The fundamental premise of Marketing for Good is that marketers can do well by doing good. As such, I’m always looking for research that supports this proposition. Before I share some more research let me dole out a couple drops of cynicism. In our profession, we often “beat the research until it confesses.” Further, we have been known to commission research to confirm a particular point-of-view vetting the data that does not support the desired “story.” It is no one wonder that one “wise statesman” once said “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.”
So it is with that good & cynical foundation in mind that I offer the research findings of a branding firm intent on helping companies do good. This particular study found its way to me via the Center for Media Research which publishes studies from all sorts of sources:
According to the inaugural BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, nearly
nine in ten Americans say the words “conscious consumer” describe
them well and are more likely to buy (if products are of equal
quality and price) from companies that:
* Manufacture energy efficient products (90%)
* Promote health and safety benefits (88%)
* Support fair labor and trade practices (87%)
* Commit to environmentally-friendly practices (87%)
The report goes on to list companies that consumers believe are the most socially responsible. The top ones include a number of companies featured on this blog over the last year:
* Whole Foods Market
(22%)
* Newman’s Own (19%)
* Wal-Mart
(18%)
* Burt’s Bees (17%)
* General Electric
(16%)
* Johnson & Johnson (16%)
* Ben & Jerry’s (16%)
Bottom line–if you want to believe, this study certainly supports the case for Marketing for Good. If you don’t, then you probably wouldn’t be reading this blog anyway. Here’s to the believers.