Going Green: Five Tips for Connecting with Sustainability-Conscious Consumers

A deepening sensitivity to the social and ecological implications of purchasing behavior has given rise to a new class of consumer. This market, termed Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) – a segment concerned with sustainability, ecology friendly alternatives, and global citizenship, among other things – makes up a multitude of demographics and comprises roughly 30% of the U.S. adult population.

Marketing professionals endeavoring to forge an emotional connection with prospects and clients increasingly turn to CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) strategies in an effort to monetize heightened consumer consciousness. In some cases, making this association is easy. Certain products and services have obvious intrinsic appeal: organic and locally grown food, organic and natural personal care products, and natural household products traditionally top the list. According to the 2006 Organic Trade Association, organic clothing sales rose from $437 million in 2003 to $744 million in 2005, while sales of organic food reached $16 billion by end of 2006. Today, catering to a wider market, products and services now include:

• Natural/organic clothing and retail
• Hybrid and electric cars
• Green and sustainable buildings
• Energy efficient electronics/appliances
• Socially responsible investing
• Alternative and preventative medicine

The success of these and other natural products has created a "green" explosion. With an average of $230 billion spent each year, LOHAS consumers, coined "culture creatives" by sociologist Paul Ray, are forcing professionals to reevaluate the way they do business in the global marketplace.

• About 60 percent of U.S. consumers hold government and big business directly accountable for global warming (MindClick Group).
• 31 percent of U.S. consumers are "worried that profit motivations are preventing business, industry, and government from providing solutions to global warming" (MindClick Group).
• 27 percent of U.S. consumers "still believe it is somewhat important for business, industry, and government to address the problem" (MindClick Group)

NBC Universal recently aired 150+ hours of green content running from November 4 – 10 as part of their effort to make viewers aware of environmental issues. "As a leading media and entertainment company, NBC Universal has a responsibility, both in our own operations and in driving awareness. Green is good for the world and the bottom line," stated Jeff Zucker, president and CEO, NBC Universal.

This is just one of many statements issued in a press release driving NBC Universal's Green Is Universal initiative: "NBC Universal's corporate commitment to green its own operations worldwide continues to grow with the recently announced creation of a new West Coast News Headquarters and Content Center. The Center will be a leading example of sustainable design, construction, and transit-oriented development under the U.S. Green Building Counci's LEED(R) rating system […] Completed in May 2007, the Universal Studios lot installed its first solar energy system, the largest in the industry."

In this campaign, NBC touts its other "green" initiatives: It measures its greenhouse gas emissions, conducts energy use audits, and has secured the services of a sustainability strategy firm, GreenOrder, to review and verify the results.

Read the full press release here.

Make the most of your green campaigns
LOHAS consumers come in all shapes and sizes, with varying socio-economic backgrounds. Here are some basic tips for reaching the 63 million LOHAS consumers living in the U.S.

• First, target your messages to those most likely to write about your efforts using the industry's most comprehensive online media directory. Take advantage of free, unlimited e-mail distribution of all your news releases.
• Next, monitor your coverage from every form of media. We deliver exactly the news you want to see, complete with all photos and graphics.
• Then, gain insight through our automated and customized media measurement services.

To find out more about our media relations planning, monitoring and measurement services, go to www.BurrellesLuce.com.