Two months ago, the dBoost crew got a chance to interview founder and CEO of Dwell Creative, Johnny Rooks. For those of you not familiar with Dwell Creative, they work with small green businesses to grow their branding and marketing strategies through direct authenticity. They are great in showing the difference between green marketing and green washing between businesses.

Our interest really peaked after reading their upfront and brutally honest manifesto. So we started by asking Johnny how he got started with the business and developed his identity:

John R.: We started about 4 years ago and the timing was perfect. I started it because I was sick of promoting consumption - but had no idea the marketplace would explode as it has. It feels good.
Dhrumil P.: Was Dwell creative founded with the intent of working with eco + natural brands or did it evolve to that position?
John R.: Like you, it was a combination of business acumen and philosophy. We started focusing on environmental sciences and grew to more green and social responsibility issues.
Dhrumil P.: Did you see the shift coming from your personal life? Meaning, did you get into social responsibility + green business because your own personal life was headed in that way?
John R.: I think it was already there. But the fortunate awareness I have gained interacting with our clients and just learning has certainly pushed my life towards deeper responsibility. After all, I’m a consumer too. But it started from within…it started with a hope that i could build a business based on environmental and social awareness.
Nirav S.: We saw alot of that responsibility come out in your manifesto. Can you tell us a little bit about the origins of your manifesto. Was this something you put together in one sitting, or did it evolve over the course of your career?
John R.: Like most things, it started in a local bar. We were talking about how to attract better -more aligned- clients and get rid of some not-so-aligned ones. We decided to publish the manifesto as a client pre-qualification tactic. We had one of our clients call and say “Just read the manifesto - I guess you don’t want us as a client anymore…” I hadn’t thought about them specifically, but if they some something in the manifesto that they didn’t like then perhaps they were not a great fit. Funny, they left us for a year and came back…more aligned - maybe they saw the green light, I don’t know.
John R.: We are big into aligning with our client’s mission. Why bother, otherwise.

Just a beautiful manifesto that Johnny and Dwell has developed! We’ve started with our mantra - but Johnny has got us thinking about how to expand that further. We still get clients that are not the best suited for our line of work and what we’re passionate about. And I know the only reason we attract them is simply because we haven’t defined ourselves very well.

With Dwell, its not just their intention + manifesto that sets them apart from the rest. Its their daily actions and the service they provide to others. So we inquired about their latest projects and the types of services they offer:

Dhrumil P.: John, tell us about a client you are working with right now that really gets you excited… when it comes to mission.
John R.: Energycures.org - This is a national campaign for a non-profit that is connecting the dots of poverty and environmental devistation in developing nations. The Cure to both of these is Clean Energy. They fund clean energy entrepenuers all over the world so they are creating jobs and providing clean energy to areas that use diesel or cow dung or harvested wood to heat homes and cook. And, they have been doing it for 14 years. Its a very real solution to global problems…
Dhrumil P.: What are some of the campaigns you’re taking on for Energy Cures or services that you are providing?
John R.: We have done strategy, public relations, the web development, banner ad development, media buy, event strategy…signage. postcards and promotional items (band aids).
Dhrumil P.: And when implementing these strategies for green companies, do you use the same approach you did marketing standard companies? Or is there a difference in approach?
John R.: Great question! The difference is in the language we use. There is some real problematic language out there right now. “Green”, for example, is now a punchline. It has - I think - lost its authenticity. When BP claims to be Green, what does that mean for the real greenies? It becomes meaningless. We have to be much more aware of the marketplace and their awareness of what is going on. The strategies are the same- maybe we use more PR than traditionalists…but thats the third party validation that is important to the LOHAS consumer.
Dhrumil P.: Great point
Nirav S.: Can you give us an example of the language differences?
John R.: “What once was Trash became a Waste Stream and is now Waste
Resources.” Resources is a powerful word. It implies a necessity. It was at the heart of the environmental agenda of the 90s and is concerned with the needs of the society. Resource allocation is a concept we must all grapple with and, with the exception of while supplies last, in the worst advertising there is never a shortage of any resource. Drink until you are full. Consume. Remember though that resources themselves—in the traditional view—have no intrinsic worth. It is not until a resource produces a product (captured energy, tires, etc.) that it has value. Today, resources are at the core of many green advertising claims. Whether we are talking about oil, solar, water, land. Resources today, start to have
value in themselves.
John R.: “That was a cut and paste from a paper I am writing on Language.”

Amazing! And it really is all about the language that one uses when communicating about green and being a green organization. There are so many companies and organizations with wonderful ideas on greening your life and your surroundings. But the message truly gets lost when you’re not able to communicate your vision + purpose effectively through language.

At dboost, we always start all our design mockups and webpages with content in place. Real copy makes a huge difference in communicating a message compared to filler text. Design is not just about art work and pretty pictures - its about communicating and embodying a message.

Before we completed our conversations with Johnny, we asked Johnny about his own greening habits and tip:

Dhrumil P.: John, a lot firms are starting to take on the meaning of being green even though there client list doesn’t fully reflect. And they are interested in taking steps to make there work place greener. Could you throw out some tips for ways that other creative firms or small teams can lower their eco impact?
John R.: We off-set what we can’t reduce with NativeEnergy (nativeenergy.com). They are a client and they kick ass. Paper is a huge part of our impact. We used all 6 sides as much as possible (I write very small). Makeing sure our vendors are using soy inks and PC paper whenever the budget permits. Mostly, just staying educated and taking it home with you. It doesn’t end at the office. We need to be evangalists.
John R.:We throw out about 1 bag of trash every 2 weeks. We recycle everything. It’s become a game to see who can re-use more.

You the man Johnny and we really appreciate the time you gave to us and our readers.