hybrid. Ensure that all vehicles are maintained regularly and that tyres are optimum.

Give training to staff on how to drive as energy efficiently as possible – anticipate so the foot is raised off the accelerator instead of having to use the brake; in an electric car use the heated / cooled seats instead of heating / cooling the whole cabin.

So, yes work alongside the fleet manager if you need to so that the environmental credentials that marketing is promoting are followed.

As you can see for the planet part of the marketing Ps then you are really looking at being a leader in using climate change friendly solutions to encourage others to do so. Ensure that your messaging complies with the Green Claims Code, or you will end up in hot water.

[Originally published 15/7/21; Edited 13/3/24]