-- Only a Moderate Concern, Not a Major Issue, Yankelovich Survey Finds --
-- Have Marketers Bet Too Much on Green? --
CHAPEL HILL, N.C., Aug. 13 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Despite
unwavering focus by the media, government and business, "going green" is
only of moderate concern to most consumers, according to Yankelovich
research. Yankelovich's survey of 2,763 consumers and their environmental
attitudes, GOING Green, released today, found that only one-third (34%) of
consumers feel much more concerned about environmental issues today than a
year ago. And less than one-quarter (22%) of consumers feel they can make a
difference when it comes to the environment.
GOING Green, conducted in collaboration with Getty Images, is the first
study of its kind to examine how much consumers truly care about green
issues.
"Consumers are not drinking the Kool-Aid when it comes to green," said
J. Walker Smith, president of Yankelovich. "While they're highly aware of
environmental issues due to the glut of media attention, the simple fact is
that 'going green' in their everyday life is simply not a big concern or a
high priority."
Take Al Gore's book, An Inconvenient Truth. Even though it received
widespread acclaim from media and scientists alike, 82% of consumers
neither saw the film nor read it. In addition, Mr. Smith asserts that
consumers are far more knowledgeable about green than they're generally
given credit for. For example, Al Gore's "10 Myths" in An Inconvenient
Truth are not considered myths by consumers at all. According to the GOING
Green Survey: only 7% of consumers believe Gore's "Myth" that it's already
too late to do something about climate change; only 4% believe global
warming is a good thing, and only 8% agree that the warming that scientists
are recording is just the effect of cities trapping heat rather than
anything to do with greenhouse gases.
Despite most consumers' lukewarm attitudes about "going green," Smith
says that companies can -- and should -- exploit the "green-ness" of their
products. Why? First, while the environment is not a mainstream consumer
concern, it does represent a niche opportunity in the marketplace, with
just over 30 million Americans (13% of the 234 million people 16+)
"strongly concerned" about it.
Second -- and equally important -- if organizations are required to
meet strict federal and state environmental regulations -- often at huge
expense -- it makes sense to try and leverage the 'new and improved' green
product to consumers. The good news for companies is that while the
majority of consumers' attitudes towards the environment may be only of
moderate concern, it is possible to change consumers' behavior so that the
green attributes of a product become a key feature in the buying decision.
"Where companies are currently falling short with their green marketing
strategy is that they're failing to establish a personal connection with
the consumer, in other words, consumers currently have no knowledge of what
green means or has to offer to them," added Smith. The Yankelovich
Marketing Action Framework below illustrates the degree to which all
consumers -- from "Green- less" to "Green-Enthusiasts" -- are currently
likely to buy a product based on its green features.
Green- Green- Green- Green- Green-
less bits steps speaks thusiasts
29% 19% 25% 15% 13%
Lowest Behaviors Moderate Behaviors Highest
Attitudes Higher Than Attitudes Lower Attitudes
& Lowest Lower & Moderate Than High & Highest
Behaviors Attitudes Behaviors Attitudes Behaviors
.......... .......... .......... .......... ..........
Unmoved by Don't care Aware, Talk the talk Environment
environmental but doing a concerned, more than is a
issues & few things taking steps walk the walk passionate
alarms concern
"To make a green marketing strategy successful, organizations must
employ behavioral tactics that move consumers up the continuum to greater
levels of 'green-ness,'" said Smith. "Marketers who focus on these segments
in isolation will not change consumers' green behavior."
About the Study
Yankelovich's GOING Green Perspective surveyed 2,763 nationally
represented consumers aged 16+. The data collection phase of this study ran
from April 25 through May 7, 2007. References to "Americans," "consumers"
or "people" throughout this report refer to the total population of
consumers aged 16+ unless otherwise noted.
About Yankelovich, Inc.
Yankelovich delivers measurable breakthroughs in marketing productivity
for its clients. For more than 30 years, The Yankelovich MONITOR(R) has
tracked and forecasted consumer value and lifestyle trends. Our Insights
Integration(sm) solutions directly link our key research findings on why
people buy to databases of customers and prospects. The Segmentation
Company (TSC) is a full-service custom research and consulting firm that
helps clients precisely target their customers through segmentation and
brand equity and positioning work. Yankelovich and TSC are headquartered in
Chapel Hill, NC.
|
