Does Sustainability need its own Marlboro Man?

By Justin Lacey (Guest Blogger)

If you’ve lived anywhere on planet earth during the latter half of the 20^th century, you’ve probably heard of the Marlboro Man.

The brainchild of Leo Burnett, a famous advertising executive also known for creating such icons as the Jolly Green Giant and the Pillsbury Doughboy, the Marlboro Man was designed to help sell filtered cigarettes to men. At the time, filtered cigarettes were considered feminine, and Phillip Morris (now Altria) was experiencing great difficulty in convincing men to try Marlboro cigarettes.

Phillip Morris originally introduced the Marlboro brand as a women’s cigarette in 1924, but was looking to reinvigorate the brand and make it much more appealing to men. The Marlboro Man rode to the rescue.

For roughly 45 years, from 1954 to 1999, the Marlboro Man convinced men of all ages that filtered cigarettes were masculine, almost a sign of strength and virility. He completely reversed a commonly held impression of filtered cigarettes, and made Marlboro cigarettes synonymous with the aspirations of so many men of the day: cool, confident and rugged.

Can we not do the same for sustainability? Should we?

So often I see companies employ traditional marketing technique to promote green products and services. They leverage and modify what has worked in the past with the hope that it will appeal to a new, more environmentally and socially conscious generation. I am not convinced.

I think we need a completely new approach. We need the Leo Burnett of our day to convince us that sustainable consumption is just not the right thing to do, but it’s the thing we want to do. Sustainable consumption must make us feel good about ourselves; that we are making the right choice for ourselves, our family and the planet. I have yet to see any “green marketing” that comes even close.

Maybe the new approach for “selling” sustainability, the Marlboro Man for our time, is already here. Maybe we already have what we need to connect and engage consumers on the importance of buying socially and environmentally sustainable products. Maybe you are our new Marlboro Man.

Most agree that the production, distribution and sale of many goods and services will need to become increasing local if we are to effectively reduce green house gas emissions.  As a local business owner, consumers will increasingly look to you for information and guidance on the products and services you offer. We will rely less on brands, and more on those on the front line of commerce to help us make choices that are good for the planet and make us feel good about ourselves. We need a new, different kind of Marlboro Man. Are you our new Marlboro Man?

Tomorrow, I will be writing about the business case for sustainability.

Justin K. Lacey is the founder of Walk Softly Communications and a friend of Retail Prophet