Contrary to popular belief, a sustainable strategy is all about growing the bottom line.
Mavericks have been promoting “sustainability” under a variety of names since the 1960’s. But the tipping point in sustainability for consumer interest – and business investment – has emerged only over the past 5 years. In that short time, sustainable “gravity” has moved from focusing on image, to focusing on expense reduction to a more recent emphasis on innovation and revenue generation.
Despite this shift in focus, if you ask any of the most dynamic companies engaged in sustainable practices, they will tell you that their commitment is driven by all of the above: image, expense reduction and innovation. It’s the combination that’s setting the leaders apart from the rest of the pack. Read more…
Leslie Pascaud, Sustainable Marketing Director Added Value Group was interviewed by Karine Viel, for the Guide for Responsible Marketing 2011 – Comité 21 editions.
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Recent data suggests that consumer declared enthusiasm towards sustainable initiatives is waning. Ethicity’s annual Sustainable Barometer in France reports that 49% of respondents claim to be « very sensitive to planetary environmental issues » vs. 62% in 2006. Nielsen research in the UK tells the same story: the number of “ethically enthused” respondents dropped from 20% in 2008 to only 11% two years later. Read more…
By Leslie Pascaud, Added Value France
Future Fuels: confronting consumer perceptions with market reality
Consumers spontaneously put all oil companies in the same basket. No one brand stands out as having either the credibility or the leadership to drive alternative fuel innovation.
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All brands and businesses have a continuous struggle to innovate & differentiate to keep ahead of the competition. The opportunity for us as marketers is to consider the role of sustainable marketing as a springboard for brand and business growth, ensuring we stay emotionally connected with our consumers as they search for more accountability from their brands and more meaning from their purchases. Subscribe to NEWS, our Branding for Good Newsletter.
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Six months into 2009 and it looks like it’s going to remain economically gloomy for at least the next six. But we’re encouraged that many brands are still motivated towards progressing their sustainable marketing strategies. Read more…
The 2009 annual WPP survey of the world’s most valuable global brands (which you can find at www.brandz.com) identified value as one of the key drivers of brand equity during 2008. But what do customers mean by ‘value’ nowadays and what effect has the crisis had on attitudes and behaviours?
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Contrary to popular belief, a sustainable strategy can be good for business. Profit is one key component of the triple bottom line – if a project is not profitable in the long term, it will not be sustainable. So the new breed of responsible marketers ensures that sustainable projects drive profit potential through cost savings, revenue generation, increased consumer loyalty, or all three! We help our clients develop a sustainable marketing platform by using three building blocks: brand, stakeholders and category.
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Over the last five years, sustainability has been growing in awareness on the marketing agenda, and in prosperous times it appeals to the self actualisation tier of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs. However, what happens to these ideals and aspirations of a ‘kinder’ way of living in a recession? Two key components to concentrate on for your brand’s survival in these uncertain times are value and brand experience. There will always be a role for ‘pay less promotions’ (‘basic’ range or product bundling) but savvy consumers are also looking for value delivered through a greater emotional involvement and experience. We believe sustainability can deliver on both. For example, E.ON’s “see the energy you use” campaign delivers on both saving consumer’s money and a differentiated sustainable brand experience via their website. To achieve this Holy Grail, brands need to find that elusive “sweet spot” where the brands’ values, value proposition and sustainability strategy overlap.
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Contrary to popular belief, a sustainable strategy is all about growing the bottom line. 
