Is that recycled logo good news… or just old news?

by Michael | August 20th, 2010

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It’s become a ubiquitous little symbol, and maybe so much so that our eyes pass over it without a thought.

Postcards from the cable company, magazines, catalogs, even your daily newspaper—all likely carry the original recycled mark or the logo of one of the associated advocacy organizations (FSC, SFI, among others). Each has its own unique significance (amount of recycled content, whether it includes post-consumer fiber, if wind power was used in the manufacturing process, etc.).

But what does it mean to you?

We know that a strong, clear brand is one that resonates with your customers and supporters. And if environmental stewardship is important to you, it should be an important message to send to your followers.

I often encourage our clients to include some version of a recycled logo, or even language that spells out things like how many trees have been saved because of the use of recycled paper (talk about a good story to tell!). Sometimes they haven’t necessarily cared about that message themselves, but the reaction they’ve gotten from their constituents makes them sit up and think differently.

How can we, together, make old news new again? The environment is ours to take care of, and we’re all in it together, as they say. Being green is becoming a way of life, despite what Kermit the Frog once said.

Is environmental stewardship important to you? Does it make a difference in your decisions about what to buy, who to support, and who to engage?

Categories Branding, Design, Outside the Square