Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner John Deans Talks Campaign Strategy

In an interview with Brandchannel, Greenpeace Toxics Campaigner John Deans made it abundantly clear that there is a new highly effective approach that is taking businesses to task for their irresponsible practices. These Greenpeace campaigns are putting the extraordinary power of social media to work for the environment.

“We’re not your grandfather’s Greenpeace anymore," Deans told Brandchannel. "We’re part of a new, building movement with a new set of people who are social media denizens. Brands see it’s not going away and that Greenpeace is communicating directly with their customers."

Deans remarked about how quickly social media messages can be disseminated, “Social media tools have let Greenpeace latch on to the viral nature of online society – and find where people are in order to spark their interest.”

Greenpeace's Consumer Powered Pressure Campaigns

Greenpeace is waging very effective pressure campaigns that reach out directly to customers. Greenpeace encourages their supporters to take direct action and voice their concerns. Greenpeace has come a long way from their beginnings in the early 70s; in addition to protests and demonstrations, they are now using digital technologies to widely disseminate their message. Social media figures prominently in the Greenpeace strategy. These Greenpeace campaigns co-opt the brand message of the companies they are targeting.

Waitrose Bows to Greenpeace Pressure

In less than 2 weeks Greenpeace succeeded in getting UK supermarket Waitrose to rethink its partnership with Shell. The Greenpeace campaign targeted Waitros' stores in Shell gas stations because of the oil company’s plans to drill in the Arctic. This decision means Waitrose has shelved plans to expand on the number of  stores in Shell gas stations. Waitrose currently has two pilot stores and had planned on adding more in 2013. Yet again this underscores the power of consumer driven campaigns to influence the business practices of major brands.

Greenpeace's Consumer Powered Pressure Campaign Targets Levi's (Video)

Greenpeace activists in over 20 countries took to the streets, joined by over 175,000 people online, to demand Levi's make fashion without pollution. Despite hazardous chemicals being found in Levi's clothing items, and investigations revealing that Levi's suppliers in Mexico and elsewhere are releasing toxic chemicals into public waterways.

ZARA Mannequins Revolt! (Video)

As part of Greenpeace's global "Detox" campaign, more than 700 people, in over 80 cities, in 20 countries around the world protested, staged street theatre and conducted "mannequin" walk-outs to demand ZARA commit to eliminating the use of all hazardous chemicals throughout its supply chain. The participants, from Bangkok to Buenas Aires, also called on ZARA store managers to forward Greenpeace's Detox demands to their headquarters, after new research found traces of hazardous chemicals in ZARA clothing items, some of which can break down in the environment to become hormone-disrupting or even cancer-causing substances.

Why a Dozen Clothing Giants Have Bowed to Greenpeace

There are powerful financial incentives that drive corporations to agree to the demands of organizations like Greenpeace. The customers moral concerns can undermine sales and thus it is very directly impacts the bottom line. A dozen clothing brands have now accepted Greenpeace demands to detox and before this there were campaigns directed against KFC, Shell, Mattel and Lego. Through its “Toxic Threads: Under Wraps” report, Greenpeace spurred a global movement that is succeeding in detoxing some of the major players in the clothing industry.

At least twelve clothing companies have decided to heed Greenpeace demands and reduce their environmental impacts including Mango, Esprit, Nike, H&M, Adidas, Puma, M&S, C&A, Li-Ning, Zara and now Levi’s.

Levi's Bows to Greenpeace Pressure

After a mere 8 days of pressure from Greenpeace, Levi's has agreed to become more environmentally responsible. Greenpeace alleged that Levi’s suppliers are some of the worst water polluters in the Mexican textile industry. The denim behemoth has said it will stop polluting Mexico's rivers and the company further agreed to eliminate the release of all hazardous chemicals in its manufacturing process by 2020.

There have been a number of Greenpeace actions that have encouraged Levi's change of heart. Hundreds protested outside Levi’s shop fronts in 80 cities around the world and in one demonstration at Levi's headquarters in Mexico, Protesters covered the area in foam to symbolize the toxic effluents that Levi's released into the country's rivers.

