5 Steps to a Better Brand: The Greening of the White House

There can be substance to marketing and branding. When we step beyond the mechanics of getting a message to its intended audience, we can find that it is possible to build something enduring. Something that still evolves with the times. And we can do that through branding.

People are talking. And they are talking more about sustainability these days. Companies are jumping on the bandwagon because it makes good business sense. It's good business not only so that organizations can look good in the eyes of their customers by doing good. It's good business for the future use of our finite resources and our long term succession planning.

We can evolve our conversations around work by figuring out new ways to conserve and finding processes that afford greater efficiency without being so taxing on the environment. So this is a good trend, one we want to encourage for many reasons. In this case, we can save our way to prosperity.

You have no idea how long I've been waiting to write that. Today saving within organizations means cutting in all the wrong places. And sometimes a more gradual and measured effort with a clear focus on long term impact is better than the radical approach. Layoffs, dramatic budget cuts, mergers and acquisitions are often measures taken by desperate corporate heads in search for, you guessed it, sustainable growth.

The opportunity stems from being part of the conversation and helping shape it in the first place. I had a strategy throughout school that always worked. I volunteered abundantly in the first months of the year to go up for oral examinations. This proactive approach allowed me to stay engaged and productive right after the summer months, when things slowed down. Being proactive and engaged is crucial when talking about sustainability. Small changes in our daily habits can make a great difference.

So if you're after case studies for someone who has done it successfully, where do you go? What if the White House itself was the chief branding evangelist for such efforts? What if it took steps to brand and communicate the efforts already undertaken by the government and with private enterprises? What if it used social and new media to have a conversation with its customers, us? That is the subject of my post at FC Experts today. Find out what the 5 steps to a better brand are and join the conversation.

[photo by Joshua Davis, source Flickr]

Comments

[Lewis Green]

As I look at all that beautiful green grass in front of the White House, all I can think of is what we can't see--the pesticides and herbicides that keep it green. My point: Most of us can help by starting in our own homes by reducing the use of toxic materials that seep in our ground water and findings ways to reduce the milage we drive and the energy we use in our homes. Businesses will do what is best for business. Citizens need to do what is best for life and the planet.

[Valeria Maltoni]

Lewis:

We all tend to emulate what people care about, even in society. I agree that there are things -- even very small ones -- that we can all do easily to conserve and contribute to a sustainable future. I also think that the greater the reach, the greater the opportunity to make an impact.