The Word
If you’re a marketer, you probably use the word all the time. A business writer or journalist? You likely use the word just as frequently. And if you’ve purchased something recently, you may have even labeled yourself with it. The word: ‘consumer.’
We all use the term, but have we thought about what we’re really saying? According to Oxford, a consumer is ‘a person who purchases goods and services.’ Simple enough, right? And pretty neutral, right? After all, consumption is what powers the economy, and that’s a good thing, right? Well, when it comes to sustainability efforts, the word ‘consumer’ may actually be doing more harm than good! Keep reading to find out why we should stop using the word, and what we should be using instead…
Green Business Strategy Means ‘Less’
During a recent podcast recording, we spoke with author, speaker, and climate activist Ed Gillespie about the roles companies and individuals play in supporting the environment. We talked a lot about ‘greenwashing’ – meaning the subtle way a business may try to misrepresent the impact (positive or negative) it has on the planet – and we talked a lot about the ‘crazy’ cycle of consumerism.
As citizens, we’re awakening to our responsibility in combatting climate change. And often, we’re getting the message that in order to do our part, we must purchase ‘green’ products. THIS, says Gillespie, is exactly where the ‘crazy’ part comes in.
“You can’t consume your way out of this crisis.”
-Ed Gillespie, author & environmentalist
“You can’t consume your way out of this crisis,” states Gillespie. “We can’t actually just buy the right things. Less is fundamentally going to mean more.”
Scores of sustainable products have rolled up onto our store shelves, both digital and physical, and countless more are coming through or being dreamed up right now. But ‘more’ is not the answer. What we need to be focused on, says Gillespie, is ‘less.’
“Millions of lovely, sustainable products emerge onto the market. But are they really displacing the unsustainable ones? No, they’re just adding,” says Gillespie. “It’s not enough to do the good stuff,” he continues, “we’ve got to actively stop doing the bad stuff and selling the bad products. Because otherwise, the cumulative effect is worse.”
The Consumer’s Role
So how can we, as consumers, stop this crazy cycle? Well, there’s that word again, ‘consumer.’ And there’s a growing chorus of voices singing out that this is right where we start. With nixing the word.
“When we are labeled as consumers,” asserts Gillespie, “we are psychologically primed to be more selfish, more self-interested and more obsessed with our own rights.”
A recent article in Quartz echoes these ideas and explores the movement to reject the term. “Endless consumption is not the goal,” the author states, “but the problem. And we need a change in our language to help us see that problem and solve it.”
Instead of terming ourselves as beings who simply consume, the idea is to think of ourselves as part of a global group. Members or inhabitants of a shared space. Citizens.
“When we are positioned as citizens,” Gillespie explains, “then we are much more selfless, more altruistic, and more interested in our collective responsibilities.”
Of course, this also must extend to how marketers view the people they’re marketing to. Fortunately, they’ll be tapping into people’s genuine concerns for the planet. And when ‘going green’ becomes bona fide business strategy, it’s likely to be good for business, too.
“When you actually take a radical sustainability perspective on your business strategy,” Gillespie says, “then it’s highly likely that the transformation of products and services that then emerges is much more marketable.”
Want More Insight?
Catch the whole conversation with Ed Gillespie on the Greenwashing episode of our podcast, Strategy for Breakfast!
Or, continue the conversation at an upcoming GDS Summit, where we bring together senior marketing executives who are actively seeking to share, learn, engage, and find the best solutions on the market.
Regarding the recent CMO Digital Innovation Summit, 75% of Delegates said the Digital Summit provided them with actionable outcomes to support their current initiatives.
