Boldly going where no other earth friendly promotions have gone before.

It is safe to say that being socially and environmentally responsible is a growing concern to today’s consumers.  Given that, it was only a matter of time before businesses took a long hard look at earth friendly promotions for their marketing initiatives.  The result of this seems to be a revamp of an old approach, the leaflet. Gone are the days of glossy handouts and welcome to the days of plantable paper.   Yes, you read right plantable paper. Plantable paper alludes to a new technology whereby seeds are embedded into biodegradable paper. Thus, if you plant the slip of paper in the ground or in a pot, then you get a lovely plant or flower from it.   This is a great option for a company looking for earth friendly promotions while not overpowering the marketing message itself.  It is a subtle way for businesses to show that they value social and environmental responsibility because they are printing marketing materials using this earth friendly product that is not harmful to the environment and does not create frivolous waste.

Over the past few months, I have seen this method of earth friendly promotions first hand.  Old Navy  is one that comes to mind.  The location I was in used plantable paper to promote their eco-friendliness while announcing an upcoming sale. Another instance where I was given a leaflet printed on this earth friendly alternative, was at a recent sporting event where the local power authority was doing a pledge to conserve energy. Once you signed up for e-mails with tips about the ways to conserve and promised to do your part, sports fans were give a paper with a few energy tips on it such as “ #24 wash only full loads of laundry” or  “#54 turn off my screensaver”. Though the tips were lame the method in which they were delivered was not.  Marketing with a conscious.  This is what earth friendly promotions is all about.  Rethinking how little changes can make a difference and make the medium part of the message.

Having said all this, there is room for improvement.  I notice that the details of the actual plant seed embedded in the paper seem to be consistently missing from the information provided.  So although they show a commitment to the planet, the consumer is left in the dark which could result in people NOT planting the paper.  As an organic gardener myself, I want to know how much room my paper seed needs to properly flourish and where might be the best place for it to do so. I have decided to plant mine in little planters and see what comes of them. I have them marked by their company name for now.  Hmmm, on second thought, maybe that’s the point.  Perhaps these earth friendly promotions are more effective than we think.

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