By: KC

KC — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:47:30 +0000

I commend you and your company for campaigning under such a worthy and notable cause. Issues of environmentalism and sustainability continue to grow and become more pressing with each day. I believe that changes being made in the marketing and business world will do well to set a precedent for others to follow in their footsteps. Your post on “blue” becoming the new “green” was of great interest to me. As a student at the University of Southern California who wishes to pursue a career in public relations, I find it intriguing how companies use environmentalism as a PR tool. It had never occurred to me, prior to reading this post, that there are still many negative connotations that are associated with “green” terminology and that this might deter businesses from using environmentalism as a publicity platform. “Feelin’ Bloovy” made me realize that as far along as we have come in the realm of environmentalism, there is still a certain amount of fanatic and ultra-liberal implications that people attach to the word “green”. This transition from green to blue is, in my opinion, an amazingly smart move for everyone involved. Any negative connotations that “green” might elicit in the minds of the public disappears and simultaneously the word “blue” gives the sustainability movement a fresh, new look that is not only more versatile but also more palatable. I also agree with you that the term “blue” does a much better job of embodying what sustainability is all about. Many people still assume that environmentalism is about tree hugging and keeping the Earth green, when really it has become more about keeping the Earth clean and sustainable for our future progeny. Issues of this nature have become more than just a trend; it has now become a full on movement driven by a concerned nation and empowered by its youth. Organizations like the Energy Action Coalition, an alliance of forty six youth led organizations both in the U.S. and Canada concerned with clean energy, only go to prove how motivated the people of my generation are to improving the environment and how seriously they take this issue. My question to you is where exactly did this transformation from green to blue originate? I would be interested to know who was (or were) the creative mind(s) behind this process. Also, what do you believe is the best strategy for promoting this new “blue” term?

By: hilary

hilary — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 07:00:33 +0000

Good questions, KC. As for where this transformation originated, I think it’s only just beginning, and its current glimmerings came from a number of minds in sync, all over the world. Green has gotten so over-saturated (and was always problematic) — and those of us in the “sustainability” space have long been trying to come up with fresh ways to communicate. There was no creator or designer behind the shift — just a number of converging factors leading to blue feeling “right” to certain people. Like so many trends, it’s an organic process. And I think it’s gotten enough traction at this point to take hold. Expect an odd transition point, as definitions shift.
And the best strategy? Use, use, and more use, until it’s hard to imagine a time when we didn’t know what ‘blue’ meant.

By: KC

KC — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 08:47:19 +0000

Thanks for the reply, Hilary! I fully intend to move forward with this shift to using the term “blue”. I truly hope that it inspires people to really think critically about sustainability in a way that “green” didn’t.

Comments on: Feelin’ Bloovy

By: KC

By: hilary

By: KC