David Almy asks "Is Simple The New Green?" in his MediaPost blog post. He recommends that green marketers apply the KISS principle using a few "simple" lessons. • Define: Consider the number of different terms used to describe green products: green, natural, organic, eco-friendly, biodegradable, etc. The differences between these terms are largely indistinguishable to consumers. Choose wisely when selecting terminology, and avoid buzz words whenever possible. • Streamline: For better or worse, we live in Twitter-time. If an idea, concept or benefit takes more than 15 seconds to digest, chances are it won't be. So when you're writing out that value proposition, keep it below 140 characters. • WIIFM: When we hold focus groups on sustainability issues, we hear the same thing over and over again: "That's great and all, but What's In It For Me?" If your pitch begins with a big, high concept idea (e.g. "Buy this and save the planet!") it's time to go back to the drawing board. • The Audience is Listening: But which audience? Consumers? Regulators? Certification boards? Knowing what information each particular audience wants, and then delivering just that information, is an essential step toward simplicity. • Transparency - to a Point: Advocates of transparency believe that companies should reveal everything about their operations. But consider: when's the last time you read a corporate annual report? Turning on a fire hose of information only serves to further mystify people. Yes, transparency is important, but the "how" you release information is equally important to the "what" you release. So let's keep it simple!