Why are the endorsements of Sierra Club, the EPA, and Better Homes and Gardens so important to Clorox and the success of Green Works?

The $3 billion household cleaner market is a mature and stable market. Why did Clorox think it could introduce fi ve new products into this market? The environment. Clorox’s internal research showed that 25 percent of consumers worried about the harsh chemicals in cleaners and 40 percent wanted a natural product that worked. Clorox, under its Green Works line, now offers fi ve such products, including a glass cleaner and a toilet bowl cleaner. Within six months of launch, Green Works had estimated sales of $20 million. There have been several key factors in the early success. First is the product, which Clorox advertises as a natural product that really works. Second is price, which is comparable with “regular” cleaners as opposed to the high prices of other “green” competitors, such as Method and Seventh Generation. Third is distribution through mass merchandisers rather than specialty stores. As one expert notes, “People want to make green choices, but they don’t want to sacrifi ce.”