Friday, July 20, 2007

Americans Want More from Business & Seek it Online

Increasingly, Americans, both as customers and as employees, are seeking more from business, according to the 2007 Cone Cause Evolution Survey. They want companies to be socially and environmentally responsible, and this desire is increasingly affecting their purchasing decisions and expectations of their employers.

More than two-thirds of Americans say they consider a company’s business practices when deciding what to buy. And Cone believes that long-term support of social issues has become a major brand differentiator - something SRB Marketing as seen with our mostly small and mid-size clients for years now. That brand differentiator is a big reason many of our clients and their colleagues have been snapped up by Fortune 1000 companies (e.g., Ben & Jerry's, Cascadian Farms, Stonyfield Farm).

Americans’ expectations of companies are at an all time high — 83 percent say companies have a responsibility to help support causes, and 92 percent acknowledge they have a more positive image of a company that supports a cause they care about.

In many areas, Americans are more likely than ever before to reward companies for their support of social issues. Eighty-seven percent are likely to switch from one brand to another (price and quality being about equal) if the other brand is associated with a good cause - an increase of more than 31 percent (from 66%) since 1993.

American employees' expectations of companies have also increased, and quite dramatically — 72 percent wish their employers would do more to support a cause or social issue. This has climbed 38 percent (vs. 52%) since Cone’s last survey in 2004.

Advertising and the Internet are the two main ways Americans prefer companies to communicate their social and environmental issues and practices (45% and 41% respectively). Americans are also using technology proactively to learn about and support social and environmental issues and causes. More than one third are searching for information on issues (37%) or are forwarding important messages to family and friends (38%).

"Consumers have always relied on word of mouth recommendations to influence their decision making, and the increase in prominence of viral communications has made this form of idea exchange even easier," explains Julia Hobbs Kivistik, executive vice president of Cause Branding, Cone, LLC. "When a company communicates its cause activities in relevant, emotionally compelling ways and highlights the related social impacts, consumers will pass along the message to those around them."

Posted by Perry Goldschein
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