Marketing in Today’s Business

I have read and understand the plagiarism policy as outlined in the syllabus and the sections in the IWU Catalog relating to the IWU Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I certify that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. I also certify that the work submitted is original work specific for this course and to my program. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act/s, which could include expulsion from Indiana Wesleyan University. Another ideal marketing technique is green marketing. This style of marketing refers to the satisfaction of consumer needs, wants, and desires in conjunction with the preservation and conservation of the natural environment.(White) While green marketing has been thrust into the spotlight recently, the idea is anything but new. The tactic became popular in the 1960’s when citizens along with environmental groups became concerned with ecosystem problems from polluted air and water. During the 1970’s and 1980’s the federal government became involved passing a number of laws designed to reduce the negative impact on the environment from businesses. The most recent stage of the movement is a result of businesses accepting responsibility for not causing harm to the environment. Some of the benefits of a business utilizing green marketing are increased sales due to consumer demand, reduced landfill costs as well as cost of materials due to recycling, and a strong reputation with consumers. The demand from consumers to change the way goods are produced and packaged has come about as the population of the world has grown and in turn our natural resources are being used up faster than ever. The lack of some natural resources has been the cause of a change in consumer demand. Around 2004 the purchase patterns of vehicles changed dramatically due to overwhelming consumption of oil based products. In response to this the price in gasoline was raised causing a sharp decline in the sales of sport utility vehicles and many people turning to hybrid or flex-fuel vehicles.(Truell, 2007) Some businesses were slow to respond to the change in consumers and suffered because of that. These companies that were able to change on the move and utilize green marketing tactics benefited immensely throughout the next few years. As a result of this pattern within the auto industry, many other manufacturers that created products in an environmentally friendly fashion began to highlight these efforts within their own marketing message. Another benefit that comes from a company operating green is the cost savings that come from being able to recycle old components from outdated equipment or maintaining environmental sustainability. Dell realized that their responsibility for the computers that they manufactured did not end when the units left the factory. The company realized that many of their computers ended up in landfills and was creating quite an impact on the environment. Their solution was to create a recycle program in which the reclaim obsolete equipment like monitors, mice, keyboards, and printers.(Truell, 2007) Since they have implemented this program they have been able to drastically cut down on toxic waste in landfills that came from their equipment. Another benefit of this was that they are able to recycle the materials as well as reuse useful materials. By doing these things Dell has been able to market itself as green manufacturer. This benefits the company by cutting costs while widening their customer base. Having a strong reputation with the public is very important with any company. Many paper companies and companies in the forest industry have implemented sustainable forest management in which they administer and conserve forest resources for current as well as