Highlights from the BBMG Conscious Consumer Report
November 2007
MARKETING TO A NATION OF INCREASINGLY
CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS
To discover what segment of the larger U.S. population shares these values,
the research team then surveyed 2,007 adults nationwide between Sept.
11 and 17, 2007. The key findings shed new light on how companies can
more effectively navigate the market opportunity of reaching and involving
consumers who care more and more about corporate social responsibility:
The most important issues are the most personal. The most pressing
issues by far are those that most directly affect consumers – safe drinking
water (90%), clean air (86%) and cures for diseases like cancer, AIDS and
Alzheimer’s (84%). By comparison, only 63% of those surveyed described the
more abstract issue of global warming as the most or a very important issue.
A conscious boom. The language and labels of the “conscious consumer”
have penetrated the marketplace and become part of the consumer
culture. Americans readily self-identify as “conscious consumers” (88%
well, 37% very well), “socially responsible” (88% well, 39% very well) and
“environmentally-friendly” (86% well, 34% very well). There is less traction
with the term “green” (65% well, 18% very well), which continues to be
viewed as more exclusive and harder to achieve.
Making more informed decisions. Consumers are looking beyond the buzz
to make more informed decisions about the products they buy and the
companies they support. To understand if a company “does good things
for people and the planet,” most use magazines and newspapers (53%),
certification seals and labels on products (52%), the Internet (41%) and
advertisements (30%). Friends and family members (24%) are certainly
influential, but do not appear to be the primary source of information for
purchasing decisions.
Moving beyond convenience. Consumers have moved beyond just
convenience when shopping for various products. While price (58% very
important) and quality (66% very important) are paramount, convenience
(34% very important) has been edged out by more socially relevant
attributes: where a product is made (44% very important), how energy
efficient it is (41% very important) and its health benefits (36% very
important) are all integral to consumers’ purchasing decisions.
Rewards for social responsibility. When given a choice between products
of equal quality and price, consumers are more likely to buy from a company
that manufactures energy efficient appliances and products (90%), promotes
consumer health and safety benefits (88%), supports fair labor and trade
practices (87%), commits to environmentally-friendly practices (87%) and
manufactures its products in the United States (86%).
Is it easier being green? Consumers willingly engage in “easy” behaviors,
such as recycling cans, bottles and newspapers (55% always) and using
energy efficient appliances (46% always), but they often fail to adopt a
plethora of more “demanding” behaviors like carpooling (10% always), using
public transportation (9% always) or purchasing carbon offsets (3% always).
“Americans think before they
buy. Our poll reveals that
many consumers evaluate
the social and environmental
impact of their purchases
on the world in which they
live. They tend to prefer to
buy from companies that
reflect their values and are
increasingly likely to buy from
companies that demonstrate
they are good for people
and the planet,” said Jefrey
Pollock, president of Global
Strategy Group.
“In my ideal world, everything in my
fridge would be organic. To me, it just
makes the whole earth a better place.”
Mark, single male, 40, New York