The Relationship between Green Marketing and Firm Reputation: Evidence from Content Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to identify the relationship between firm's green marketing approach and firm's reputation improvement among customers. To investigate the object of the current study and provides adequate material to fill a gap in the literature, the current author collected abundant textual data from numerous extant literature. Because the author needed to augment about reliability and validity, textual data from trusted peer-reviewed sources was obtained from numerous databases. Based on a large body of literature, this study suggests that companies have to declare their stand based on their positioning to safeguard their reputation as an entity and that of its products and services. The five components of a company adopting a recognized environmental marketing strategy include product strategy, demand strategy, pricing strategy, distribution strategy, and labeling strategy Thus, firms' environmental marketing strategies have to be designed with the complete intent of transformation as a solution to enhance their reputation. The current study concludes that the comparison of environmental marketing strategies does not correctly help in ranking the concern in an effective way, and describe the exact details needed in each of the five categories for a company to carry its operations in a sustainable fashion.

1. Introduction

The relationship of interaction between humans and the environment has become the central concern of scholars, particularly those in the business and marketing sector (Fraj, Martínez, & Matute, 2011). The usage and disposal of resources in the environment have prompted concerns that have necessitated action due to the negative consequences. In the current world, companies have moved with urgency to produce products and services that are environmentally- friendly, which helps safeguard their reputation given the negative concern on climate change. Consumers have also facilitated this as they keep getting more involved in protecting the environment; as such, only companies with adequate strategies in place can remain competitive and retain loyal customers (Leonidou, Katsikeas, & Morgan, 2013). Therefore, companies have devised sensitive guidelines to aid consumers’ purchasing power and their target clients. Environmental marketing strategy as such can be defined as companies’ deliberate commitment to safeguarding the environment from the decline in the production of products and services.

It is estimated that about two-thirds of customers consider sustainability in making purchases, which have incentivized companies to develop green marketing strategies (Sanclemente-Téllez, 2017). It is important to note that the current consumers are willing to spend more on products that safeguard the environment because they want to make a difference with their money. In that regard, even companies with the best brands risk failure in their image perception due to neglect of environmental strategies in the design of their products (D’Souza, Taghian, & Sullivan- Mort, 2013). Therefore, companies have developed several strategies to help their customers remain loyal and present their commitment level to the environment.

The initial strategy that is common is the design of products that consider sustainability in their full cycle. However, some companies also create a false impression of sustainability as an environmental marketing strategy through partial implementation (D’Souza et al., 2013; Khan, Haque, & Khan, 2020 ). For instance, companies use logos and profits only to plant trees and engage in other sustainability projects that do not show genuine commitment as they operate partially. On the contrary, responsive companies develop strategies that effectively seek to protect the environment by creating their products and services (Dangelico, 2015). Therefore, the initial source of purchase of materials, disposal of waste generated during the supply chain, and what to do to the products at the end of their lifespan are based on sustainability.

The second strategy companies use to enhance environmental marketing is an intentional increase in the pricing of their products and services (Leonidou, Leonidou, Fotiadis, & Zeriti, 2013). Given that a lot of expenses are needed in the design and payment of wages, consumers are more willing to pay for them to reduce their impact on the environment. It is essential to note that some new businesses employ third-party endorsements and certification to increase their credibility as an environmental marketing strategy. The use of trusted companies that have achieved environmental marketing has also helped other start-up businesses to gain a foothold in the marketing industry (Hasan & Ali, 2015). The endorsements can come from several sources such as experts in the industry, social media influencers, and bloggers, and as such, companies seek to safeguard their reputation in various ways, depending on their target market.

Companies also use environmental marketing strategies such as green packaging, issuing e-newsletters, and making public declarations on their determination to pursue environmentally-friendly approaches in business (Baker & Sinkula, 2005). It is indisputable that non-biodegradable packaging constitutes the largest portion of landfills on earth. Therefore, companies have moved by producing green packaging materials that have swayed companies to commit to the environment. Companies have also shifted in offering customers monthly e-newsletters instead of costly printed material that aid safeguards the environment (Fuentes, 2015). Besides, some companies use press releases to declare their intent to pursue green policies to manage the environment.