Greenpeace Succeeds in Forcing Zara to Detox

Since 2011 Greenpeace has been asking Zara (a brand within the Inditex group) to eliminate hazardous chemicals from its clothing lines and supply chains. Late in 2012 Zara succumbed to pressure from Greenpeace and decided to address the issue of toxic pollution. Zara finally capitulated after Greenpeace launched an aggressive global campaign targeting the store.

Zara and the seven other brands in the Inditex group (Pull & Bear, Massimo Dutti, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, Zara Home and Uterqüe) is now publicly committed to eliminate all discharge of hazardous chemicals from its supply chain and products by 2020. Zara will immediately begin to phase out some of the worst offending chemicals like PFCs.

Earth Day Marketing Mayhem ROI

Earth Day is now a marketing frenzy, but what is the return on the investment (ROI) for green marketing at this time of year? According to a recent GreenBiz article there is questionable value to environmental promotions at this time of year. Albe Zakes, the global vice president of media relations for TerraCycle, says Earth Day is not the best time for major initiatives. TerraCycle which helps companies with recycling programs, actively dissuades their customers from launching major initiatives on or around Earth Day.

Earth Day "Green" Shopping

There are a plethora of green promotions going on this Earth Day. A very wide range of products can be found with some sort of green marketing angle. A good illustration of the specials, discounts and other promotions are summarized in following two online sites:

Wide Range of Earth Day Promotions

Many different businesses are using Earth Day to promote their products. They run the gamut from green to greenwashing. Here are three examples of products that are using Earth Day as a marketing vehicle. As reported by the Go Green Guy Lowe’s Home Improvement is holding an Earth Day sale on LED light bulbs.

One Stop Green's Earth Day Activities

One Stop Green is an e-commerce site that promotes sustainability and green living 365 days a year. The OneStopGreen.com website offers Green Living products, applications, tools and tips. On Earth Day they are offering special promotions all throughout the site.

Sears' Earth Day Activities

On the eve of the 42nd anniversary of Earth Day Sears Holding Corp.’s is offering some big discounts on its green products. Sears is doing a range of different things for Earth Day from recycling old cell phones and computers to offering great deals on articles like efficient ENERGY STAR-qualified appliances.

Best Western's Earth Day Activities

Best Western International has formed a year long partnership with the Earth Day Network. Best Western is joining Bridgestone in sponsoring the massive Earth Day event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 22. As the centerpiece of Earth Day in the US, the National Mall event will attract Hundreds of thousands of people.

Bridgestone's Earth Day Activities

Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (BATO) is sponsoring the massive Earth Day event on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on April 22. As the centerpiece of Earth Day in the US, the National Mall event will attract Hundreds of thousands of people to the festivities on April 22.

What Businesses are Doing for Earth Day 2012

As reviewed in a Green Biz article titled How Corporations are Celebrating Earth Day 2012, the business community is getting involved in this high holy day of sustainability. Most sustainability executives interviewed see Earth Day as an opportunity to connect and engage with their employees. Companies are encouraging their employees to get involved in environmental activities like cleanups and other volunteer efforts.

Business and Climate Impacts Day

The environmental organization known as 350.org is building a global movement to address climate change and the business community has a vital role to play in their new campaign. They have already been part of some successful business oriented initiatives including "The Chamber Does Not Speak For Me," campaign. Now 350.org is behind a new campaign designed to help people to see the relationship between extreme weather and climate impacts. It is called Connect the Dots as part of this campaign they have designated May 5 2012 as Climate Impacts Day.

Bill McKibben on Connect the Dots

Across the planet now we see ever more flooding, ever more drought, ever more storms. People are dying, communities are being wrecked -- the impacts we’re already witnessing from climate change are unlike anything we have seen before. But because the globe is so big, it’s hard for most people to see that it’s all connected. That’s why, on May 5, all over the earth, we will Connect the Dots.

Connect the Dots End Fossil Fuel

The environmental organization known as 350.org is behind a new action designed to help people to see the relationship between extreme weather and climate impacts. The new campaign is called Connect the Dots, and it is specifically directed at ending fossil fuel subsidies and encouraging divestment from fossil fuels. The action including events, rallies and demonstration will take place around the world on May 5, 2012.

Keystone XL Protest Message Campaign a Success

A campaign resisting the Keystone XL pipeline has succeeded in sending more than three quarters of a million messages to the US Senate. The message campaign came in response to Republican efforts to resurrect the environmentally destructive Keystone XL.