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No Gender About It: Reaching the Values-Based Buyer

Why did campaigns like the American Express "My Life. My Card." and the Kleenex "Let It Out" efforts so resonate with consumers? It may be the same reason that the recently launched Rockport "Choose to Walk" campaign (as critiqued by Stuart Elliott in the New York Times) is likely to also be a success. Something in each of those efforts rings true, feels "like me," or otherwise touches the soul of the core customers for those brands—and that may well include you.

Each of those campaigns has dialed into the values of its market—those things beyond the given baseline expectations for fair price and high quality. Today's consumers are really looking through any superficial brandwash in search of recognition and appreciation for who they have chosen to be as people. It all boils down to social values.

Research cited in a recent GreenBiz.com article by Sarah Fister Gale confirms that the new consumer is sticking to his/her beliefs and social values:

The 2008 Good Purpose survey from public relations firm Edelman overwhelmingly shows that buyers plan to remain loyal to products that they perceive to have strong social value.

According to survey results, 68 percent of consumers say that even in a recession they would remain faithful to a brand if it supports a good cause; nearly seven in 10 would be prepared to pay more for eco-friendly products.

Now, here's the thing: a person's core beliefs or values are not gendered. He may buy Brand X because he loves its green approach, and she may buy Brand Y because it reflects her belief in community—or vice versa. Social values are being raised up; they are becoming more of a priority and something that all consumers are using as a filter in their very deliberate purchase processes.

In order to reach these people, marketers have to make sure their brands reflect what their customers really want from the values perspective. This is indeed a more challenging battle than traditional advertising, but brands don't have much choice in the matter.

Certainly, the women these companies have been serving have been nudging them toward this values-based exchange for years, but there seems to be that much more urgency now that both genders are more careful about how they spend their money in tighter times.

Traditionally considered to be peripheral and perhaps irrelevant, the topic of social values was avoided by many businesses—they stuck to the usual facts and figures rather than "dilute" their brand message with such nonsense. But, women and men both are now demanding more accountability on a broader spectrum of "attributes," and brands must identify and reflect their authentic values throughout to make an impression. If they do it well, consumers will—just as with the American Express, Kleenex, and Rockport campaigns—see their own values within and respond.

[With this post, we are joined by Cool Friend Andrea Learned, who also blogs at her own website, LearnedonWomen.com. She has a Manifesto, "Beware the Gender Trap," at ChangeThis, too.]

Andrea Learned posted this on 03/06/09.

Comments

Then the challenge is to come up with credible values connected with a product. Kleenex has lots about babies, friends and pets, and even fighting cancer, but avoided recycling or tree-cutting. To increase the male message, they need a male car enthusiast talking to his buddies while wiping the oil off his hands ... (perhaps they have this).

Posted by Mike L. at March 6, 2009 10:56 PM

Hello Andrea. Your claim that "the women these companies have been serving have been nudging them toward this values-based exchange for years" is an interesting one. Is there any data (or case studies) to back it up? As I like the idea of social value(s) a lot I strongly endorse your general message, and this is an entirely neutral question. So, for example, given the predominance of women in making household purchases, is there any trackable evidence that (specifically) their "nudging" has driven the adoption of low energy lamps, ethically produced clothing, fairtrade foods, organic produce, locally sourced goods? And if so, what form did this effective nudging take?

PS it would be good to see the demographics of Edelman's survey sample as well, wouldn't it?

Posted by RobCH at March 7, 2009 3:29 AM

Mike - your point is something I'd like to learn from more men. DO they need to see men (not women), wiping oil off their hands (or some such) in order to think the message is for men? Or, to reach male values-based buyers, wouldn't the "safe/better for your family" feel create the appeal... as well? I.E. a healthy family doing things together in a house cleaned with Seventh Generation products might influence the man to buy that brand next time...

RobCH - An interesting book to read on women/values-based buying might be Women in Green. The first chapter includes stats (from sources including Yale School of Forestry and American Progress Action Fund) that show women are 15% more likely than men to rate the environment a high priority and women report more support for environmental activists etc, among other such facts. While that may not prove the nudge, it demonstrates the more holistic way women have tended to make purchasing decisions. They idea is that they have been more aware/concerned about environmental issues in their "it all matters" buying ways, so that has affected their purchasing decisions. Environmental/socially responsible consuming would seem to have begun in how these women were influenced to buy, and now, that way of consuming is becoming more the rule for a general consumer population (slowly but surely).

And, yes.. it'd be nice to see the gender breakdown for the Edelman study. A bit of the detail (but I didn't quickly see any mention of gender) is here: http://www.goodpurposecommunity.com/study.html

I appreciate your engagement on this topic. If it is of continuing interest - let me know, and I'll make sure to pass along anything else I learn as I continue to study values-based buyers.

Posted by Andrea Learned at March 7, 2009 10:20 AM

I'm sorry, I have a hard time buying the logic, at least in today's marketplace. Brands with the strongest ties to social values do not appear to be immune. For instance, organic production of vegetables, meat, eggs and cheese have been a fast growth industry segment for years due to their strong social ties. Today however, organic demand is waning, and in some cases sliding. And since food is a consumable, its a good barometer for some of these discussions. Its my belief that Brands with social ties will lose ground in coming months.

