How big will that core group get? Can it double over next decade?
I don't think so, not without some fundamental change that makes the environment felt at a personal level. It competes with other issues—terrorism, or Social Security funding. The environment has just not crossed that threshold yet.
The report also points out that consumers in other countries care more about environmental issues than here in the United States. The Pew findings, for instance.
Right, the Pew Research Center found that green concerns in the U.S. are lower than in any other industrialized nation. That means that more than consumers in the U.S., it will probably be other consumers who drive innovation.
So what should companies and their marketing people do? Try to generate more enthusiasm for green products? Or just cater to consumer tastes as they are?
Consumer marketers would rather follow consumer attitudes than lead them. They're very loath to try and teach people something new. But with the environment, that's what they're going have to do.
How?
Environmental advocacy groups, or company info—consumers don't consider these to be objective sources. This is an opportunity in the marketplace. Consumers need to turn to more objective sources. Our next study will look into that. There's a need for something like a smart Google.
