Examples of green marketing | What is green marketing and more! (2024)

Surely you have seen more than once examples of green marketing and you didn't even notice it... And it has gone unnoticed so many times that now we want to talk about what it is exactly. 

If you want to learn about some examples of green marketing, be sure to read on!

In addition to describing how it is gaining ground in major corporations, we explain what green marketing is and what its advantages are, so you can learn how to apply it in your business or company in a simple way. 

What is green marketing?

Green marketing is a practice in which products or services are promoted based on the environmental benefits they provide. These products or services can be environmentally friendly themselves or produced in a way that respects the environment.

Companies that apply green marketing aim to highlight their environmental commitment through green advertising that focuses on promoting products that have one or more of the following characteristics:

• They are produced in a sustainable way.

• They are manufactured using recyclable materials.

• They do not contain toxic materials.

• They are produced from renewable materials.

• No excessive use of packaging.

• Designed to be repairable and reusable.

Advantages of green marketing

In its early days, green marketing was a means for companies to communicate their environmentally friendly business practices.

These organisations showed how their products had evolved in response to the demand from audiences who wanted to see significant changes in terms of the protection of the planet. 

Green marketing therefore offers the following advantages:

• It takes social and environmental obligations seriously.

• It enables business decisions to be made that favour nature and humans. 

• It is ideal for companies and businesses to project themselves and improve their visibility in an increasingly competitive market. 

• It increases the reliability of a brand. 

• It uses less energy and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

• Keeps costs down and increases profits. 

• Provides long-term growth prospects.  

• Increases the well-being of the general public.

• Raises people's awareness for a more environmentally responsible attitude. 

The 7 most interesting examples of green marketing

Those new to green marketing may believe that only small, niche brands have the potential to improve their practices and be businesses that can be conceived as green... and nothing could be further from the truth. 

In fact, these sustainable practices have recently also been adopted by a number of global companies.

Some examples of green marketing that can inspire you and be a model for you to apply these trends in your business or company are the following:

1. Apple

When the company introduced the updated versions of the MacBook Mini and MacBook Air, they made it clear that these goods were produced using 100% recyclable aluminium. 

The slogan they used was: "Truly innovative products leave their mark on the world, but not on the planet".

This company is a true example of green marketing, as, they are working towards making new items while decreasing the amount of electrical waste and rubbish produced.

They also ensure that the components and chemicals they use in their products are not only safe for consumers, but also safe for the natural environment in which they are used.

By 2022, they were using around 20% recycled material, the largest implementation of recycled materials in history.

In its 2023 Environmental Progress Report, the corporation provided additional information regarding its progress and innovation initiatives in sustainable energy use and recycling practices.

2. Starbucks

Starbucks is among the most remarkable examples of green marketing companies. It has maintained its environmentally friendly practices. Here we highlight the use of solar energy and, consequently, low energy consumption.

It has also used environmentally friendly building materials in its establishments and for the benefit of the city's streets, a successful green marketing campaign was run on Facebook, the purpose of which was to encourage people to help by planting trees and painting the pavements.

This was an example of green marketing that was acclaimed and they are now trying to use recyclable cups to reduce the amount of litter generated.

The Greener Stores framework, developed in conjunction with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) in 2018, aims to accelerate retail's transition to lower impact shops by reducing carbon emissions, as well as water usage and landfill waste.

Fuente: Greenqueen

3. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

This is one of the most outstanding cases of companies going green. Its main objectives are to implement actions that help reduce carbon dioxide emissions and to promote efficient recycling practices. 

Among the actions to preserve the environment that are true examples of sustainable marketing is the implementation of a rainwater harvesting system.

Another example of environmentally responsible business practice that has been included in this sustainable strategy is the reduction of staff flights.

This organisation stands out for applying environmentally conscious marketing practices, such as encouraging customers to travel by means other than cars, such as boats or trains.

4. Timberland

This prestigious clothing brand often uses environmental stories to promote its products.

Margaret Morey-Reuner, Timberland's director of business and strategic partnerships, says they have done a lot of consumer research.

If you put two comparable products side by side, i.e. a Timberland product next to a competitor's product, more often than not the customer is going to choose the Timberland product because it has been made with some sort of "green" element.

Through the launch of Timber Loop, its product take-back programme, Timberland joined the list of clothing manufacturers that extend the useful life of their products.

In this regard, the brand's used clothing, footwear and accessories can be returned for a second chance at life, so that when the items are disassembled or returned, the pieces are reused or recycled into new creations that are sold on a special website.

As one of the most interesting examples of green marketing, the organisation is expanding its partnerships and testing new materials to develop and implement a green marketing strategy.

All product categories will be subject to environmental regulations (TEPS) in the near future and the company plans to use only organic and renewable materials.

5. Nike

Nike is one of the leading companies when it comes to protecting sport for future generations and is one of the leading green companies that has a clear vision for the future.

It implemented the Move to Zero programme in which it set out to reduce waste as well as its environmental footprint.

In all its operations, the corporation has also set out to inject its goal of saving the environment by taking a global view of the natural world.

It implements green business practices in which it enforces significant change through the use of 100% renewable energy. 

6. TOMS

Among the examples of green marketing is TOMS: a brand that focuses on making comfortable shoes using their company's benefits to help people and the environment. 

Over the past five years, TOMS has strived to expand sustainable practices in areas that are key to their organisation, such as using earth-friendly materials like sustainable cotton, as well as reducing waste and energy use. 

In addition, the company's team offers its customers packaging that is made from recycled materials.   

This company obtained a B Corp score of 121.5 in 2022, which is about 30 points better than their previous score in 2018.

Compared to the minimum score of all companies, it is almost 70 points above the minimum requirement set by the B Corp. In this regard, the company's website has stated that they do not want to slow down.  

7. Johnson & Johnson

This company, which sells a variety of baby and children's products, has made efforts to develop environmentally friendly procedures internally. 

These include training staff to teach them to implement earth-friendly practices in their work environments. 

J&J's purchase of renewable electricity is in line with the organisation's broader climate action policy, as J&J believes there is a direct correlation between health and climate change.

In this regard, Johnson & Johnson argues that climate change changes infectious disease patterns and raises concerns about drought and food shortages.

As part of the Race to Zero/Business Ambition for 1.5 initiative, J&J has set some tentative targets, such as 100% of the world's energy to come from renewable sources by 2025.

It also expects to achieve carbon neutral operations by 2030, exceeding the science-focused target of a 60% decrease in absolute Scope 1 and 2 emissions relative to 2016 levels.

Similarly, it aims to reduce absolute upstream value chain emissions by at least 20% from 2016 levels.

Green marketing shows the eco-friendly side of business

Promoting environmentally friendly products and practices is a vital part of any company or business' marketing strategy, so environmental marketing is an excellent way to showcase a brand's dedication to saving the planet.

By implementing green marketing practices and campaigns, companies and businesses will have the opportunity to communicate core beliefs around this vision, as well as convey their contributions to the local community and the world at large. 

Are you ready for this kind of transformation? 

Don't wait any longer to be an example in green marketing and produce with an ecological conscience. 

And of course, you should also tell us what that experience has been like for you, because we would love to read about it.