Gone are the days of caveat emptor (buyer beware). Consumers today are wired to be highly discerning, brutally honest, and unwilling to settle for anything less than fantastic. What clicks with modern consumers? Brands that step up to defend the environment, promote equality, and shun exploitation – doing good while doing business. Today’s consumers are hardly satisfied with anything less than exceptional.
The Rise of the Conscious Consumer
81% of global consumers feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. Moreover, 73% of millennials are willing to pay more for sustainable products. Behind every number is a human story – and it’s time brands started telling a different tale, one of social responsibility and environmentally friendly practices.
Marketing with a Purpose: Examples and Tips
So how can marketers leverage sustainability and social responsibility to make a greater impact in lead generation, sales enablement, and remarketing? Here are three examples, along with some actionable tips and tricks:
1. Patagonia: Leading the Charge on Environmental Activism
Outdoor apparel brand Patagonia has long been a champion of environmental responsibility. Crafting exceptional products, preventing harm, and propelling environmental breakthroughs – that’s their modus operandi. From tackling the US government’s public land policies in court to vowing to power their operations with 100% renewable energy, they’re rewriting the rules.
Tip: Integrate sustainable thinking into the fabric of your brand – it’s the heartbeat that drives your mission. It’s time to shift your thinking: this isn’t a shallow sales tactic, but a deeply ingrained part of how you do business.
2. Dove: Promoting Body Positivity and Self-Acceptance
Unilever’s Dove brand has been a pioneer in promoting body positivity and self-acceptance. Through its “Real Beauty” campaign, the company shook things up, swapping airbrushed perfection for real women, candid and unapologetic. As buzz around this effort grew, so did our sales – and that’s no coincidence.
Tip: Craft stories that humanize your brand’s values and audiences will no longer question your devotion to social responsibility. Think like your audience: build campaigns that reflect their motivations, desires, and fears.
3. Warby Parker: Doing Good, One Pair of Glasses at a Time
Eyewear brand Warby Parker has made a significant impact through their “Buy One, Give One” program. For every pair of glasses sold, they distribute a pair to someone in need. This initiative has resulted in over 6 million pairs donated to date.
Tip: Align your brand’s values with a social responsibility program that addresses the very issues your products or services were meant to solve. Your marketing efforts will start to feel more genuine and directed when you can pinpoint what drives your brand’s purpose.
The Bottom Line
In today’s marketing landscape, sustainability and social responsibility are no longer nice-to-haves; they’re must-haves. The result of baking your values into every message? A customer base that’s fired up about joining forces to make the world a better place. With each collaboration, we build trust, harvest new ideas, and inspire each other to strive for something greater than the sum of its parts.
Are you poised to make a move, or stuck in neutral? The clock is ticking. Shift your shopping habits to ones that support a better planet – every purchase counts! The planet, not to mention your customers, will owe you one.
Learn more about the marketing landscape at the Media Buyer’s Academy.