Marketing To The Conscious Consumer

by embracing our dualistic nature.

Who is the conscious consumer?

Decades of data reveal that a subset of global beauty and fashion consumers demand corporate social responsibility, supply chain transparency, and ethical business practices. They want to know that their purchase isn’t supporting exploitation and that the ingredients and materials used are not loaded with toxins. They are concerned about the climate crisis, and they want assurance that their beauty products and apparel aren’t making it worse. The data show that these consumers will pay more for these values, practices, and principles.

Yet, the data also reveal a significant ‘say-do’ gap between what conscious consumers say they value and what they actually buy. This contradiction between what the data show and what the reality is has confounded many conscious companies.

First, many sustainable brands struggle to communicate their value effectively and cost-efficiently. Leading with values was once a strong differentiator, but now, with peak market saturat…