Can brands really encourage people to make good choices? Gordon Young, editor-in-chief of The Drum, believes consumers have more power than we give them credit for.
This shouldn't be a revelation, but sadly for some it is. The most powerful force in the marketing ecosystem remains the consumer. Those who insist on mandating heat pumps and immediately moving to electric cars are finding that out the hard way. Sales of electric vehicles in developed countries continue to struggle. These are practical as local runabouts and for those with access to off-street parking and charging points. However, they are not a realistic option for most people. Will that ever happen?
If fast chargers were installed across the US and UK today, the power grid would be overwhelmed. Potential buyers have resolved this. It doesn't add up.
Meanwhile, the UK government has set a target of installing 600,000 heat pumps each year by 2028, but only 55,000 were sold in 2022. The National Audit Office said the government's goals are optimistic. The problem is that heat pumps seem to be a more expensive and less efficient option for most homes. Promotion alone is of no use unless the product itself passes inspection.
There is no shortage of clumsy efforts by marketers to achieve social good. These are endless hassles for consumers. Additionally, it has been proven time and time again that consumers need to vote with their wallets before considering the big picture. And we must also remember that they like what they like. Is it really our role to tell them that they are wrong or that they must change?
This is a theme that Waitrose executive director James Bailey touched on at this weekend's Oxford Literature Festival. He argued that the retailer only sells unhealthy food because consumers only buy unhealthy food. “The most important people in this discussion are not people like me. They have an important role, but they don't necessarily have to be politicians. The most important people are the customers, the consumers.” he said via the Telegraph.
“I know there's a simple, feel-good caricature in the supermarket of a mind-controlling villain who controls everything you do, directs you to different parts of the store, and tries to trick you into buying lots of chocolate. . That's true, we're selling all these products, and a lot of them are unhealthy.”
He reminded the audience that supermarkets are “commercial creatures”… “guided almost instantly by consumer choices.” Second, he agrees with many marketers that if consumers vote with their own pockets and shop more environmentally, sustainably, or healthily, supermarkets will be among the first to follow. He pointed out that this reflects the concerns of But that's not the case.
He was asked whether supermarkets have a responsibility to educate customers about how their food is produced. He answered: “Customers aren't shopping in a library. One of my favorite facts about grocery shopping is that from the time they drive into the parking lot to the time they leave at the other end, they , which means on average someone sees seven words.”
Supermarkets are not places to learn about food, he argued. Additionally, better, healthier food costs more, he explained. And that's going to be a tough sell. Consumers are there, but retailers have limited power to drive positive change. We saw the same thing with our net zero efforts.
This brings to mind the words of Mitch McConnell: Not all politicians know how to get reelected after reelection. ”
But of course the marketing industry also helps. To an extent.
We need to remind policymakers of the need to go back to first principles. In the words of another American politician, this time JFK, “Ask not what the consumer can do for me, but what I can do for the consumer.”
This oversight is harming efforts around the world, which may include paying attention to how policies can help here and now, rather than just the big picture, such as tackling climate change. And of course, to build trust, we must stop pushing products on consumers that are not fit for purpose or ready. What's good about that?
