Consumers Support Companies that Support a Cause, Finds Study

Published on September 16, 2010
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Eighty-three percent of U.S. consumers want more of the products, services and retailers they use to benefit causes, according to the new 2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study. The report also finds that 41% of consumers have purchased a product in the past year because it was associated with a social or environmental cause.
This marks a two-fold increase since Cone first began watching cause marketing in 1993.
U.S. consumers expect businesses to continue meeting their social responsibilities even during hard times: 81% percent said companies should financially support causes at the same level or higher during an economic downturn. Businesses apparently did meet the most recent challenge, with 64% of consumers believing that companies responded well to social and environmental issues during the recession, writes Environmental Leader.
Cause marketing continues to influence U.S. consumers’ buying decisions. 88% say it is acceptable for companies to involve a cause or issue in their marketing, 85% have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about, and 80% are likely to switch to a brand similar in price and quality if it supports a cause.
They are also willing to switch product brands to support a cause: 61% of Americans say they would be willing to try a new brand or one unfamiliar to them, 46% would try a generic or private-label brand, and 19% would be willing to purchase a more expensive brand.
Moms, Millennials Most Cause-Conscious
Moms and millennials (18-24 years old) are the most cause-conscious. 95% of mothers find cause marketing acceptable (vs. 88% average), and 92% want to buy a product supporting a cause (vs. 81% average). They are also more likely to switch brands, and have purchased more cause-related products in the past year than any other demographic.
94% of millennials surveyed find cause marketing acceptable (vs. 88% average) and 53% have bought a product benefiting a cause this year (vs. 41% average).
How to Begin
While marketing products on their “green” benefits can be a productive business strategy, many times the most obvious benefits aren’t the ones that resonate most loudly with potential customers. Before you begin designing a green marketing campaign that is focused on a single environmental or energy saving benefit, Bob Lipp, president of Marcomm Group, suggests asking yourself the following questions:
—What green advantages to my product are most relevant to my target market?—How can these advantages help the customer’s bottom line?—How can these advantages reduce fines or waste-handling costs?—What are the most significant regulations facing the industry you are trying to sell to?—What other non-monetary benefits can the customer gain from using your products?