GLOBE-Net, September 26, 2011 -There has been much commentary about the fact that consumers have not voted for sustainability in a big with their wallets.

Green brands generally have not captured more than a sliver of their markets. So is green business dead you might ask? No way.

Quite the opposite! If anything, consumers are getting much smarter in their choices of green products, a fact that brand managers and marketers are responding to with new policies and products that accelerate innovation, design, consumer insight and social interaction.

Online marketers have coined the term "zero moment of truth" (ZMOT) to describe this new reality -- where marketers have to compete for shoppers' attention online long before a purchase decision is made. (Google's Jim Lecinski on What the 'Zero Moment of Truth' Means for Marketers).  

And the payoff can be significant. A new report from Scarborough Research says the "Super Green" - those consumers who engage in the highest amount of environmentally - friendly activities as measured by Scarborough - are top earners with a taste for luxury. (Rise of the Super Greenies)    

This is not just a North American phenomenon. Customers are becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their lifestyles and the most successful companies will be those who best respond to shoppers' desire to 'buy green' according to European retail leaders.(Green is the colour of success) 

Companies that recognize this change in the marketplace, and who are able to grasp social media's potential to transform the way organizations function will secure a significant competitive advantage over their rivals. (Re-envisioning customer value Opening the floodgates of new potential). 

Some might argue that nothing has changed. Capitalism was foundedon a simple principle: I create a product or service that provides you with a benefit, and you pay me. You're rewarded with a sense of well-being, and I'm rewarded with money. Both of us walk away happy.  

That may still be so, but what appears to be changing is what constitutes the consumer's sense of well being. Price may no longer be the determining factor. (Could Well-Being Become Our New Currency?) 

Indeed, the OECD has unveiled a new interactive index that lets people measure and compare their lives in a way that goes far beyond traditional GDP numbers. The tool is part of a larger OECD Better Life Initiative that aims to measure well-being and progress.(The Better Life Index - Beyond traditional GDP numbers). 

One aspect of this new perspective on well being is that excessiveconsumption is not necessary for high standards of living. In recent decades, the same human needs have been met with ever decreasing energy and carbon levels. (Living Well on a Low Carbon Diet).

New consumer research demonstrates the market potential in North America for bio-based and "green" household products with environmental benefits. (Consumer Acceptance of Biobased and "Green" Household Products Set to Rise).

Green consumers are demanding products with a lighter environmental footprint, and this market demand, coupled in some cases with increasing regulation around recycling, reuse and waste streams, means many firms are re-examining the environmental impact of their products. (Understand when 'green' means premium - and when it requires a discount.)

A New York Times cover story recently declared "As Consumers Cut Spending, 'Green' Products Lose Allure." It's a nice headline and makes it sound like the green product and business movement is in trouble. The story, while interesting, doesn't change the reality for business. (Consumers Never Liked to Pay More for Green to Begin With).

That reality is that true sustainability is now part of the greenconsumer consciousness.

Marc Stoiber, a frequent GLOBE-Net contributor, says the demise ofgreen marketing opens a new role for sustainability and corporate responsibility in the consumer marketplace. And the way innovation, design, insight and social interaction are being combined with sustainability is creating new resilient brands and corporations.

Check out Marc's insights in an upcoming webinar -Introducing thePost-Green Business.