• by Todd O'Donald , April 23, 2009

This year, Earth Day is the perfect moment to take a step back and look at how far the socially conscious environmental movement has come to have a clearer picture of where we are headed. After decades of over-indulgence, materialism and living beyond our means with readily available credit, consumers came to a rather rude awakening this past fall that the party was over, and the hangover has just begun.

Americans were suddenly faced with a dire economic backdrop and the reality of decreased purchasing power, whether as a direct result of a job loss or indirectly through decreased job security and a devaluation of their homes and financial investments.

Now forced to reconsider their purchasing behaviors, more consumers are taking the time to consider long-planned or long-considered lifestyle changes. As a result of being inundated about the perils of global warming, followed by $4 gas, consumers are returning to the basics, and savvy corporations are beginning to follow suit.

Over the past few months, marketers have been peppered with news of the changing attitudes and behaviors of consumers. According to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, 70% of respondents were very or somewhat concerned that someone in their household would be out of work and looking for a job in the next 12 months.

Consumers are changing their purchasing behaviors to follow suit. According to the poll, 40% said they had cut spending on luxuries, demonstrating that luxury products are no longer viewed upon with envy but as a sign of the times gone bad.

Consumers are returning to the basics such as eating at home, spending time with family and even gardening. According to a survey from the National Gardening Association, there is a 19% increase in the number of Americans who plan to plant a garden this year. Although the recession is clearly a driver, consumers are also being driven by lifestyle concerns issues such as health and the environment.

Moreover, despite a very challenging economic environment where consumers are looking everywhere to cut back, socially conscious, environmentally friendly products remain en vogue. According to NBC's "Green is Universal" poll, 60% of consumers are willing to pay more for environmentally responsible products from brands they trust. Sixty-two percent say, "I am buying more environmentally responsible products than I did a year ago," while 73% believe that "green" is good for the economy.

Consumer attitudes are not just confined to the products they buy; they extend to the companies that make those products as well. According to the NBC poll, 85% of respondents say that companies have a social reponsibility to protect the environment while 19% say they have boycotted a company/product in the past year because it had policies and practices that were not environmentally responisible.

The trend appears near its tipping point with 86% agreeing that "green" is becoming more popular. The NBC poll was reinforced by the 2009 BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, which found that 77% of consumers agree that they can make a positive impact by purchasing products from socially or environmentally responsible companies and they are actively seeking information about it.

From 2007 to 2008, there were double-digit increases in the importance of green benefits such as energy efficiency, natural, organic or made with recycled materials. Despite financial hardship, 67% of consumers agree that even in tough economic time, it is important to purchase products with social and environmental benefits.

Implications for Marketers

Major shifts in consumer attitudes such as this bring great opportunities and great risks for marketers. For savvy marketers, there is an opportunity to endear themselves to their current customers and to connect in a meaningful way with new consumers.

The emerging class of mainstream conscious consumers are on a hunt for new information and new products which reflect their changing values. They are seeking partners in what appears to be a very fragmented sector but tend to show great loyalty when relationships are formed.

For marketers addressing emerging mainstream trends, it is somewhat challenging to define as consumers exhibit paradoxical behavior. However, as consumers continue to come to grips with their own choices, they tend to be accepting of honest brokers who attempt to help them in their quest.

The rewards for the savvy marketer are great, as they will be positioned on stable ground for years to come with the ability to gain market share as well as enter new markets stronger. For complacent marketers, the risk is simply irrelevance becomming the perverbial Spam of modern day.

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