2. Literature Review

Green marketing is considered the production of products that are safe to the environment and beneficial to society that can extend to the long run as companies’ responsibility (Fuentes, 2015; Tulsi, & Ji, 2020; Rajadural, Zahari, Esa, Bathmanathan, & Ishak, 2021). The process entails the production of products that can be safe ecologically. For instance, some of the methods accepted as safe include the use of green labels, recyclable packages, and promotion activities for the manufactured products. It is important to note that there is an established relationship between green marketing with corporate recognition and reputation (Cronin, Smith, Gleim, Ramirez, & Martinez, 2011).

According to Chabowski, Mena, and Gonzalez-Padron (2011), the concept of green marketing considers both the positive and negative effects of companies’ products and services on the natural environment. As such, factors like air, water, and land pollution are critical in organizations’ products’ lifecycle. The rate of waste generation to the environment and energy consumption levels is also essential in green marketing that seeks to safeguard companies’ reputations. Since the 1970s, companies have sought to improve customer satisfaction and operate in ways that serve to increase society’s sustainable progress. Social and economic mass marketing of products can be regarded as the genesis of using the concept of green marketing in society (Cronin et al., 2011). It was characteristic of most companies to serve their interest in the past, without reflection on how their actions impacted the environment.

It is argued that progressive companies consider environmental marketing strategy as effective means to manage scarce resources given the global production and demand with population increase (Chabowski et al., 2011). Thus, an effective marketing strategy has to begin from the production phase, where companies seek to maximize green marketing approaches. Besides the satisfaction of customer needs, it is advocated that social needs deserve to be given first priority in creating products and delivering services by companies (Hult, 2011). Therefore, the consumption of resources of the environment has been oriented toward the use of green consumption methods.

Companies prefer a green marketing strategy because of several reasons based on recent evidence and scholarly studies. Hult (2011) asserted that one of the reasons is that companies think that green marketing strategies are an effective mode of meeting their target customers. Therefore, companies respond by adapting in the creation of products and services that conform to the standards. The second motivation for companies to move toward green marketing emerges from support from state foundations and other social participants (Polonsky, 2011). The organizations use both inducements and constraints to encourage companies to take hold on developing responsive green marketing strategies that protect the environment.

It is essential to note that companies pursue green marketing strategies to demonstrate their social awareness in their various marketing activities (Crittenden, Crittenden, Ferrell, Ferrell, & Pinney, 2011). The execution of such activities aids developing a company’s image both internally and externally for its customers. The best workers also prefer to work for companies that are interested in the environment and, as such, get attracted to the institution due to increased wages and work standards (Kataria & Mukherjee, 2017). Additionally, companies also use green marketing to attract customers who prefer to purchase products and get services from such companies that respect the corporate social responsibility in the protection of the environment.

The cost of production and waste management has caused companies to reconsider their production methods, shifting to green marketing strategies (Rivera-Camino, 2007). It is important to note that production using non-biodegradable materials increases the cost for companies instead of the use of natural raw materials that can get absorbed into the environment. The transportation of non-biodegradable in some cases increases transportation given their scarcity in the environment. It is important to note that waste management is also costly when it comes to disposal and management. As stated by Connelly, Ketchen, and Slater (2011), some of the plastic materials have been known to stay in the environment for as long as a thousand years. Companies as such need to commit huge financial resources to manage such waste that has encouraged most to adopt green marketing strategies that protect the environment. Therefore, companies use green strategies to remain competitive and encounter pressure from both customers and state restrictions.

It is important to understand that five elements are considered necessary for any company to be regarded as having adopted an environmental marketing strategy. The five categories are product strategy, demand strategy, pricing strategy, distribution strategy, and labeling strategy (Connelly et al., 2011). All these categories need to embrace green marketing strategies for a company to be considered green and safeguard its reputation. However, the concept is incomplete if the green consumer is eliminated who necessitates all the processes that companies undertake to produce goods and services. Although in the past customers had an interest only in purchasing and consuming goods, currently, consumers are conscious and concerned with details on how a company produces its products (Kotler, 2011). As such, they focus on how companies use scarce resources and discard their waste besides that remains after the use of products. Therefore, such individuals with great concern for the environment area called green consumers and kept companies on their toes in terms of demand.

A new market of consumption has emerged, causing companies to retreat in the production methods that force them to adopt environmentally-friendly approaches. According to Dennis, Harris, Peattie, and Crane (2005), current consumers set expectations on companies in regard to the goods produced that have to protect the environment and all other forms of nature. For instance, in the food industry, there has been a decline in the purchase of genetically-modified foods, given their effect on nature despite their perceived benefits.

