GREEN ISSUES: Can green brands get sexy?

While green credentials have a worthiness appeal for consumers, they have yet to become the value that makes a must-have brand, writes Jasmine Montgomery

"In research, consumers say they care about products being environmentally friendly but it is never the real reason they buy stuff."

"The damage to our climate is done and anything we do now won't have an effect for decades. The average lifespan of a chief executive is four years. So there is no way to persuade companies to sacrifice short- to medium-term shareholder returns for long-term environmental gains."

These comments represent probably the two most significant barriers to change that one hears in the green debate relating to companies and brands. They are daunting arguments. So it is understandable that many of us would prefer to chuck in the whole thing, advise our CEO that this green thing is just a passing fad - not to be invested in - and go out and buy that lovely big Hummer.

Here's the rub. The pesky media persists in promulgating the issue and I'll be darned if they aren't getting everyone all hot under the collar. But will this necessarily succeed in changing the minds of the sceptics?

What are the implications for brands? Do we risk the wrath of our public by failing to engage with this …