Post by account_disabled on Feb 25, 2024 4:36:02 GMT -5
Why is sustainability still so hard to sell? It shouldn't be, because it's no secret that consumers care about this issue. Many surveys reveal that people pay attention to social and environmental credentials, especially the Millennial generation. However, getting consumers to act on their good intentions remains a challenge. A National Geographic study found that although the number of global consumers who say they are very concerned about the environment (61 percent) has increased since 2012, purchasing sustainable products has decreased in key markets such as the United States, Germany, Japan and China. The large action-value gap between what consumers say in surveys and what they actually do appears not to be the same. The Sustainable Lifestyles Frontiers Group was established to address this issue. Walmart, Disney, Waste Management, Carlsberg, eBay, L'Oréal, McDonald's and Johnson&Johnson have spent a year investigating the issue of selling sustainable products in partnership with BSR and Futerra. This group has discovered a problem at the heart of sustainable marketing , which is both obvious and pervasive. Maybe something is missing from the accepted understanding of what the value-stock gap actually is? Consumer values, ethics and beliefs are important in making life decisions, but perhaps they never think about this when choosing a shampoo. Over the years, many sustainability campaigns have appealed to people's best intentions, such as brands asking consumers to recycle for the "next generation." The modus operandi is to persuade, coerce and guilt people into doing the right thing. The consumer will always ask themselves: What benefit is there for me? The group believes that the stock-value gap may be a "red herring ," that is, a diversionary maneuver. In fact, the problem is not with values, but with value .
Consumer values are fine, it is the value Phone Number List that brands offer that needs attention. For most sustainable products and behaviors, the question: “what is the benefit to me?” still no response. Sustainable items and behaviors are better for the planet, but are they better for the person who buys and practices them? Until we have a good answer to that question, well-intentioned campaigns will continue to struggle too hard to reach audiences. 3 types of benefits when purchasing products These are the three types of value that consumers look for when purchasing a product or service: Functional benefits are what a product or service does for a person in a tangible way. This includes promises of value for money, performance, quality, effectiveness, safety or ease of use. One example is Walmart's new Sustainability Leaders badge system. When developing the program, the company focused on providing functional benefits to consumers, doing their homework for them. Walmart highlights top brands, based on data from the Sustainability Consortium, so consumers can easily choose sustainable products at the value price they're accustomed to. Emotional benefits have to do with feelings. It is important to answer questions like “will this product inspire me, meet my expectations, make me feel beautiful or smart?” Participant Media has learned a thing or two about how to do this successfully, which requires focus, powerful execution, and feedback mechanisms that keep consumers engaged. Social benefits are those that make a statement about people to the world, saying whether they are successful or relevant. For example, research shows that many Prius drivers are motivated by the idea that driving this car shows that they are modern and care about the environment. Recycling is mostly a guilt-avoiding activity, but could it really be a fun learning moment for parents and their kids? Eating sustainably can mean purchasing foods that taste better and help you lose weight, with fewer pesticides or unhealthy food additives.
Natural body care products can smell nicer and be gentle on sensitive skin. These are small wins, but when was the last sustainability campaign that promised direct personal benefits launched? A brand, whether it is trying to motivate behaviors or sell products, needs to start by asking the question “what benefit is there for my customers?” Although this question is vital, it is an overlooked and underexplored component of marketing and successful behavior change. By showing consumers what sustainability can do for them (rather than what they can do for sustainability), marketers can close the value-action gap much faster. Summary of Greendex 2014 results For the fifth time, the Greendex survey measures and monitors consumers' progress towards environmentally sustainable behavior in 65 areas related to housing, transportation, food and consumer goods. Greendex The objectives of the initiative were to provide regular quantitative measures of consumer behavior and promote sustainable consumption. Greendex 2014 ranks average consumers in 18 countries, according to the environmental impact of their discretionary and non-discretionary purchasing patterns within these four main categories. The results show that environmentally friendly behavior among consumers has increased since 2012 in 9 of the 18 countries surveyed: Argentina, Australia, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Mexico, Russia, Sweden and South Korea. Greendex study results The most notable improvements are found within the food category, with consumers in 11 countries recording higher ratings. Changes in personal behavior since 2012 in the consumer goods and housing categories tend to be more negative than positive, especially in consumer goods. In the food category, the changes tend to be more positive.
Consumer values are fine, it is the value Phone Number List that brands offer that needs attention. For most sustainable products and behaviors, the question: “what is the benefit to me?” still no response. Sustainable items and behaviors are better for the planet, but are they better for the person who buys and practices them? Until we have a good answer to that question, well-intentioned campaigns will continue to struggle too hard to reach audiences. 3 types of benefits when purchasing products These are the three types of value that consumers look for when purchasing a product or service: Functional benefits are what a product or service does for a person in a tangible way. This includes promises of value for money, performance, quality, effectiveness, safety or ease of use. One example is Walmart's new Sustainability Leaders badge system. When developing the program, the company focused on providing functional benefits to consumers, doing their homework for them. Walmart highlights top brands, based on data from the Sustainability Consortium, so consumers can easily choose sustainable products at the value price they're accustomed to. Emotional benefits have to do with feelings. It is important to answer questions like “will this product inspire me, meet my expectations, make me feel beautiful or smart?” Participant Media has learned a thing or two about how to do this successfully, which requires focus, powerful execution, and feedback mechanisms that keep consumers engaged. Social benefits are those that make a statement about people to the world, saying whether they are successful or relevant. For example, research shows that many Prius drivers are motivated by the idea that driving this car shows that they are modern and care about the environment. Recycling is mostly a guilt-avoiding activity, but could it really be a fun learning moment for parents and their kids? Eating sustainably can mean purchasing foods that taste better and help you lose weight, with fewer pesticides or unhealthy food additives.
Natural body care products can smell nicer and be gentle on sensitive skin. These are small wins, but when was the last sustainability campaign that promised direct personal benefits launched? A brand, whether it is trying to motivate behaviors or sell products, needs to start by asking the question “what benefit is there for my customers?” Although this question is vital, it is an overlooked and underexplored component of marketing and successful behavior change. By showing consumers what sustainability can do for them (rather than what they can do for sustainability), marketers can close the value-action gap much faster. Summary of Greendex 2014 results For the fifth time, the Greendex survey measures and monitors consumers' progress towards environmentally sustainable behavior in 65 areas related to housing, transportation, food and consumer goods. Greendex The objectives of the initiative were to provide regular quantitative measures of consumer behavior and promote sustainable consumption. Greendex 2014 ranks average consumers in 18 countries, according to the environmental impact of their discretionary and non-discretionary purchasing patterns within these four main categories. The results show that environmentally friendly behavior among consumers has increased since 2012 in 9 of the 18 countries surveyed: Argentina, Australia, Great Britain, Hungary, India, Mexico, Russia, Sweden and South Korea. Greendex study results The most notable improvements are found within the food category, with consumers in 11 countries recording higher ratings. Changes in personal behavior since 2012 in the consumer goods and housing categories tend to be more negative than positive, especially in consumer goods. In the food category, the changes tend to be more positive.