Factories and manufacturing companies have in particular adopted green product strategy production to minimize the effect of their activities on the environment (Dennis et al. 2005). For instance, instead of factories emitting poisonous smoke with the use of chimneys, manufacturing companies have invested in filtering technologies. The use of technologies aids in safeguarding the environment through a clean environment approach that improves people’s health in a given area.

2.1. Relationship between Green Marketing and Company Reputation

An organization’s reputation is regarded as one of the most important assets that help keep the customers attracted, influence success, and determine companies’ performance in society (Dennis et al. 2005). It is important to note that a particular company’s reputation contributes toward giving it a unique identity that it operates within society. It also gives the company a competitive edge as it is difficult to imitate and aids in marketing its products and services.

It is essential to note that a company gets a reputation based on various factors such as branding, quality, product service, and business performance that need environment- friendly strategies. Green marketing strategies demonstrate that an organization is responsible, ethical, and shares the concerns of the community at large (Delmas & Burbano, 2011). The vision of organizations that revolves around corporate social responsibility is that organizations should be held responsible for their actions in everyday encounters.

2.2. Research Gap

The evaluation of the sources above shows that the five elements of strategies are not often ranked in terms of their importance (Hunt, 2011). The practice has left companies to consider pricing as an important factor in the creation of their products, neglecting their role to safeguard the environment. Companies must communicate on the ranking of their green strategies given their impact on the environment and people. There exists limited evidence that suggests how awareness of the green strategies influences the purchasing power of customers. Delmas and Burbano (2011) affirmed that the element of being aware is necessary for assessing companies’ reputations as people live in the information age. Therefore, the impact of technology in enhancing environmental marketing strategies is absent from most of the reviewed sources through social media platforms such as Facebook.

Besides, despite the mention of areas that aid in measuring environmental marketing strategies, the literature reviewed fails in giving the exact elements to consider in each area. For instance, Delmas and Burbano (2011) provided that in product creation, only examples are given such filtering instead of permitting smoke to get emitted to the environment. As such, there should be a detailed description and standardization of approaches that companies can be measured against to assess their achievement ability on the green marketing strategies. The literature also fails in the presentation of policies as environmental safeguarding strategies, and as such, they should be singled out (Delmas and Burbano, 2011). It is also important to note that a disconnect exists between the accepted beliefs in marketing and the green consumer approach to the products, as short- term plans need to be adopted to be effective. Empirical studies and evidence-based studies are needed to test and supplement some of the theories suggested.

Figure 1: Research Gap in the Extant Literature

3. Method

A qualitative study has the advantage of providing detailed written accounts of human experiences. Qualitative data combines diverse behaviors, norms, and sometimes subjective cultural influences. Contrary to quantitative research that only objectively forecasts, quantifies, and explains statistics, qualitative research seeks to help people understand problems using differences, relationships, and perceptions. Since it is more versatile and changes qualitative approaches, the researcher used qualitative analysis more clearly than quantitative studies. Qualitative study is advantageous because it gives the participant context and cultural significance. Research also indicates that the researcher is forced to examine different topics and meanings that add a more in-depth interpretation. Above all, the collected data are of the explanatory and extensive type in a qualitative study (Woo & Kang, 2020).

3.1. Research Design

Research designs are a general methodology that a scientist uses to reliably and logically combine different research components. The researcher must deal effectively with the research problems, and as such, the design of the research is a medium for collection, calculation, and, above all, data analysis. A research design should, therefore, be sufficient and methodologically compatible. When these entire realms function in conjunction with each other, when their interlocking relations are smooth and well organized, when the overall presentation is solid, coherent, well-articulated, and therefore convincing, a tool for social inquiry gains credibility and persuasiveness. The current author has, thus, collected data and analyzed data using an instrument for content analysis for checking the relationship between green marketing strategies and firm’s reputation improvement. This led to the development of different codes for multiple topics to solve the research issue (Woo & Kang, 2020; Neuendorf, 2002).

This research’s content review was sufficient because a comprehensive study has been performed in the management and sustainable environment. The current researcher should, therefore, collect ample textual information. The previous research affirmed that content analysis is accurate since the coding of subjects and texts is consistent. Protection can be retained as long as the information is viewed the same way by those processing the same data. The study design using data from the current literature is satisfactory since other researchers use the same epistemology, methodology and plan to reproduce the same findings. The primary qualitative collection of data is time-consuming and expensive. Therefore, this study is more suitable for researchers with limited time and money, as long as it is possible to maintain validity. For instance, methods may be sufficient as long as the researcher guarantees that other data is available for review and that the evidence is utterly independent of the analysis (Kim, 2020; Woo & Kang, 2020).

