Is Green Marketing over... Part 2

Reading an article about the book from Devinney, Auger and Eckhardt, “The Myth of the Ethical Consumer” (Cambridge University Press, 2010), I saw some more arguments confirming the “Is Green Marketing over” point of view. These arguments are not against professionals and specialist in this area, but against a too restrictive definition of marketing.

The book addresses the issue of ethical consumption, largely equivalent to that advocated by green consumption, where the authors demonstrate, through research, that a gap exists between what consumers say and what they do, dismantling the myth of the ethical consumer.

One of the most important conclusions of the research, in my opinion, is that most people would not sacrifice the function of a product by ethics. Under normal circumstances the moral merits never exceed the costs, ie costs are more interesting. Even a factor as the color of a pair of shoes is more important to most of the conditions under which it was manufactured. There is already a social conscience and ethics in terms of consumption, but most people do not care enough to pay more for it. Yet it appears that this type of consumption has the potential to become a mass phenomenon.

It follows that to ethical consumption be effective, it’s necessary for the consumer to become a conscious participant and not just a label reader. It is also necessary for companies to help their customers (present and future) to become more socially conscious in their purchases. And that requires that more tangible and reliable information be provided on the benefits of their products and services in a context of multiple choices in the market.

These findings are in line with several current trends, within the theme of sustainability, sustainability reporting or even integrated reporting, taking us further from a green marketing and getting closer to a more sustainable marketing, or better said closer to sustainable marketing.

The Obvious Revolution

The consumer of the future

On consumers, new types and others, on new ways of consuming, we've seen them around. Some more correct than others, others still smarter and closer to reality than others. But, without wanting to point to this or that direction, the following study caught my attention, from a Spanish organization.The organization is called Metodo Helmer, based in Madrid, working in Consumer Marketing Innovation, where in addition to marketing and marketing trends, they do research also. The study to which I refer was introduced as "The Next Best Brand" in the last year, but without a doubt its actuality.The study presents the new consumer, the consumer of the future, the consumer after the crisis. For this company the consumer of the future, the new type of consumer is emerging, a close relationship with brands and, for them, a brand that is not on the network simply does not exist. According to the study, that named this new consumer as Persumer, a fusion of words, persona and consumer (persona in spanish is person), brands face new requirements before a consumer who wants a different relationship closer, transparent and in accordance with the issues that affect their everyday lives. The  brand should be committed to their world, their surroundings, their environment, and be able to offer new alternatives, credible alternatives.According to the study, these are symptoms of a post-crisis consumer, a consumer who is strengthened by a period in which it was obliged to take a more critical view of the brands, a consumer becoming aware of its power in relation to the brand and credibility requires that side of the brand. Requires more realism.In summary, the study suggests 10 key points that marks must be considered in relation to the consumer: Quality communication without unnecessary details, originality, simplicity (the essence, without too much information), flexibility (to adapt to each moment Customer), transparency (clear communication, no "photoshop"), the courage to be different, sustainability, humility (assuming defects, show the human side of the brand), credibility (consistency between what you sell, what is said and what if it does) and maintain a social and ecological commitment.Noting this trend and these key points in this study we can see two situations:- Companies and organizations will quickly realize the consumer's real importance, and that it is not just one who consumes the product and service;- If we cross the concepts, we see the importance of responsible consumption (on the consumer side) but, increasingly, is only possible if the companies themselves to support, stimulate and promote responsible consumption the same, but also adopt a position equivalent to responsible consumption. That is, a concept of responsible consumption on business side, a kind of Responsible Trade. There is no doubt what the consumers seek.

The Obvious Revolution