Dear Colleagues 

Marketing the Impossible? 14th September 2006, Sheffield

How must the marketing profession adapt in order to facilitate an end to 
our throwaway culture?  This will be one of questions discussed at a 
seminar on the theme Marketing the Impossible? to be held on Thursday 14th 
September, the aim of which is to explore the implications for marketing 
of an increase in the life span of consumer durables prompted by the 
demands of sustainable consumption. 

Among other issues to be addressed at this, the fifth in a series of 
events organised by the EPSRC Network on Product Life Spans, will be the 
following: How might branding be used to promote longer lasting products 
successfully?  If products last longer what might need to change in terms 
of managing customer relationships?  Is enough information relating to 
product life spans available to consumers?  What techniques could be used 
to encourage consumers to take greater account of product durability in 
their purchasing decisions?

An excellent group of keynote speakers will include Dorothy Mackenzie, 
Director and co-founder of Dragon Brands Consulting, Ken Peattie, 
Professor of Marketing and Strategy and Director of the BRASS Centre at 
Cardiff University, and Tim Cooper, Head of the Centre for Sustainable 
Consumption at Sheffield Hallam University.  There will also be time for 
plenary and group discussion and we are inviting poster presentations of 
research in this area. Please contact me by Friday 21st July if you wish 
to offer a poster. 

You are encouraged to register early for this event. Further details, 
together with a booking form, are provided on our website.  Please do not 
hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or need clarification on 
plans for the event. If you require further information on the aims and 
objectives of the seminar, please contact Dr. Tim Cooper directly (Email: 
[log in to unmask], Tel: 0114 225 4838).

With kind regards,

Kenisha Garnett
Research Co-ordinator
Centre for Sustainable Consumption 
Sheffield Hallam University 
Howard Street 
Sheffield S1 1WB

[log in to unmask] 
Telephone: +44 (0) 114 225 4453
Fax: +44 (0) 114 225 3343
Network website: http://extra.shu.ac.uk/productlife/