Why brands need to focus on the ethical consumer
By Zion Rufus
With the growing demand for sustainable products as the world evolves and consumer consumption habits shift, it has become of utmost importance for brands to continually keep up with the changing preferences of their consumers in order to make more effective marketing decisions.
One of the major shifts in consumer behavior is ethical consumption. Ethical consumerism is an activism based on the premise that purchasers in markets consume not only goods but also, implicitly, the process used to produce them and how they affect the society as well as their impact on the environment. Products which fall into the ethical category include sustainable production processes, organic produce, fair trade goods, energy-efficient light bulbs, electricity from renewable energy, recyclable packaging etc.
According to a recent study, 92% of respondents had a more positive image of a company that supported something they cared about, while 15% stated they would be more likely to pay more for a product or service associated with a cause important to them. Brand marketers, advertisers, and companies must understand what matters to their customers and target market, which ethical issues are important to them, and ensure they are satisfied with the position of the brand on such issues.
To an ethical consumer, consumption is a political act that sanctions the values embodied in a product’s manufacture. The ethical consumer movement has challenged marketers ever since, under the basic assumption that brands are selling for maximum profit, not for the greater good.
For consumers that are passionate about sustainable products, or human rights, diversity and inclusivity, address your commitments to such positions and communicate them to your consumers. For instance, brands like Unilever continuously reiterate their commitment to sustainable living, healthy living, diversity and inclusion; Nestle positions itself to fight against racial discrimination.
Packaging is also important to ethical consumers who are more concerned about ingredients and sustainability; consumers rely primarily on product labeling, so package design and copy are critical. Include essential facts, industry certifications, and initiatives in your packaging and marketing materials to give them the nudge.
A brand’s ethical or unethical activities do not seem to have a direct impact on purchase decisions, with the rare exception of significant amounts of negative media coverage, so long as its products are valued.
Leveraging the interest of consumers in issues that affect or impact them directly by communicating your brand positioning and values that are readily available to them, will naturally influence their purchase decisions and buying behavior; ethical consumers either purchase ethical products and services or in initiate the Gen Z’s ‘Cancel Culture’ on those that have been tagged unethical.
Get feedback from your consumers, as they may have great ideas on how you can more effectively appeal to ethical consumers with your business and marketing practices. However, there is no debate that the ethical consumer market provides a real opportunity for brand marketers; marketers must create context to engage the ethical consumer. Marketers need to understand how the consumer wants to buy and help them do so.
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