After Hippie comes Hip! Eco-Trendy:

HIPPY was yesterday - today who thinks green is HIP. Consumption with a clear conscience instead of quitting consumption. LOHAS*, the representatives of a green lifestyle-avantgarde are connecting pleasure and responsibility to each other: shopping as a way to improve the world. Eco-sensitive consumers are convinced that they are not just "buying". Instead, they position themselves in line with environmentally responsible producers by identifying themselves with their products and in some cases even become real fans. "What is better for me, is better for my environment and ultimately improves the whole world": This is the benefit hierarchy that motivates green purchasing decisions across markets.

In times of rapid information dissemination via the internet LOHAS are well informed and react quickly to changes in the environmental reputation of companies. Green marketing is the key to their confidence because consumer perception controls both the boycott and the buycott ** a product. Green marketing also helps building up a long-term competitive advantage because green consumers are brand loyal and convincedly willing to pay more for sustainable products. Companies with a good environmental standing will be able to develop new organic markets more quickly and efficiently.

Concerns in terms of environmentally relevant corporate communications are comprehensible given the skepticism of many consumers - keyword greenwashing. But usually turn out to be unfounded in case an informative, end-customer oriented eco-marketing is applied.

* LOHAS: Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability. **Buycott: The opposite of a boycott. Customers willingly buying producs of companies whose policies they advocate sustainable.

Green Communication: The Basis for

Which is essentially for entrepreneurial success of green communication? In principle, the profitability-enhancing potential of investments in greater sustainability should be given greater recognition. Often overlooked are profitable side benefits through cost-cutting and productivity-enhancing effects on the procurement markets. In this respect good return prospects in environmentally compliant investments and a generally changed investor behavior, promt investors to chanel more fonts in sustainability-oriented companies and thus reduce their cost of capital - Social Responsible Investment. In addition, it is easier for companies with excellent social and environmental standing to attract highly motivated and well-trained employees.

Green commitment in principle helps to improve the reputation in sustainability on capital-, labor- and procuct markets, but only hand in hand with green communication the inherent profits and image improvement potential may be exploited completely.

Here is the formula for success: give the recipient the green marketing message as concisely as possible, so as to position the company clearly ecologically.