Posted by Rodney Johnson at March 7, 2009 2:45 PM

I have to agree with Rodney here - retail news in the UK points to people choosing cheaper options rather than branded (either "traditional" brands or ones built on social values).

I think research like this is interesting - there is often a big gap between what people will say they plan to do and what they actually do.

I like to think that once we are over the worst of the ecenomic woes that this thinking will be back on the agenda.

I am not sure I really get the gender debate on this one. Mind you if I have oil or other muck on my hands (quite a regular occurance in my workshop) I am reaching for swarfega and industrial scale paper towels bought wholesale not a wimpy kleenex.

Ugg! Ugg! REAL cleaning products for REAL men!

Rather cynically: to appeal to the male audiance perhaps they need a female car enthusiast talking to her buddies while wiping the oil off her hands .....

.....only kidding - it's ok I will put my normally repressed caveman away again now! He is generally only allowed out in the garage

Posted by PaulH at March 8, 2009 3:14 AM

Thanks Andrea. I did an analysis of the food supply chain about five years back for a UK government agency interested in what product information consumers sought out in order to guide their supermarket food buying decisions. This was a consumer base heavily skewed towards women. Interestingly "social values" (if I wrap up a bundle of relevant factors under that heading) registered so far below price, convenience, recommendations (WOM or ads) and basic quality standards that they were statistically insignificant. And looking rather cynically at the world of fashion, it would seem that a great many people have been and still are willing to overlook any "can they really sell it that cheap?" doubts in order to snap up that little sequinned T-shirt before anyone else does. So I really do want to find out where those people are who have been successfully putting pressure on manufacturers and retailers for longer than say the last two or three years. And how they have done it. I'm working in a country with an almost non-existent culture of consumer rights or environmental awareness, attitudes my project is looking to change among young people, so the issue is a highly practical one for me.

Thanks also for the Edelman GPC link, but it was actually after visiting there that my interest in the make-up of their chosen sample emerged.

Posted by RobCH at March 8, 2009 8:43 AM

Ageed on the cost versus benefit analysis of gender based appeal.

McDonalds---Dollar menu for wayward job seekers

Walmart-----Cheap and cheaper, especially with groceries now.

Sam's and Costco----The future of mass appeal shopping.

It's a shame that products have to lose their "distinction" with social awareness because of a salty economy. However, people must look for bargains and stretch their dollars to endure the economic woes of our world. For instance, I was at Best Buy last night and they had marked down "The Police/Certifiable" DVD/CD combo to $14.99 (down about $10.00 from its original retail). I couldn't pass it up, even though I contemplated eating the packaging the discs came in. Consumers are becoming very mindful of how they spend their dollars and very little has to do with social posturing.

1-ply toilet paper sucks too, regardless of gender!

Posted by Scott Peters at March 8, 2009 9:38 AM

I sit here allergic rhinitus in full flow and kleenex can go shove their "let it out" I am sick to the back teeth of doing so for almost 24 hours !!!

Posted by patrick at March 8, 2009 1:38 PM

Andrea: am I a typical male? As soon as I see children (families) in an advertisement, I know it is not aimed at men (except if it is selling insurance!). When I see beer or fast cars, then I know it is aimed at men. BTW, there is a box of tissues in my car - but I have no idea what brand.

Posted by Mike L. at March 9, 2009 6:56 AM

Mike - there's a pack of Superdrug own-label tissues in my company car, of which I know very little other than it is black and I have to put diesel fuel in it. Does this make me an atypical male?

Posted by Mark JF at March 9, 2009 7:35 AM

To what extent are people buying a brand because of its values as opposed to the aspirations it generates in them? Would people prefer to buy a handbag from a company that's known for campaigning about, say, fair treatment of the offshore workers who manufacture it or from a company that creates an image as an upmarket brand?

Posted by Mark JF at March 9, 2009 7:45 AM

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Over the past several years, I (as a consumer) have went out of my way to buy and sometimes pay more for brands that I believe in and stores that help build my community.

I can think of two local WalMarts that built a store and within a few years, build a bigger one across the street only to shut down the first one and leave an eyesore for the community. Did it make good business sense, probably so. Was it good for our community, probably not.

Our Society has built this WallMart economy, where cheap is king. As consumer's we need to put our money into the partners who show responsibility to our community and society.

Posted by Dave Holland at March 9, 2009 8:41 AM

Cynicism rules eternal - and I am often in that camp, myself. To be clear - when I mention using family as a way to reach everyone (not just women), I'd hope it could me in a more sophisticated way - and not just the obvious view of everyone seated around the table eating dinner together... And, while I get that men do respond to sexy women, beer and BMWs (or some version), I don't buy that that is the only way to reach them about everything. Men care about the same things women do, when we can get beyond beer, make-up or the usual cliches. The joke about men being cavemen is fine - but I think there is more there - and if a marketer does the research he/she will find the values that resonate with a product's male and female markets, and will be able to deliver them without cliche or stereotype. Maybe I'm a Pollyanna on this front? As far as research to back up this evolving less gendered values based buyer - perhaps the topic is too new. Heck - women's market-specific research is a fairly recent concept. THANKS for all your thoughts. I appreciate the discussion.

Posted by Andrea Learned at March 9, 2009 8:48 AM