A company’s ‘ethics’ are now a prime consideration for consumers prior to purchase, with eight in 10 people now taking the time to learn a brand’s values during the awareness phase of the cycle, new research by TollFreeFowarding.com shows.
The survey of 2,000 consumers in the US found that ethics may now be the key to new sales and long-term loyalty as the general public wakes up to climate and work-related issues.
Almost half said that a company could secure their loyalty by demonstrating environmental responsibility (45%), while a similar number said the same for supporting the rights of workers (44%) and bringing an end to testing on animals (44%).
Publishing high-quality content is one way that brands can showcase their ethical values in 2020, but consumers now also want to see them supporting local community initiatives and entering into charity partnerships.
The price for falling short on ethical grounds is considerable, as 41% of respondents said that they have already boycotted a brand due to its ethics and values not lining up with their own.
Using organic content and social campaigns may also be preferable when attempting to reach and engage with consumers.
More than a third said that they deem email advertising to be untrustworthy.
In contrast, traditional mediums such as TV, radio and print are more likely to be trusted by the general public.
In a separate study, Nielsen found that Generation Z, often chastised for short attention spans, actually consume content for several hours or more at a time.
