As is well known, the topic of sustainability always arouses great interest and plays a fundamental role in the social and political situation at the national and international level, especially after the record summer just passed. Just to give an idea, just think that the research interest for the term "sustainability" in Italy has been constantly growing since 2019. Nowadays, consumers are very careful to evaluate and buy new brands precisely because they want to know the sustainability that is behind it. Through a new Google search, we understand the values that influence consumers and what can make them prefer one brand over another.
Italians are looking for concrete actions to contribute to the protection of the planet
Interest has shifted from major issues relating to climate and the environment to concrete actions, in fact, the number of searches for "climate change" and "pollution" has decreased in favor of searches for terms such as "sustainable fashion" and " plant trees ". This indicates a positive approach to sustainability and an important reading key for marketing professionals as consumers want to contribute to the preservation of the planet. Nor is the cat food campaign of the Sheba brand an example: every view of the videos on YouTube has resulted in economic contributions to the protection of coral reefs. Thanks to this campaign, the presence of fish in coral reefs has increased by 300% in two years.
Sustainability has become an essential value in the purchasing habits of Italians: for 31% of the interviewees this issue is more important than design and style. In Zen G this number rises to 37%. There is a greater need for clarity on the part of brands in communicating their sustainability initiatives. 74% of the Italian consumers interviewed would like more information and transparency in the communication of brands on the subject of sustainability as people prefer to have information at hand and not try to find it.
What emerges further is that Italians want a greater commitment from brands in respecting sustainability throughout the production process. In detail, 72% of respondents believe that brands should be more committed to the use of recyclable packaging. In addition, people require the commitment of companies in choosing materials that are respectful of the environment and the use of green energy resources.
Another aspect to consider is greenwashing. We mean a communication or marketing strategy pursued by companies, institutions, entities that sell themselves as eco-sustainable, trying to hide the negative environmental impact that they actually cause. Consumers are increasingly interested in learning about the commitment of companies, but they are equally hesitant when a brand claims to be sustainable without having concrete examples to support it. For this reason, companies must undertake to demonstrate the reasons why they consider themselves virtuous, avoiding promoting an image that is not accompanied by evidence to that effect.
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