I read your “Homegrown Ikons” piece in the April 28th edition. I disagree with your positioning of Molson as “foreign owned.” Molson merged with Coors in February 2005-a merger of equals. In fact, the Molson and Coors families each have 50% control in a trust between the families (voting shares).
There is nothing more Canadian in beer than Molson-dating back to its roots in 1786 when John Molson started the business and through to the sixth generation Molson (Eric) who is chairman of the board of Molson Coors Brewing Company. The seventh generation carries on this tradition with Geoff (Eric’s son) a VP of marketing in Quebec and Andrew Molson as a member of the board.
FERG DEVINS
VICE-PRESIDENT GOVERNMENT AND
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
MOLSON, TORONTO
GREEN VS. SUSTAINABILITY
Congratulations on your How to Go Green issue (April 28). It was great to see a marketing publication dedicated to environmental sustainability. But it failed to ask a very big question: Why, given the huge amount of attention being paid to green issues, are green branding campaigns failing to pack a punch with consumers? The reason is simple: Green is not the most pressing sustainability issue for North American consumers today.
This is a crucial insight for CEOs and CMOs. You asked “So Now What?” The answer is not what’s next, but what’s going on now. Our firm has just finished collecting data to quantify the relationship North Americans have to sustainability-based on how they define sustainability and the impact this has on lifestyle choices, brand relationships and purchase decisions.
In a world where most people are talking green, our study shows that for North Americans, green may not be the colour of sustainability. And, for North Americans, the issues that define sustainability involve much more than living green. The findings may make businesses assessing their ‘sustainability’ game plan reconsider their marketing approach.
The way we see it, a lot of brands are making a huge mistake with their knee-jerk green marketing. There’s a massive green rush going on right now. It’s crucial that marketers look at this in context and understand people’s relationship with sustainability and where that connects with their own brand positioning.
KIERSTIN DE WEST, CEO
CI: CONSCIENTIOUS INNOVATION
VANCOUVER
REMEMBERING JAMES LEE
As the parents of the late James Lee who passed away recently, we sincerely express our gratitude for your generous contribution to the James Lee Foundation. Your monetary gift as well as the valuable space in your magazine will help nurture the foundation. We will forever be grateful.
KEN AND SUE LEE
Editor’s note: At this year’s Marketing Awards, Marketing donated $4,000 to the James Lee Foundation Scholarship. The scholarship is open to emerging creative talent from across Canada seeking a career in the ad industry. Donations can be made at: jamesleefoundation.com/scholarship.php
