Greenwashing

Green marketing is all the rage. People like to feel good about what they're buying, and are often willing to pay a little extra if they believe their purchase will help the earth. Marketers caught on to this trend pretty quickly, and false advertising has always been an unfortunate part of consumer culture. The result is that companies lie in their advertisements to make you believe your favorite brand has gone green.

(There is nothing green about 7Up! What are they playing at?!)

The term "greenwashing" technically relates to the idea that a marketing campaign is spending more money and effort to make you believe they are environmentally friendly rather than actually putting the thought into creating more sustainable practices. Norway has been the first to really crack down on greenwashing practices, in 1973 they appointed a marketing expert to ensure that green marketing laws are adhered to, and that no one runs falsified campaigns. The current official said of eco-friendly car ads: "Cars cannot do anything good for the environment except less damage than others." Compare this to car advertising in the United States that have us practically believing that driving a Smartcar will save five polar bears per year. 

What bothers me about greenwashing is that it takes focus off of the companies that really have initiated  environmentally-friendly policies into their work, when it isn't cheap or easy to do. Greenwashing analysts remind us to "stay vigilant" and always be suspicious of vague claims. Notoriously pollution-heavy industries have been trying to put a green spin on their marketing and public relations lately; the term "clean coal" comes to mind. I want to see numbers, I want to see distinct sources of proof that your product is really eco-friendly. The problem is that this is not the only factor I care about when making a purchase, and a too-large rise in price will stop me from buying a product, green or otherwise (and green products almost always cost a bit more). It's a tricky field that is barely 40 years old, and only really becoming popular with the younger generations. Environmentally-friendly practices are undoubtedly a good thing for our world, by lying about it is undoubtedly not. 

Buying on the Go

Here's a cool stat for you: last year, consumers spent over $21 billion on purchases they made on their mobile phones. As a person who has never even considered venturing into this grand new frontier of global purchasing, this is staggering to me. According to research from IBM, 14.6% of all online shopping sessions begin from a mobile device.

'Tis the season for mass consumerism, and more people than ever are doing their shopping not only online, but on their mobile phones. Apps that facilitate these activities are coming out by the dozen, but as always, security is an issue. Most well-known retailers, like Amazon, have their own secure mobile checkout system for the shopper on the go. But I have to wonder. What if the wifi goes out, mid-purchase? The psychology of this phenomenon intrigues me. I suppose it's just another step closer to instant-gratification, and helps people who are shopping in the real world compare prices and save (as well as remember exactly what they want to buy... so many of my material wishes fall out of my head between the mall and my computer at home).

Online retailers are racing to enable mobile purchasing, and to streamline the process for the mobile user. What will become of "traditional" online purchasing as more and more of the population become comfortable (and able) to shop online, on the go? Online shopping comprises about 10% of the United States' total purchases, but this figure grows more prominent every year. Traditional retail is still the kingpin of American consumerism, but looking at today's tech-enabled culture, you'd never know it.

Personally, I would be hesitant to make a purchase from my phone. I just can't be sure I've selected exactly what I want, and cannot see that all the information is correct as clearly as I can on a larger screen. Reading that last sentence back, it seems like quite a flimsy complaint. I'm sure I will be able to overcome this insecurity in time, and I too will join the millions of Americans can see something they want in a store window, and are able to immediately buy it cheaper from somewhere online. Amazing.

Television for a Global Market

It's no wonder Europeans have a poor opinion of Americans, given the amount of television we export there. Gems like Baywatch, Jersey Shore, and American Idol are among the most popular to go global. Dramas such as House, Desperate Housewives, and 24 are also extremely popular overseas. It's intriguing to wonder whether the production studios that make these shows ever consider the possibility of a record-breaking marathon in Japan in which seven seasons of 24 were aired consecutively over the course of one week. The final season was pulled from the schedule because the storyline features nuclear radiation, which could be viewed as insensitive or offensive to a Japanese audience.

It used to be that Europeans watched more American television than anything made on their own continent. Numerous laws and directives were passed in the early 1990s to ensure European culture was not negatively impacted by the permeation of American values through their TVs. But recently, by popular demand, American TV shows are back on the airwaves overseas in record numbers.

Nowadays, global television goes both ways. I personally have seen several foreign television programs that I never would have had access to without the internet. Global media exchange raises the bar for quality content and production value; networks all over the world are raring to compete in the global market that has been US dominant since the advent of television. PBS and BBC America currently broadcast British television shows on American cable. Will we see this trend continue? The audience loves it: Sherlock, Downton Abbey, Doctor Who and more are growing more and more popular every year with American audiences. Maybe it's about time we gave Europeans some of the market share. Exporting culture should be a two-way street.