The newly-available evidence should reflect the results and could be in the form of text, open data, hypotheses, or competing interpretations. The research in this field was qualitative and, thus, personal significances influenced the study’s meaning. However, fundamental analysis is vulnerable to invalidity because there are no means available to measure the report.

3.2. Data Collection

Data from established literature, including landmark works, were collected by the current researcher. Since the current author wanted to maximize validity, the databases used to gather data were mainly from peer-reviewed sources (Han & Kang, 2020). This analysis also used PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) to classify research within the study’s limits. A checklist built to summarize facts from systematic reviews is the PRISMA argument. The study has used a PRISMA checklist to screen for qualifying trials, and studies that have not increased this analysis have been omitted. PRISMA is vital to recognize research with a small publication bias to enhance the quality of the investigation. This study’s key steps included selecting studies evaluated by peers and thereby withdrawing conference papers for analysis from current researcher. Second, the reviews found in the survey have taken on a constructive or interpretative dimension. The current researcher will then evaluate the text gathered using qualitative software with these essential criteria (Tam, Tang, Woo, & Goh, 2019).

3.3. Content Analysis

Content analyses can interpret the written text in several different formats such as posts, letters, and speeches. The research procedure’s fundamental concept is to preserve the advantages of the quantitative content analysis gained in communications science. The latent and manifest text material can be added. The text of the manifesto refers to the textual variables, whereas the manifestation’s content refers to the analysis of the data. For example, advertising containing environmental problems may involve explosions, snow melting, and temperature extremes when evaluating these research data processes. These factors are manifest, but these concerns apply to the effects of climate change for the next fifty years, in a more comprehensive study. The prior research reiterated the need to clarify all forms of data from content analysis, but the elucidation is varied in scope and abstraction (Jain, Roy, Daswani, & Sudha, 2010; Kang & Hwang, 2018; Woo & Kang, 2020).

The current study explored latent and manifest topics between environmental marketing and firm reputation to identify strategies for organizational change. It is important to remember that this study’s purpose was to examine marketing plan that explore ecological firm reputation. The goal, therefore, was to show comprehensive and predictive outcomes. The researcher tackles the characteristics of a message when providing a descriptive analysis. On the contrary, predictive results predict the effects of the study of terms. For instance, advertisement printing had an impact on product recalls in a content analysis report (Jain et al., 2010).

Figure 2: The Process of Theoritical Content Findings

4. Results

4.1. Sustainability is Key

The most important concept and solution in environmental marketing strategies are incorporating sustainability in companies’ lifecycle of different products. Customers are changing their trend in consumption of goods by embracing the goods’ sustainability as a marketing strategy that saves companies’ reputation (Slater, Hult, & Olson, 2010). Therefore, three factors are important to consumers, namely, the quality, affordability, and environmental friendliness of the obtained products. In a study conducted in 2014 called the Nielsen study, it was established that about 55% of online consumers of goods are willing to pay more for similar products by companies that consider positive social and environmental impact in production (Rahman et al., 2015). That means sustainability is essential in the marketing of goods, even with technological sites that show it is based on the opinion of the consumers.

In the past, it has been shown that even super-territorial organizations have moved in creating labels that aid consumers to identify sustainable goods and services in their region. For example, as early as 1992, the European Commission had developed the EU Ecolabel on various goods that helped guide consumers to make choices on sustainable goods and services (Slater et al., 2010). The voluntary labeling of goods as a marketing strategy aided consumers in decision-making and made companies accountable for their environmental marketing strategies. Therefore, it is important as a solution for companies to focus, not only on profits, but care on the environment in the production of their various goods and services (Slater et al., 2010).

It is important to note that companies have mimicked sustainability in the marketing of their goods with the aim of attracting demand for goods and services without practical application. The concept is called greenwashing with partial application of the strategies and uses certain branding methods to influence customers’ purchasing abilities (Rahman et al., 2015). Given that the concerns on green products are sometimes technical, consumers as such get deceived and persuaded into the purchase of goods that are either partially sustainable or not at all. However, it is significant to understand that greenwashing methods can damage a company’s reputation, reducing its respect by the associated customers. Companies should orient their marketing strategies to increase the sustainability of their products and services (Rahman et al., 2015).

