The words “green”, “organic” and even “sustainable” have been so desaturated by nonsensical marketing that they’ve lost much of their value. There is nothing wrong with these ideas, but sooner or later people will find ways to take advantage of something inherently good and use it as a marketing tool. This has happened in our culture for many years, very noticeably in the world of nutrition marketing. Where does that leave the individual who has a great idea, has the right values and the will to create something new that has a positive impact? A little lost most likely.
I’ve worked with clients over the past few years that do have something inherently “good” to bring forward, and refuse to settle for anything less. An extreme example of this is my time working with Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Aveda and now founder of Intelligent Nutrients, an organic beauty product company set to launch sometime this Spring. His need to operate in a manner that corresponded with his values was nothing short of obsessive. No corners would be cut, nothing short of purity would be tolerated. This was true in the development of the products and in his goals for the creation of the brand. At times, this didn’t seem to make sense, in fact his desire to create perfection seemed at times impossible. But that unwavering desire for perfection will come to realization when his products are finally launched.
From Horst I learned the importance of integrity and striving to surpass seemingly unattainable goals. But I also learned how much time and effort can be spent dealing with labels. Trying to meet the USDA requirements for organics is an admirable goal, but it isn’t the end all be all of product creation. The USDA certification does not carry with it personality and an intimacy with the growth of ingredients. I see those values being placed in the hands of the farmers themselves who are doing the actual growing. I find myself looking for story telling, layers of thought, sacrificing simplicity for a greater good. When I pick up a product, go to a restaurant, walk into a store, I’m looking for something more. I want to know the story behind the experience, even if it is not perfect. I won’t rely on a label to tell me what is good and what is bad. I can deal with imperfection, I don’t like dealing with dishonesty and half truths.
I may be an idealist when it comes to my thoughts on the future of agricultural production, but I think there are some steps that we can take that increase the quality of our daily lives. Most importantly I hope to find a sense of community and value in the simple things I buy. This is so much more than a label can provide, and in all reality, less difficult to realize. I want to know the struggle, the success and the plans for the future. I want to be talked to like a person, not a potential sale. I don’t want anything that resembles a ploy, a dumbed down version of what is actually going on so i will make an impulse purchase. Consumers are getting smarter, we’re quickly realizing outsourcing for the sake of cheaper goods isn’t good for our health or our economy. I want to support people with good intentions, that stand behind what they create with a name and a face. I’m exhausted with flashy graphics and marketing trends. I don’t like that I am a little embarrassed these days to say that I do environmentally responsible design, but I am, so I don’t. All for the better, I’d rather create something that has meaning than shamelessly sell bullshit marketing, even if it leaves me in the cold on what is a very marketable skill.
