July 11, 2008 - Attention climate-conscious companies: Your environmental message is likely falling on deaf ears, according to a new consumer survey. A few brand names are breaking through the clutter - and they aren't the ones you expect.

Seventy-six percent of American consumers failed to name a single climate-friendly company, according to the survey by the Climate Group and Lippincott, a brand consultancy firm. Consumers surveyed in the U.K., Germany, and France fared only slightly better.

The results paint a frustrating picture for firms spending big money on environmental messages that apparently get lost in the shuffle, says Simon Glynn, a senior partner at Lippincott. “Although the overall level of corporate communication about climate change initiatives is high, that communication is spread among many companies, and few stand out,” he explains. “There is a lot of commonality of messaging, as each company tackles similar issues.”

The list of brands perceived as climate friendly includes a few surprises. General Electric, of Ecomagination fame, scored the most points - but other top-ranking companies operate in traditionally not-so-green industries.

“Consumers are not shunning high-emission industries in favor of brands from sectors that are ‘naturally green,’” the report finds. “They are ready to credit perceived leaders within the intrinsically higher-emission sectors where the potential for emissions reduction is greatest.”

The top five finishers are:

1. General Electric
2. BP
3. Toyota
4. Wal-Mart
5. ExxonMobil