The use of deceptive marketing is also expensive as it exposes companies to constant lawsuits and decreases consumer confidence in purchasing some of its products. The most important way for companies to implement the environmental marketing strategy of sustainability through the initial design of products and services. It is important to note that if a product is created of green materials from the initial stages, it can help companies to avoid resorting to deceptive measures for consumers to obtain its goods and services (Rahman et al., 2015). Therefore, the sources of material that companies utilize must be biodegradable and suited without a lot of effect on the environment.

Companies as such should create a sustainability chain in the creation, distribution, and use of all their products to enhance their reputation. It is vital that consumers get the feedback that their suppliers are accountable and responsible for their actions (Nair & Menon, 2008). Therefore, sustainability is essential as a solution to environmental marketing and an important strategy needed by companies to improve their performance.

4.2. Company Positioning on Green Marketing Strategies

Companies need to reposition themselves based on their values that embrace environmental protection within a given society (Rahman, Park, & Chi, 2015). That means companies should utilize technology in the marketing of some of their goods and products. Customers feel free to spend with the provision of adequate information about the creation of products that most companies fail to provide (Kang, Nantharath, & Hwang, 2020). Therefore, companies need to provide their core values within their websites and their environmental marketing strategies that can enhance the sale of their goods and products (Slater et al., 2010).

The positioning of companies can also be viewed in terms of their main contribution to society. Therefore, the companies’ strategies should help communities achieve fair trade-in purchasing diverse goods and services (Slater et al., 2010). The creation of the products should be centered on increasing the target users’ self-esteem and wellness within a given society. It is critical as such that defense is implemented, not for human rights, but for the planet as well for companies that have wide influence and operate within international territories (Kumar, Rahman, Kazmi, & Goyal, 2012). As such, organizations should raise funds that help create awareness and position their various green products within consumers’ reach.

Companies have to declare their stand based on positioning to safeguard their reputation as an entity and that of its products. Consumers focus a lot on the concern to them by the created products and that of their environment, which companies can help achieve through correct repositioning. Companies as such should go the extra mile in educating their customers on the values and make the goods available to the target customers that can be accomplished with the use of technology (Kumar et al., 2012). For instance, creating videos to outline companies’ operations and their interaction with other organizations is an example to position a company that enhances its environmental marketing strategies.

4.3. Efficiency and Benefit of Products to the Consumers

The company should demonstrate how a given product or service as part of an environmental marketing strategy aids the consumer to save on key resources (Kumar et al., 2012). Although the pricing of products is needed and is important, it does not help outline the benefits and justifications for such course of action. For instance, if it is a car company, it can help demonstrate why its brand of car created is more efficient in using fuel than other design types (Slater et al., 2010). It is necessary to note that the consumers are interested in the costing and the overall saving of resources as part of companies’ environmental marketing strategy approach.

Consumers get more engaged in the realization that their choice of investment is on something that will save them money and resources in the future. Therefore, companies have to focus beyond the immediate concerns and interests to help retain their reputation as responsive to the community and clients (Hunt, 2011). Although goods can get purchased at high costs, the overall reduction in energy consumption as an environmentally-friendly approach can be very enticing to the customers who do not regard prices as high. It is essential that companies develop innovative solutions that center on efficiency as part of environmental marketing strategies to perform better in a given setting.

The other important factor that consumers consider efficient is the packaging as a marketing strategy for the goods that companies seek to present to them (Slater et al., 2010). As such, green packaging is necessary as it is the very initial thing that consumers see in making demands for the purchase of goods and services (Delmas & Burbano, 2011). Despite the perceived benefits, if the packaging as a marketing strategy does not demonstrate accountability, it is possible to draw away customers from the products and services in any society.

The approach to packaging does not have to be immediate; however, the plans to overcome weaknesses by companies have to be made known to customers to enhance their reputation. Therefore, five-year plans or those of any length can be described to the customer, and companies’ intention in regard to the management of waste be made known to the consumers (Delmas & Burbano, 2011). The companies can also partner with other more experienced agencies that can help design and transform their packaging abilities. Most customers are more easily attracted to goods that have biodegradable packaging and help promote their environment’s care.

