How Marshalls became an industry leader on cutting carbon emissions.
Marshalls may not be the first brand that springs to mind when it comes to sustainability, but the paving manufacturer is punching above its weight.
The company embarked on a carbon reduction campaign because it recognised the need for the landscaping industry to monitor and improve its impact on the environment.
Amid increasing media and international attention on climate change, Marshalls decided that it wanted to provide education that would help people make ethical choices.
Group marketing director Chris Harrop explains: ‘Our core consumers are worried about climate change. They want proven information from companies.’
Marshalls mapped out the supply chain for every material used in its products and set about reducing their footprints. It also commissioned a campaign that involved a variety of different elements designed to influence consumer behaviour.
The campaign website www.marshalls.com/sustainability was created to host information, blogs, podcasts and a carbon calculator. The latter enables customers to work out the impact of their hard landscaping.
Last year, Marshalls carbon-labelled more than 500 of its domestic products and pledged to reduce their carbon footprints over a two-year period. It has now passed the 1,000 product mark.
Alongside a communications campaign in national and trade media and its three-year sponsorship of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (where it created the Marshalls ‘Sustainability Garden’), the company also published booklets drawing attention to sustainability issues affecting the industry.
‘The truth about imported Indian sandstone’ raised awareness of child labour in stone mines, whilst ‘Halt the greenwash’ highlighted the issues surrounding questionable environmental claims.
As a result of the campaign, Marshalls saw a rise in brand awareness, an increase in brand preference and growth of market share. Sales of its block paving and Indian sandstone increased, despite the economic downturn.
Harrop says: ‘I am happy with where we are now. We have now got about 1,170 products labelled with full footprints. Taking a leadership role has played a big part in our trade marketing.
‘From a consumer perspective, we have linked our brand to the issue of climate change. For our gardening consumer base, when they buy Marshalls products they know it is high on our agenda.’
Marshalls’ campaign, which was produced with agency Ethical Communications, was recognised at the 2009 Marketing Society Awards for Excellence, where it was highly commended in the ethical marketing category.
Over the coming months, click back to Decarbonising the Brand for further case studies of brands that have addressed their carbon emissions, and passed the message on to their customers through effective marketing.
By Richard Abbott
