Got Woke Customers?
How Not to Get Caught with Your Ethics Down
It started with "paper or plastic”? A checkout choice that painted one option as more eco-friendly than the other. But each had it’s own meaningful drawbacks and both joined the landfill anyway. Savvy consumers understood this and found themselves challenge the whole paradigm - bringing their own bags (sometimes made of hemp for extra peace of mind). This was the advent of Conscious Consumerism - an age in which a company’s overall carbon footprint became just as important as their prices!
Recent studies show 77% of consumers consider sustainability in purchasing decisions. The savvy and discerning consumer base that this represents, scrutinizes ingredients and country of origins. This practice, known as "conscience creep”, is a review of everything a company does to green up their act, from sourcing fair trade goods to off-setting environmental impact with renewables.
Patagonia coped with “conscience creep” with a counterintuitive campaign: "Don't Buy This Jacket", discouraging unnecessary purchases - thereby reducing waste. Why? They knew their customers would smell “green-washing” from a mile away. The authenticity of the message resonated and actually boosted sales by 30%.
Other retails are also adapting.
Everlane's "radical transparency" approach reveals production costs and factory conditions. Nordstrom's sustainable style category saw 25% year-over-year growth. Even Target's gradual, zero-waste initiative proves progress beats perfection. Who Gives A Crap, is a brand that’s taken a light-hearted approach to a serious need, offering bamboo paper products that are healthier for people and the planet.
Retailers can no longer peddle products for the lowest cost and highest profit. Customers are wise to these practices and will choose to take their business elsewhere, even if it means that they pay a little more.
Key Takeaway:
We can’t sell plastic straws to sea turtles any more! Sell a vision of a better world with authentic communication, employee engagement, and genuine commitment to sustainability.