Over half of Americans “qualify as conscious consumers,” making “value-based marketing and cause-driven business practices” more critical to businesses, according to a recent report from Mintel.
According to the report, today’s consumers, more than 50% of Americans have participated in at least one socially-conscious activity in the past year. Mintel explains that social engagement is not the same as social activism: “While all social activism involves social engagement, not all social engagement is social activism.” Social engagement is not necessarily political like social activism is.
Americans’ top social concerns are racial justice, climate change, and ending gun violence. Plus, they expect the businesses they frequent “to support and call attention to the issue of mental health and wellbeing.”
But, while these Americans want businesses to provide “authentic and impactful” support for social causes, most believe businesses employ social engagement efforts simply to get consumers to buy from them.
If your business is socially active (consumers don’t expect all companies to be), they want your social engagement “to be actionable, genuine, and aligned with [your] values and mission.”
One size doesn’t necessarily fit all—consumers aren’t looking for cookie-cutter solutions. They believe businesses should “support causes and issues that align with the brand’s mission and values.”
Mintel advises businesses to follow the adage and “walk the walk and [don’t] simply talk the talk.” If you don’t, 50% of the conscious consumers consider “cancel culture” “as a way to hold businesses accountable for their promises and actions.”
Protest stock photo by Rob Crandall/Shutterstock