Going green has never been more high profile. Good for the environment, but not so much for marketers: The more companies that tread in environmentally friendly waters, the harder it is for them to get their messages heard.

Realizing this, Glatfelter — a Pennsylvania-based global supplier of specialty papers and engineered products — created a series of three mailers to announce its triple chain-of-custody forestry certification and to generate interest in its green efforts among North American customers and prospects.

They did it by using environmentally sound, non-controversial sources to produce 6,600 postcard-sized mailers detailing the step-by-step chain-of-custody process and its benefits. And with the pull of two tabs, the piece expanded to triple its size, revealing content that directed recipients to a dedicated landing page for more on Glatfelter’s environmental initiatives.

Heath Frye, Glatfelter’s North American marketing manager, says the mailer resulted in 1,000 visits to the landing page from June 2008 to December 2008. The campaign also attracted several major new accounts and the attention of BtoB magazine, which named Glatfelter to BtoB’s Best 2008 list in the “Direct Mail: Multi” category.

Frye believes other companies could learn from Glatfelter’s success. “We were imaginative and had a strong message and a creative print package,” he says. “Plus, you really can’t go wrong with the U.S. Postal Service.® Last time I checked, there were no high-tech filters removing printed mail from my good old-fashioned mailbox. It’s still one of the best ways to communicate an important message, in my opinion.”

John Lindsey, creative director for Godfrey Advertising, the Lancaster, Pa., agency that created the campaign, says the mailers incorporated the essential element of surprise. “You have to offer the prospect something unique and unexpected to stand out, earn their attention and effectively produce action. One of our goals was to build a mailer that the prospect would want to keep around in their office and share with others — a truly sustainable mailer.” Lindsey comments that an effective green marketing campaign should employ best environmental practices, utilizing environmentally responsible papers and print vendors.

Frye says that there are ways to be green beyond forestry certifications and printing with soy-based ink. Glatfelter’s mills have been running on alternative energy for decades, using the cogeneration process to reduce fossil fuel dependency. “Some facilities use green energy, biomass, and solar and wind power,” he adds. “We produce electricity using biomass. Everyone has their own way of identifying what they believe is green.”