Post by account_disabled on Feb 17, 2024 3:47:07 GMT -5
Jos Harrison, Global Director of Brand Experience and Design at Reckitt, presents a common challenge that companies face, a challenge that bears similarities to the experience of Jane Abernethy, Director of Sustainability at office furniture company Humanscale. Abernethy took action by launching a sustainable product take-back program in response to growing customer demand, Fast Company reports . These customers were looking for a sustainable way to dispose of products that had reached the end of their useful life. However, despite years of implementation, Abernethy only received one call from a customer requesting a return of products. Abernethy's dilemma exemplifies a persistent gap in sustainability that begs the question: Why is there this disconnect between demand for sustainability and actual purchasing behavior? The desire for sustainability and the reality of spending According to a US consumer sentiment survey conducted by consulting firm McKinsey in 2020, more than 60% of respondents said they were willing to pay more for a product with sustainable packaging. A recent NielsenIQ study found that 78% of consumers in the United States consider it important to live a sustainable lifestyle. However, if you were to ask a consumer goods executive if this is reflected in the actual sales figures for these products and services, few are as frank publicly as Humanscale about their failures in terms of sustainability, but privately, many will admit to being perplexed by this gap between people's stated beliefs and their actions. As a result, some companies are trying to close this gap between what people say they want to do in terms of sustainability and what they actually do. Guilt and logic: False prophets Few organizations still use blame to promote sustainable behavior change. For the most part, people are aware of the immediate and growing impact of climate change. The problem is that few people are motivated by guilt.
Guilt has just persuaded someone to buy a gym membership, and see how long they last. Too many organizations still rely on logic. They detail their latest technological innovations, highlight certifications and make promises. They bombard people with statistics. They believe that if they present the case clearly and rationally, people will act. But according to Jos Harrison, they are wrong. All of this logic is relevant in marketing as much as product claims. It works in some categories and with some Middle East Mobile Number List people, but overall, it is much less effective than emotional appeal. In this context, marketing experts have long known that emotions drive consumer action, but for some reason they have forgotten this when it comes to sustainability. A recent Accenture Song study concluded that we need to stop asking how to make humans more sustainable and start asking how we can make sustainability more humane. Making sustainability more human According to the Global Director of Brand Experience and Design at Reckitt, there are many ways organizations can incorporate sustainability into people's lives, and some leaders are already showing the way. According to climate action non-governmental organization WRAP, 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions can only be addressed by changing the way we produce and consume products and food. Catherine David, Director of Collaboration and Change at WRAP, notes that 4.5 million tonnes of food is wasted in people's homes each year, largely due to incorrect refrigerator temperatures, causing food to become stale.
That's why, in collaboration with WRAP's Food Waste Action Week, Hellmann's, a Unilever-owned brand, created a "smart jar" with thermochromic ink that changes color at the right temperature. Crucial was the message about the average cost of food waste to a family caused by having the refrigerator at the wrong temperature. With no paid advertising investment, the campaign reached 939 million people in 48 hours, and 80% of people reported to Hellmann's that they had changed their behavior as a result of having the jar in their refrigerators. In other words, the campaign achieved massive reach without spending money on advertising, and most of the people who participated changed their behavior in response to Hellmann's campaign. Consumers want sustainable products Another example that consumers want sustainable products is the case of eBay, which is working to reduce unnecessary production and consumption in the sports shoe market. A growing number of sneakers are bought as an investment rather than to be worn, with bots and resellers often getting the best deals. eBay's Wear 'Em Out store was the first sneaker store to reward people with a lower price for wearing their shoes as soon as they bought them, right in the store. This is not a marketing strategy that tries to force people to adopt a sustainability agenda. Rather, they are marketing strategies that find ingenious ways to align people's existing desires and actions with a sustainability agenda. Instead of telling people that they can't have what they want and that they need a sustainable alternative, this gives them what they want and seals the deal by pointing out that it is also a sustainable choice. The new mission of marketing This approach represents a fundamental shift for many marketing professionals, but could result in a reinvention of the profession. For its first 100 years, marketing existed to provide a greater return to shareholders. He was relentless in his pursuit and became effective at creating campaigns that made us laugh, cry, love, fear, and ultimately buy. And while you still need to evoke those emotions, you now need to do so in service of a goal much larger than sales and stock prices.
Guilt has just persuaded someone to buy a gym membership, and see how long they last. Too many organizations still rely on logic. They detail their latest technological innovations, highlight certifications and make promises. They bombard people with statistics. They believe that if they present the case clearly and rationally, people will act. But according to Jos Harrison, they are wrong. All of this logic is relevant in marketing as much as product claims. It works in some categories and with some Middle East Mobile Number List people, but overall, it is much less effective than emotional appeal. In this context, marketing experts have long known that emotions drive consumer action, but for some reason they have forgotten this when it comes to sustainability. A recent Accenture Song study concluded that we need to stop asking how to make humans more sustainable and start asking how we can make sustainability more humane. Making sustainability more human According to the Global Director of Brand Experience and Design at Reckitt, there are many ways organizations can incorporate sustainability into people's lives, and some leaders are already showing the way. According to climate action non-governmental organization WRAP, 45% of global greenhouse gas emissions can only be addressed by changing the way we produce and consume products and food. Catherine David, Director of Collaboration and Change at WRAP, notes that 4.5 million tonnes of food is wasted in people's homes each year, largely due to incorrect refrigerator temperatures, causing food to become stale.
That's why, in collaboration with WRAP's Food Waste Action Week, Hellmann's, a Unilever-owned brand, created a "smart jar" with thermochromic ink that changes color at the right temperature. Crucial was the message about the average cost of food waste to a family caused by having the refrigerator at the wrong temperature. With no paid advertising investment, the campaign reached 939 million people in 48 hours, and 80% of people reported to Hellmann's that they had changed their behavior as a result of having the jar in their refrigerators. In other words, the campaign achieved massive reach without spending money on advertising, and most of the people who participated changed their behavior in response to Hellmann's campaign. Consumers want sustainable products Another example that consumers want sustainable products is the case of eBay, which is working to reduce unnecessary production and consumption in the sports shoe market. A growing number of sneakers are bought as an investment rather than to be worn, with bots and resellers often getting the best deals. eBay's Wear 'Em Out store was the first sneaker store to reward people with a lower price for wearing their shoes as soon as they bought them, right in the store. This is not a marketing strategy that tries to force people to adopt a sustainability agenda. Rather, they are marketing strategies that find ingenious ways to align people's existing desires and actions with a sustainability agenda. Instead of telling people that they can't have what they want and that they need a sustainable alternative, this gives them what they want and seals the deal by pointing out that it is also a sustainable choice. The new mission of marketing This approach represents a fundamental shift for many marketing professionals, but could result in a reinvention of the profession. For its first 100 years, marketing existed to provide a greater return to shareholders. He was relentless in his pursuit and became effective at creating campaigns that made us laugh, cry, love, fear, and ultimately buy. And while you still need to evoke those emotions, you now need to do so in service of a goal much larger than sales and stock prices.