Mainstream Green: Moving Sustainability from Niche to Normal

An Informed Dialogue and Networking Cocktail Reception with Graceann I. Bennett, Managing Partner and Director of Strategic Planning Ogilvy & Mather Chicago and Don Carli, Senior Research Fellow, ISC.

The Institute for Sustainable Communication(ISC), the Graduate Program in Graphic Communication Management and Technology at the New York University School of Continuing and Professional Studies(NYU-SCPS), invite you to join marketing and media thought leaders for an informed dialogue and networking reception with Graceann Bennett, co-author of "Mainstream Green: Moving sustainability from niche to normal” the recently published report from OgilvyEarth that provides new insight about how to close the Green Gap that persists between what consumers say and what they do.

The Mainstream Green study uncovers many of the obstacles deterring consumers from behaving in accord with their green intentions. According Ms. Bennet “Research shows that many environmental messages are not only failing to close the Green Gap, but are actually cementing it by making green behavior too difficult and costly from a practical, financial, and social standpoint.

Join Ms. Bennett and ISC Senior Research Fellow Don Carli to explore the implications of this benchmark study, to network and to learn:

• Where sustainability marketing has gone wrong?
• The major barriers to adopting sustainable behaviors?
• 12 ways to close the Green Gap.
• How to realize the opportunity in sustainability?

Topics to be discussed will include:

• Why going green is considered more feminine than masculine?
• Why existing green marketing is either irrelevant or even alienating to most Americans?
• Why 82% of Americans have good green intentions but only 16% are dedicated to fulfilling them?
• How to close the “Green Gap” between what consumers think and what they do?

This free event is open to the public, but seating is limited and RSVP REQUIRED. For those who are unable to participate in person, a live web feed of the dialogue will also be streamed providing ability to post comments and questions via twitter.

Sponsors

This event is open to the public thanks to generous support of the John S. Hilson Family Fund, the M.A. Program in Graphic Communications Management and Technology at NYU-SCPS, CSRwire, Trend Offset Printing, Everett, and contributions from supporters like you.

Panelist

Graceann I. Bennett is Managing Partner, Director of Strategic Planning Ogilvy & Mather Chicago where she leads analytics, digital strategy, and planning — across the PR, Activation, and Advertising divisions in Chicago. In addition, Graceann serves on Ogilvy’s Global Planning Council. Prior to joining Ogilvy, she headed up the strategic planning departments of Leo Burnett and Arnold Worldwide. During her career, Graceann has worked with major brands with award winning work: Dove, Volkswagen, Guinness, Pepsi, Suave, Truv.a, and Wonderbra. Graceann is a graduate of Brigham Young University and has spent time studying at the Jerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. She lives in downtown Chicago with her husband and three children.

Mr. Carli is Senior Research Fellow with nonprofit Institute for Sustainable Communication (ISC) where he is director of The Sustainable Advertising Partnership and other programs addressing corporate responsibility, sustainability,  advertising, marketing and enterprise communication. Don is an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Industry Studies Program Affiliate Scholar, Sustainability Editor of Aktuel Grafisk Information Magazine in Sweden and a contributor to PBS “MediaShift.” A graduate of St. Lawrence University, he is a member of the board of advisors of the AIGA Center for Sustainable Design, a member of the Institute for Supply Management, and recipient of the P3 Foundation “Luminaire Award” recognizing outstanding achievement and dedication by graphic communication industry innovators.  Mr. Carli has also guest lectured in the  M.A. program in Graphic Communications Management and Technology NYU-SCPS.

Event Details:

• Monday May 23, 2011
• 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM | Registration
  6:30 PM - 8:00 PM | Dialog
  8:00 PM - 9:00 PM | Wine and Cheese Networking Reception
• NYU-SCPS Midtown Center | 11 West 42nd Street, Rm. 1027