The majority of US adult consumers are more likely to give their trust and loyalty to brands they see as being purpose-driven. But where do consumers learn about brand-supported causes? The latest The Checkout [download page] from The Integer Group shows that advertising is one of the main ways shoppers hear about brand-supported causes for everyday products.
Indeed, in a survey of about 1,200 US consumers conducted prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and the Black Lives Matter demonstrations in the US and other countries, two-fifths of respondents said they hear about brand-supported causes for everyday products through advertising. Other than advertising, some 30% say they hear about them from on-pack/product messaging and 28% from the news.
Although boasting about the good they do can be a double-edged sword for brands, other ways shoppers are finding out about brand-supported causes are from signs at or inside a retail store (22%), through a brand’s social media (19%) and on a brand’s website (17%).
There are different reasons why consumers choose one cause-supporting brand over another. Consumers seem to be swayed by the consistency of giving, with 7 in 10 (69%) agreeing that they buy a brand that offers ongoing support to a cause, compared to 3 in 10 (31%) who buy a brand that offers scheduled support.
Shoppers are also more likely to support a brand that allows them to see exactly where their donation goes (63%) compared to those who trust the brand to allocate donations where they are needed most (37%).
Consumers are more likely to support local initiatives, with 6 in 10 (57%) agreeing that they support a brand that benefits a local cause, compared to the 43% who support brands that support a cause on a national or global scale.
A larger share of respondents also say they buy a brand that makes them feel good about the purchase they’ve made because it’s going towards a cause (71%) than those who buy a brand that allows them to get further involved with the cause post-purchase (29%).
Consumers who believe it’s very or somewhat important that brands align with and support causes are also willing to spend close to an average of $2 more on everyday items than those consumers who do not feel it is important that brands support causes.
The full report can be downloaded here.
About the Data: Results are based on a survey of 1,201 US adults.
