It's happened. It was inevitable. It's the way it always goes. I saw it coming. In fact, I remember watching it, consciously, post 9/11, and being as disturbed then as I am now. Yet it keeps happening. I guess they can't help it. It's what marketing is about. It's what they do. So when terrorists attack, or floods wipe out a portion of a cities residence, or the climate change becomes more of a prevalent concern in our lives.... there'll be a clear change in the ads you see, as products and companies try and cash in, jump on the band wagon, and position themselves at the center of what's foremost on peoples minds. Shortly after 9/11, it was all about our country, our families, our safety, and their two-ply toilet tissue or the true value of their hardware stores. Today, as you must see, more and more ads are centered around being "Green". Everybody has some angle their spinning about how they're the green spot, the green stop, the green solution and the source for all things that'll save the earth.
It makes me wince, because it's predominantly insincere. There are books and websites all over now, dedicated to "green marketing". And you know, you just know, the decision to adopt the ad campaign isn't at all about changing the world, reducing carbon footprints, addressing the need for global awareness about the actions we need to take in order to turn things around. It's about seizing the moment, and those green-dollars being spent by people actually concerned and taking action. I can just see the board room of executives examining a pie-chart showing the growing $'s being spent on green products, and discussing how best to get that money spent with them instead of somebody else.
Call me bitter. Cynical. Cranky-pants. But I'd not be saying this if I'd not seen it happen so many times before.
