We obviously have significantly different views here and I'm willing to bet there is nothing I will say that will change your view, nor is anthing you might say that will change mine. I clearly don't see as much of a need to change as you do.
Hi Laura,
Yep, clearly our perspectives do differ a bit on the current unsustainable nature of the consumer driven economies of our present day and their associated environmental costs and rampant use of most of the resources to the benefit of the few. And thats OK! But I do agree that elevating the human condition in impoverished or developing nations of our world today is also very important.
But the point I was trying to make was that philosophical or issue based marketing is a very useful tool in informing people that they do have, in fact, choices; and that among the many reasons to choose a particular product or service - the environment can be included in a thoughtful decision making process of one product over another - at the same time as analyzing performance.
IMO what might be called hype can be looked at as consumer based education (or raising awareness) through marketing for products that have beneficial externalities.
The terms for it with regard to helping in the elimination of poverty are ‘fair trade’ and/or ‘community sourced’. It’s been quite successfully used to bring living wages and fair prices that actually begin to raise standards of living in the developing world and to create those economic opportunities that are so needed. This only works if folks
know there’s a choice -- hence the marketing aspect of these sister philosophies. Obviously, in either case, if it’s b.s. it’s b.s. and thats a whole other story. Of course, it’s our responsibility to do our research and not just blindly follow.
Anytime someone can be better informed of the indirect costs and/or benefits of their consumer choices, it’s a good thing in my book.
So I still give kudos to the GIK guys!
Jason