Audience Recommendations for Every Vertical
Hello. I’m Ashley Grace , head of business development at Comscore ARS. While the emperor may or may not have clothes when it comes to ‘global warming’, focus on this issue has certainly brought the economic and societal benefits of sustainability practices to the forefront of discussion. For the good of us all, the principles of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle are increasingly being seen as smart business. And, top marketers realize that there is opportunity to establish and build brand loyalty among consumers concerned about the environment.
While consumers vary substantially in terms of their concern about the environment, there are some basic elements that can work for marketers across the board. ARS has conducted significant benchmarking in the area of green advertisements, both on TV and in print. Utilizing a “HASS” (Health And Sustainability Segmentation) approach, we classified ads both for common elements (using the ARS standard) and for newly derived characteristics specific to advertising in the green space. The effectiveness of these ads were then compared and contrasted against our database of 20,000+ “traditional ads.” From there, a set of best practices were derived.
So, how do we persuade someone to change their behavior? It’s a universal question posed by marketers and parents alike. The answer, it turns out, is that it’s far better to focus on communicating the benefits of the desired action rather than the negative consequences. Our research further suggests that it’s even better if the communication is emotional in nature.
As a practical example, let’s contrast two recent advertisements for Frito Lay’s Sun Chips and Hanes T-Shirts that rely on the techniques of positive vs. negative reinforcement. The "Sun Chips Compostable Chip Bag Earth Day 2010" ad shows a bag decomposing via time-lapse photography, ultimately resulting in the growth of a new plant juxtaposed with a clean, blue sky (the benefit in this case). By smartly conveying the environmental benefits provided by the new, fully compostable bag in this emotional manner, Sun Chips is able to add to its established differentiation of being a smart choice for consumers. Based on our learning about what makes an effective sustainability-focused advertisement, the Sun Chips ad is likely to boost brand sales.
Hanes, in an advertisement for men's undershirts and socks produced with renewable energy tries a different approach. The ad begins with two men in a shopping mall: James, wearing the Hanes sustainably produced T-Shirt and Pete wearing a conventional T-Shirt. As the voice-over describes the situation, we see young children (implying the next generation to need the planet's resources) in the shopping mall leering menacingly at Pete, who becomes visibly uncomfortable due to these stares. The implication is that if he were wearing Hanes, it would be a different story. It's a cute, memorable creative approach, but unfortunately for Hanes our study of advertising effectiveness suggests that this guilt-ridden approach is unlikely to be as effective as one that focuses on the positive emotions provided by Hanes. For instance, a simple fix might have been to show others in the mall positively reacting, smiling, and acknowledging the character wearing the sustainable Hanes T-Shirt.
When it comes to motivating consumers with sustainability messaging, marketers need to remember the basics that apply to all ads – it’s far better to focus on the emotional benefits provided to consumers by using the product rather than the negative consequences of not doing so.