Who really shops green?
Submitted by Shannon on Thu, 09/25/2008 - 17:52.
Marketers have long fawned over Gen Y, a demographic that both responds well to advertising and is often quick to part with its cash . In particular, green brands have used younger shoppers' idealism to their advantage - focusing marketing for sustainable products directly to the 25-34 age group. However, a new study from ICOM Information & Communications, a Toronto-based target marketing company, suggests that older shoppers are more committed to buying green products than their younger counterparts. The report drew its conclusions from a pool of 6,000 respondents and found that both male and female groups 55 years and older are above-average users of environmentally-friendly home goods.
Interestingly, the 25-34 cohort fell into the "least likely to buy" category when compared to the national average. Peter Meyers, marketing VP at ICOM, contends that older shoppers spend more time considering the pros and cons of products in the store - a tendency that could likely result in them purchasing products with which they identify on a personal and ethical level. Is it possible that Gen Y is becoming more cynical with the bombardment of green messaging? Meyers told Environmental Leader he thinks so, a fact which underlines the importance of authentic and trust-building marketing campaigns for both traditional and green products.
With the current economic downturn, it might be expected that shoppers would pull back on their spending - which could harm the often-pricier green products category. However, over half (61.9%) of respondents indicate that they are still buying and using green goods. Their main motivation? Such products "make me feel good about myself."
Interestingly, the 25-34 cohort fell into the "least likely to buy" category when compared to the national average. Peter Meyers, marketing VP at ICOM, contends that older shoppers spend more time considering the pros and cons of products in the store - a tendency that could likely result in them purchasing products with which they identify on a personal and ethical level. Is it possible that Gen Y is becoming more cynical with the bombardment of green messaging? Meyers told Environmental Leader he thinks so, a fact which underlines the importance of authentic and trust-building marketing campaigns for both traditional and green products.
With the current economic downturn, it might be expected that shoppers would pull back on their spending - which could harm the often-pricier green products category. However, over half (61.9%) of respondents indicate that they are still buying and using green goods. Their main motivation? Such products "make me feel good about myself."
