Be green and win new customers – students

Summer is on its way, and students are going on their holidays’. If you are a business that thrives on student activity, then you might be thinking that you are in for a long and quiet couple of months. I can tell you; this doesn’t have to be the case. I would even go as far as saying that this shouldn’t be the case; not only for businesses that target students but also those that are missing out on, according to the national office of statistics 2016, almost two million members of the British public. Now is the perfect time to start planning your marketing strategy for the upcoming academic year, and I have a tip for you… Green consumerism.

What is green consumerism? This phrase is used to describe the wave of demand for environmentally friendly products and services. This trend comes in the form of biodegradable coffee cups, Netflix powered by exercise bikes and Metal foldable straws. Green consumerism is also stretching to the way that your business is run. Do you do your best to save the environment? Because if you don’t, then someone will find out. Are you willing to sacrifice those customers? You might be thinking that the amount of people this will affect isn’t that much, however, according to a recent bespoke study the global web index carried out in the UK and U.S, half of the digital consumers say environmental concerns impact their purchasing decisions. This study also uncovered the green mentality from different age groups. Millennials (aged 22-35) are more likely than any other generation to say that they would pay extra for eco-friendly or sustainable products.

Over 60% say this compared to just 46% of Baby Boomers (aged 55-64). Although data was not gathered on the age group of upcoming students (Gen Z), the trends are undeniable, and with an increase in their disposable income, these statistics are expected to increase.

Green consumerism is not all sunshine and rainbows. There is a very real difference between doing good and using good as a marketing ploy. I’m sure you can imagine, there are many companies that have seized the opportunity to adjust their brand image, with as little effort as possible. This is why often the only choices seem to be tokenistic. The effect that the consumers are able to have on the environment, through companies’ green initiatives, often do not make a real difference to the state of the planet.

Green consumption has been criticised for reducing all of the problems of the world into making the right shopping decisions. This is a prominent issue in this sector, as the top two groups that have perceived responsibility for the environment are the consumers and manufacturers.

Green consumerism is a great opportunity; the issue is, that there is an ethical minefield in the way. Here at GottaBe!, we have experience in adjusting our client’s campaigns to improve the environment. We have used our knowledge and experience in this field for events such as our annual family fun days, festivals and for clients such as Tasty Bite, Dorset Tea or Rekorderlig.

If you would like to target the student audience more effectively, whilst helping the planet, please give us a call for a chat or send us an email to hello@gottabemarketing.co.uk. We would love to get involved!