Greenwash Of The Week: P&G ‘Future Friendly’.
Proctor & Gamble’s new ad slogan is “Future Friendly”, but when looking at the products they are branding with it, you have to wonder who exactly runs their ad division – a hired team of greenwashing experts? Non-recycled content toilet paper and paper towels, Swiffer sweepers, chemically-scented body sprays, Febreze, disposable diapers, deodorant with aluminum in it, petroleum-based dish soap… the list goes on… and on… and on. In the paper on Sunday, there was a 32 page insert about how they are Future Friendly and that by buying the products listed you would be investing in a better tomorrow. They even featured a young girl carrying a reusable grocery bag. Oh how green! But if you look at the contents of the bag, that sure looks like a spray bottle full of Febreze sticking out of the top. Yep, a container full of chemicals sure is “Future Friendly”. That is, if your future tends to be one full of nausea, vomiting, and/or diarrhea.
Please, Proctor & Gamble, tell me how any of the stuff that you sell is in any way, shape, or form “Future Friendly”. I would love to hear the rationalization…
Love the sarcasm. My favourite line: “They even featured a young girl carrying a reusable grocery bag. Oh how green!
A study came out this week that showed that the consumer did not really believe the green claims by many firms. We should expose Greenwash, but I think the consumer is quite savy anyway.