Even As Cause Marketing Grows, 83 Percent of Consumers Still Want To See More
More than 9-in-10 moms want the opportunity to buy a product benefiting a cause
(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Boston, MA - September 15, 2010 - Forty-one percent of Americans say they have purchased a product in the past year because it was associated with a social or environmental cause (41%), a two-fold increase since Cone first began measuring in 1993 (20%). But even as their purchasing power grows, consumer appetite for socially conscious shopping has yet to be satiated. A full 83 percent of consumers want more of the products, services and retailers they use to benefit causes, according to the new 2010 Cone Cause Evolution Study, the nation’s only 17-year benchmark of cause marketing attitudes and behaviors.
Recession Didn’t Alter Expectations The nation’s ongoing economic woes have not deterred Americans’ social sentiment, nor their expectations that companies will benefit society. Eighty-one percent said companies should financially support causes at the same level or higher during an economic downturn. It appears business rose to this challenge – nearly two-thirds (64%) of consumers believe companies responded well to social and environmental issues during the recession. Americans’ enthusiasm for cause marketing also emerged from the turmoil fully intact and continues to strongly influence their purchase decisions:-
88% say it is acceptable for companies to involve a cause or issue in their marketing;
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85% have a more positive image of a product or company when it supports a cause they care about; and,
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80% are likely to switch brands, similar in price and quality, to one that supports a cause.
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61% of Americans say they would be willing to try a new brand or one unfamiliar to them;
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46% would try a generic or private-label brand; and,
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Nearly one-in-five consumers (19%) would be willing to purchase a more expensive brand.
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93% say they are proud of their company’s values (vs. 68% for those who are not involved); and,
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92% say they feel a strong sense of loyalty to their company (vs. 61% for those who are not involved).
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Economic development – 77%
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Health and disease – 77%
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Hunger – 76%
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Education – 75%
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Access to clean water – 74%
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Disaster relief – 73%
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Environment – 73%