Relationship Marketing Strategy and implementation

140 Relationship Marketing

Greenpeace

Facts

●Founded in 1971, the total number of ‘supporters’ is now 279 000. 5000 of

these are ‘Frontline supporters’ who pay £10 per month in return for video

updates on campaign activity, a magazine and invitations to regular campaign

meetings.

●Total income in 1995 was £6 627 000. 80 per cent of this was from subscriptions.

●Direct expenditure on campaigns and local group support was £3.5 million.

●Membership base is rising steadily, the charity has benefited from the recent

high profile battle with Shell Petroleum.

Aims

●‘Greenpeace has always been ready to campaign against things which we

believe are morally or ethically unacceptable.’ Annual Report (1995).

●Greenpeace is in the business of elimination of problems, not their manage-

ment.

●‘The optimism of the action is better than the pessimism of the thought’

(Harold Zindler, an early Greenpeace activist).

●It aims for long-term change. Recent projects have included: campaigning for

new manufacturing technologies by commissioning the design of a

Greenpeace fridge and car, championing energy saving schemes, protecting

fishing stock, attempting to stop whaling vessels and campaigning against

genetic engineering in the food industry.

Perception of Greenpeace

●In the past it has been seen as a radical activist group, having links back to the

‘hippy movement’; this was reinforced by media coverage of their physical

attacks against whaling boats and illegal fishing fleets with their mother ship,

‘Rainbow Warrior’.

●In 1996 Greenpeace is regarded as more mainstream and relevant for a wider

number of people. A nationwide poll commissioned by the charity found that

61 per cent of respondents ‘supported’ or ‘agreed’ with Greenpeace.

●Greenpeace now works closely with many of the world’s leading companies.

Recent projects have included: group working with Body Shop, IKEA,Tesco

and Lloyds Chemist Group to investigate PVC’s effects on human health, the

introduction of a green refrigerator with Calor Gas and developing solar

power for domestic use with the Co-op Bank.

●Journalist Richard North (usually a strong detractor of Greenpeace) wrote

recently, ‘Courage and charisma have always been its hallmarks. It is now

adding a degree of corporate savvy in a Branson or Roddick sort of way ...’

Future strategic directions

●To concentrate on the twin missions of defence of nature and the reform of

industrialism.

Figure 2.6.2 (continued)