Clorox Essay

Savannah Lynn Koob, 730401203 Clorox Case Write-Up How attractive is the market for green products? According to The Cambridge Group’s research regarding the size and nature of consumer sustainability interests, the market for green products was attractive (Page 3). More and more consumers are changing their habits to buy products around sustainability (Page 3). What was once a small niche was expanding, making breaking into the sustainability market an attractive opportunity for Clorox (Page 3). In December 2007, over a third of consumers claimed to regularly buy green products (Page 3), reinforcing the overarching attractiveness of the growing demand for sustainable products. What role do brands play in improving sales and environmental outcomes?

If brands target large segments well, this could lead to loads of revenue for the brand’s parent company. Furthermore, brands contribute to environmental outcomes through design. When brands are established, it is in the hands of their leadership to determine everything about the brand: product, messaging, desired reputation, long-term strategy, and more. When designing a brand with the environment in mind, every aspect of the brand can be designed with this in mind. For example, when Clorox was designing the Green Works brand, they internally developed the product with sustainability in mind, resulting in at least 95% natural ingredients, thus reducing the risks associated with harmful chemical use (Pages 6 and 7). What are the implications of building the three sustainable brands for Clorox’s existing brands? For the company as a whole? The implications of building the three sustainable brands for Clorox’s existing brands stretch far and wide. First, by building sustainable brands and products, Clorox’s other products came under scrutiny (Page

Furthermore, balancing resources is a challenge associated with the introduction of sustainable brands (Page 13). As Clorox invests in Brita, Burt’s Bees, and Green Works, other Clorox brands and products are losing investment, specifically in marketing and advertising (Page 13). This shift in investment may affect company culture, the sturdiness of existing brands that have lost funds, and overall profitability for Clorox, as a dollar invested in Burt’s Bees may not have the same return on investment (ROI) as a dollar invested in Clorox wipes, or an alternative brand or product (Page 13). For the company as a whole, the building of three sustainable brands can be both positive and negative. While it supports Clorox’s corporate responsibility image and may lead to the acquisition of new, sustainability-driven consumers, it also opens up doors for scrutiny and assertions for Clorox to holistically become a “green” brand (Harvard Business Review, Growing Green, Page