4.4. Reversal of the Old Waste Management Strategy is Critical

There are generally three accepted solutions to manage any waste products on the earth called the 3Rs (Hunt, 2011). The 3Rs refers to the ideas on refuse, reduce and recycle that help safeguard the environment and are some of the environmental marketing strategies that companies need to safeguard their reputation. It is known that recycling was preferred in the past as a way of managing the wastes that were disposed of carelessly on the environment. However, the ability to refuse to generate such menace and harmful products forms part of companies’ environmental marketing strategy that aims in solution finding (Delmas & Burbano, 2011). It is necessary that companies are focused as such on the elimination of waste at the initial generation point as part of their marketing strategy.

The promotion of products is another area the concept has been applied to show that it is possible to give customers environmentally-friendly goods and services. Environmental marketing strategy for the promotion of goods has to meet a set of criteria to get regarded as effective to the target market during the promotion stage (Slater et al., 2010). The promotion should either directly or indirectly demonstrate how the products and services relate to the environment and their general impact. Besides, it should be made clear to the consumers how the products’ use manages to promote a green lifestyle for the affected community (Hunt, 2011). Therefore, companies need to educate the affected individuals on the problems that their products aid in solving.

It should also be essential for companies’ culture to educate their customers to shift their strategy from just being focused on consumption to safeguarding their reputation by being environmentally sensitive. The use of market promotion and research can help meet consumers’ redirection to being more focused on waste reduction, thus retaining them and increasing an organization’s overall performance (Delmas & Burbano,2011). Given that the approach has increased consumption and the willingness to pay for environmentally-sustainable products, it is the right direction that companies can take to remain effective and support their customer’s core concerns.

Companies’ environmental marketing strategies have to be designed with the complete intent of transformation as a solution to enhance their reputation (Delmas & Burbano, 2011). The traditional approaches on the handling of waste need, as such, to be ignored for approaches that focus on waste refusal at the production stage, creating only products that can get absorbed into the environment. Thus, promotion and awareness creation for the target customers are needed by companies to succeed (Slater et al., 2010).

Table 1: Main Summary of Theoretical Findings

4. Discussion and Conclusion

The evidence above suggests that people’s actions have a corresponding effect on a particular environment, and as such, they need control. It is also important to note that companies engaged, especially in the business sector, have responded to the concern by adopting environmentally- friendly strategies given the consumer demand behavior change. Companies as such need to go beyond developed guidelines on the management of the environment that aid safeguards their reputation to show how each of their actions can benefit consumers. The level of commitment to the protection of the environment determines the success of any company and the reputation it has for its customers.

The use of an environmental marketing strategy helps safeguard the company’s reputation due to its diverse associated benefits in a given society. One of the important attributes of environmental marketing strategy is that they have an element of profitability that both consumers and organizations need in their businesses’ conduct. Companies, thus, create less waste by engaging in the creation of products that generate less waste. As such, the welfare of consumers is enhanced that is profitable, and aids in increasing the reputation of the company. The company’s profitability can also be in terms of using fewer raw materials and saving on the cost of energy by using efficient methods as indicated above.

The use of environmental marketing strategies is also beneficial because it maximizes companies’ competitive advantage. Companies have been challenged by the current trends in the changes in consumer behavior that help them factor in environmental protection as part of their marketing role. Therefore, the companies that have incorporated such principles tend to outperform the others in business conduct. Besides, the creation of environmentally friendly goods aids in increasing innovation and development of sustainable products within a given society.

Green strategies in the business world entail the use of approaches that safeguard the environment and society by companies to safeguard their reputation. The process that is considered in green strategies should embrace the entire lifecycle of a product within a given society. As such, the elements such as labeling, packaging, and promotion need to incorporate environmental protection measures besides aiding in the improvement of customer satisfaction in society. Such strategies are directly linked to a company’s performance in terms of reputation and retention of customers.

The literature review reveals that the comparison of environmental marketing strategies does not correctly help in ranking the concern effectively and describe the exact details needed in each of the five categories for a company to be sustainable. Therefore, a knowledge gap exists, for instance, on what level of product design strategy qualifies for its effective environmental marketing strategy. The impact of technology in environmental marketing strategies has not been explored in most past studies in the field.

The proposed solution to an effective environmental marketing strategy is the use of sustainability as an approach in the creation of its products. It is critical that companies offer goods and services that exceed the consumers’ immediate needs to safeguard their reputation. Besides, the created goods should be efficient in terms of the use of energy and state correctly on their attached benefits to the users in a given society. It is also necessary that the waste refusal forms part of product marketing for companies to uphold companies’ profitability with the usage of fewer raw materials and saving on the operational cost.