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Posted by Barbara M. Martin May 31, 2007 |
As gardeners, many of us are aware of the distinction applied to organic vs chemicals, although we may not always be exactly certain what "organic" means. And at the grocery store, there is a definite confusion over what organic really means.... not to mention the price differential between organic and conventional produce.
When it comes to the word "natural" the meanings get murkier. What is organic vs. what is natural? Interchangeable? I don't think so.
So when I heard Burts Bees (a company whose products are often marketed to gardeners) is getting into the fray I started to wonder about how organic and natural really affect what we do, what we buy and what kinds of products are being developed and how they are being labeled and then pitched to consumers.
What got me started wondering is an article I came across this week in Advertising Age (published May 29, 2007). Here's a brief excerpt from the article:
"BATAVIA, Ohio (AdAge.com) -- The big problem facing natural personal-care products is that the term "natural" technically means nothing when it applies to them. Burt's Bees, with sales north of $125 million making it the leader in the small but fast-growing business, is out to change that. "
Then there is a new web presence, artfully titled "the greater good" and created just for this campaign. This coverage and site alone will probably generate ample "free press" and consequently help promote the company and the products (see, it's working -- I'm writing about it and you're reading about it)....
What I'm wondering is if this is a good thing overall, or just a more cynical branding and marketing development. Burts Bees is not a small company by any means, and this is a brilliant idea. Will it help or hurt the many small purveyors of personal care products made from natural ingredients such as herbal soaps and lotions, herbal rinses and salves, herbal or floral based shampoos, bath salts and so on? Does it matter? Will it continue to spill over into other products .... such as plants and fertilizers? Does it matter if it is natural or organic? If we have specific definitions for these words when used as labels? Should the products be labeled?
I'd love to hear from you -- tell me what you think! Here's the Burt's Bees the greater good site so you can check it out for yourself.
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Copyright May 31 2007 Barbara Martin All Rights Reserved