Event - 2014 Cause Marketing Conference: Innovating for Impact

The Cause Marketing Conference is a must-attend cause marketing conference of the year. Innovating for Impact is the theme of this year's conference. Attendees will gain access to changemakers who are pushing the envelope of cause programs.

Educating Consumers about Sustainable Consumption

Businesses need to address consumer confusion about sustainability. A 2011 WBCSD report reviews how business can help to take sustainability from a niche market to the mainstream. As reviewed in the report, businesses need to be part of the effort to explain sustainability to consumers. Ultimately consumers need to understand that sustainability is about a pragmatic approach to solving the climate change crisis we are facing.

One of the chief obstacles that businesses face has to do with the false choice between the economy and the environment. Many consumers fear that sustainable consumption will translate to a decrement in their standard of living. However, sustainable consumption does not have to mean a lower standard of living, just a higher level of intentionality about encouraging more sustainable products, systems and services.

The Frugal Green Consumer

During the recession we have seen evidence that consumers are shifting their focus from premium green products to frugality. While there is demand for green products and services, people are price conscious and cost is an impediment to wider adoption.

Frugality is an important element shaping today's green consumer. The increasing number of people growing their own food, and reusing things they would have otherwise discarded are illustrations of the point. People are increasingly buying only what they need and making purchases that are designed to last. Essentially people are looking for good value for their money

The recession and slow recovery is changing our behavior and making consumers more value conscious. Value is not just a buzzword in business, it reflects a growing trend that an increasing number of consumers are demanding.

Sustainability is the Future of Consumption

According to research entitled ‘Consumer Futures 2020’ the future of consumption is going to be radically different from what we see today. This research presents four scenarios exploring possible patterns of consumption in 2020, all of which indicate that consumerism will become more sustainable.

Based on these two parameters, Prosperous vs. Less prosperous – by 2020 will our economy be flourishing or subdued? And Do-it-yourself vs. Do-it-for-me – will consumers take the initiative to satisfy their needs or expect brands to do this for them? They created a two-by-two matrix, which in turn enabled them to create four scenarios:

The Revolutionary New Model of Consumption

There is a revolution underway that is transforming consumption. If the twentieth century was marked by hyper-consumption the twenty-first century will be marked by collaborative consumption. This new form of consumption is being facilitated by a wide range of technological innovations. Social media is a great example of technologies that contribute to the new model of consumption. Examples include things like localized bartering and exchange, gifting and freecycling, local networking clubs, and websites that help people to find what they are looking for.

Craigslist is one of the best examples of the new model of consumption. The DIY movement is another example of the new model of consumption. People are doing things for themselves this both reduces costs and minimizes consumption. Even the ways we access information are being radically transformed by new technology. The extraordinary growth of citizen journalism and the proliferation of online content shows how information is being disseminated without having to buy a newspaper or magazine.

The World's First Global Carrotmob Campaign

The carrotmob is a powerful new way that people can influence business to be more responsible. In a Carrotmob campaign, a group of people spend money to support a business that engages in socially redeeming initiatives.

An Overview of the Carrotmob Model:
1) organizers of a campaign make an agreement with a business
2) a mob of people spend money at the business
3) the business makes a change to its practices to become more responsible (eg sustainable)

Pessimism is Impeding Environmental Advocacy

While it is easy to understand why so many environmentally concerned people are fearful and pessimistic, these attitudes detract from the goal of improving our environment. Fear is well warranted, we are on the verge of a widespread ecosystem collapse and we have reached 400 ppm of atmospheric C02 in the arctic. However, rather than just ask how bad things are, we should be asking how we can best address the calamities we face within the time we have available.

Fear mongering does not move us forward, if anything, it alienates people who most need to be brought into the discussion. The reaction to Rio+20 is a great illustration of the point. The summit in Rio has been justifiably described as “weak,” ”remarkably listless,” and a ”disappointment.” Sometimes the zeal of some environmentalists makes it hard for them to recognize progress. The business community’s commitments were the one bright spot at Rio, nonetheless they too were subjected to a barrage of harsh criticisms.  One article suggests that progress at Rio was derailed by big business. Some even dismissed the entire process, claiming that the summit was hijacked by powerful corporations.