Simple Design: The Antidote to Greenwashing?

Sellers of green products face a conundrum: They’re all about building companies trying to do something good. But relentless greenwashing has made consumers skeptical of their motives, at a time when they’re already overwhelmed by a surfeit of choices and in-your-face marketing.

What to do? I read a post on the Fast Company site that got me thinking about the matter. One answer might lie in perfecting a streamlined and simple design:

In 1957, the average grocery store had 4000 sku’s (units) on its shelves. Today it’s 47,000. A typical hypermarket has more than 167,000. There are now simply too many products on shelves, they tend to overpromise, and people are fed up. Especially in these tough times, people want simplicity and authenticity. That’s the exact thing most great designs provide naturally, and the distinction that helps brands earn a place in consumers’ hearts.
via The Myth of the Rational Buyer: How Too Much Thinking Can Hurt Your Brand | Design Finds You | Fast Company.

Of course, product design can’t solve all the problems caused by greenwashing. But, maybe it can help.

After all, green and socially responsible companies should be regarded as the ultimate in authenticity.

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