It is no surprise that with the economic downturn, consumers’ discretionary spending has changed – leading them to be more mindful towards purchases made, which simply put, is conscious consumption. The factors taken into consideration now no longer just encompasses a product or service’s price and features, but is heading towards sustainability in production methods and of the product or service itself, and even entailing the scrutinisation of the brand’s CSR initiatives. This is echoed by the recent 2030 Singapore Green Plan which puts into focus the threat of climate change in the world and highlights the importance of the changing needs of the world, and thus, your consumers. In essence, consumers want brands to ‘Walk the Talk’, so with this, how can your brand take the first step towards the move towards appealing towards conscious consumption and increasing consumer consideration of the brand?

Conscious Consumers within Society

In Singapore, there is great awareness towards the reality of climate change. In the biennial Climate Change Public Perception Survey conducted by the government, over 90% of respondents of varying age groups noted that they are educated about the topic and its impact. What this means for your brand is that this shift in mindset correlates with their purchase drivers, calling into question the necessity of a brand audit to see if it lines up with the changing needs of consumers.

Consistency in Messaging

First and foremost, across all your brand’s businesses, operations and marketing efforts, all touchpoints need to be fully aligned in shouting out the same message of sustainability and ethicality. Doing so reinforces the brand’s values and beliefs in the minds of the consumers, increasing the rate of brand recall and creating meaningful brand associations that span beyond product or service benefits – allowing your brand to stand out from the competitors.

Here at Mashwire, we believe that sustainability is the way forward, and in partnering with our clients, we bring this element into our works. A notable way that we do this is through our media kits – providing the recipient a memorable brand experience in a sustainable manner. In the long run, these reusable items that are a part of the curated media kit, like the ones we did for Ocean Health’s High Strength Omega-3 Liquid and Strongbow Cider Mixology, are ways for the recipient to continue engaging with and remembering the brand.

Misconception towards Sustainable Practices

In the short term, your brand may see additional costs in making the transition towards sustainability to fully integrate your brand’s messaging. Though, not all efforts in being mindful towards conscious consumption are as expensive as one thinks – click here for the Nestlé Yes! Nut Bars media kit that we did on a limited budget. On top of this, it tangibly exemplifies the brand’s CSR efforts and indirectly strengthens brand equity as a whole.

Branding ≠ Consumer Perception

Thereafter, having streamlined and accounted for sustainability in all parts of your business proceedings, call out your beliefs and values – how does it translate into your brand’s actionable steps? It does not matter if your brand has been consistently carrying out CSR efforts if it is not translated into consumer perception. Let your consumers know your brand’s message! Belief-driven buying is definitely a consumer behaviour that will be here for the long run and one can turn to CSR marketing efforts as a form of brand sustenance to get your existing consumers to become advocates for your brand, revitalising their customer lifetime value and generating word-of-mouth marketing.

If you are looking for an agency that similarly prioritises sustainability like your brand or one to drive your CSR marketing efforts – look no further and contact us today.