The Face behind the Masked "Brands" of Today

It is more than apparent that products within the apparel industry today are represented on the basis of “eco-friendly” and “organic” production methods. But how do we as consumers really know whether or not a product was produced in an environmentally-conscious way? Do the terms “eco-friendly” and “organic” actually mean anything to consumers? To me personally, these words are “fluff” words with no substance or real meaning. I feel confident in saying that the majority of consumers most likely feel the exact same way. While we all know that purchasing more environmentally-friendly products is the “right” thing to do, we are not willing to invest our hard earned money or precious time into anything beyond what we are comfortable with. So, how can companies persuade consumers that the extra money and time is worth it? It turns out that honesty is actually the key when it comes to successful selling through advertising and promotion.

The definition of eco-promising, according to Eco-promising: Communicating the environmental credentials of your products and services is the practice of making claims about the environmental attributes of products. These so-called eco-promises can include anything from pictures, to direct claims, to symbols and labels. They also focus on a particular issue, input characteristics, or third-party labels. With the wide variety of false product claims floating around the industry today, it is easy to see how consumers tend to lose sight of reality upon exposure. Supposedly from the start of the 1970s to present-day, eco-promising strategies have developed more sophisticated approaches to reaching the consumer market. These sophisticated strategies are centered more on being descriptive and open as to product composition and production, and less on promoting the exterior “fluff”. This more detailed approach in advertising products seems to provide consumers with the perception that the company is serving their best interests. But are they really? According to the reading, there are numerous obstacles to face when eco-promising comes into play. The one obstacle that I felt as though I related to as a shopper was the risk of the “confused consumer”. Without any universally accepted definitions, specific terms are virtually meaningless. As a result, consumers choose to buy the brand that does not have “organic” written ten times on the package because what does that even really mean anyways? Furthermore, the higher price of these “organic” products when faced with consumers ready to purchase causes instant un-attraction. At this point, there seems to be no middle ground upon which a compromise can be made.

To confuse consumers even more, the concept of “greenwashing” is overtaking advertisements of all kinds of products and services. The definition of greenwashing, according to The greenwash guide is an unsubstantiated environmental claim found in advertising that ultimately undermines consumers’ confidence in their purchasing choices as they no longer know who or what to believe. From featuring un-credible sources, the lack of proof, or irrelevant claims, greenwashing can be seen in many different forms. It can be hard to tell a good product claim example from a bad one, but greenwashing can be avoided by taking the time to accurately inspect the advertisement.

Below is an illustration of a bad product claim example from a website found on the Eco Fashion World database:

URL: http://www.hoodlamb.com/wintersite/index.html

This ladies fleece miniskirt has a very poor description of what dictates its “organic” composition. In addition, there are no certified labels anywhere on this ad or throughout this organization’s website. If I came across this product as a consumer, I would take my money elsewhere as I would not be convinced.

On the other hand, the next example shown below is an illustration of a good product claim example from a website also found on the Eco Fashion World database:

URL: http://www.bagthehabit.com/shop_bags

This ad does a much better job at explaining how these reusable produce bags are produced organically with the environment in mind. It provides clear and specific product production details and includes other examples of products with the same concept at work. In addition, the home page of this website provided a list of custom design partners including third-party labels. The strong presentation of information along with the honest feeling of the ad provokes me to actually invest in the products.

In conclusion, I believe that the only answer to making an impact among consumers when it comes to efficiently communicating product claims is standardization. Through simplifying product claims into ONE universal methodology that consumers are better able to comprehend, I believe that shifts toward a more sustainable world will excel. While there are some limitations to the concept of standardization, I believe that it is those boundaries that will enable the true transparency of a company. In standardizing product claims, the customer is being served rather than the reputation of one company over another. In the end, this will benefit the company’s success since the customer is ultimately who drives the business. Unmasking the realities of brands and products of today is going to constitute a much more profitable industry.