Robot Fodder Vol 20
Buy smart, spend savvy, gift better: the new rules of conscious consumption
Consumers claim to care about sustainability (a whopping 80% of them), but when it comes to action, only 1-7% follow through. The rest? Stuck somewhere between eco-fatigue and greenwashing scepticism.
But here’s the twist, people are making sustainable choices, just not for the reasons brands keep pushing. Climate sceptics are starting to make conscious choices because it’s a no brainer.
So is it time brands stopped selling sustainability as a cause and started selling it as common sense?
Insight
Buy smart, buy once
Sustainability has a price tag, and in a cost-of-living crunch, it’s often the first thing to go. Right now, value wins and eco-friendly is a nice-to-have, not a must. But what if sustainability wasn’t the reason people bought, just the result? Durability is having a moment, but not because people are chasing longevity (although some members of the r/BuyItForLife subreddit may beg to differ). They’re snapping up Hiut denim for that perfect worn-in look, Birkenstocks for comfort and Stanleys for hydration goals (or because their favourite sportsperson put their name on it). The secret? make sustainability the side effect of a smart buy. Because at the end of the day, it’s the ‘what’s in it for me’ people buy into.
The crappification counterattack
Tired of overhyped, overpriced, underwhelming stuff? You’re not alone. Consumers are fighting back against the ‘enshittification’ of everything, ditching fast fads for savvier spending. As a result, resale is booming. Second hand fashion is growing 21 times faster than retail apparel, and is set to outpace fast fashion by 2028 (ThredUp & GlobalData). Deinfluencers who spend their time online calling out wasteful buys can be thanked for this overhaul of industry with #deinfluencing gaining 223m views on TikTok and #underconsumptioncore helping to make the ‘make do and mend’ trend cool again.
The gift that keeps on… wasting?
Every year, 40% of us get up to five gifts we really didn’t ask for (thanks, Oxfam, for the brutal truth). And with £42 million worth of unwanted Christmas presents ending up in landfills, maybe it’s time we stopped gifting for the sake of it. Take Philips’ Better Than New campaign. On Black Friday 2024, they hit pause on selling brand-new gadgets, pushing refurbished products with extended warranties instead. A move that proves second chances aren’t just for rom-coms.
What’s going on?
Love that lasts
LEGO flowers. Forever fresh, zero watering required, and the perfect gift for those who like their romance and their purchases to last. This valentine’s Day, LEGO® Botanicals went on tour to help rebuild wilted connections.
Advertising that grows on you - literally
Britannia’s ’shaped by nature’ campaign demonstrates advertising that works with nature instead of competing against it. Visually and metaphorically, the campaign shows how the brand adapts to nature, not the other way around with biodegradable billboards that literally take the shape of trees surrounding them.
Downgrade your standards
Do you really need a spaceship to send a text? Back Market’s ‘Downgrade Now’ campaign proves that older tech still does the trick — saving you cash and the planet, one refurbished phone at a time.
“Sustainability isn’t the marketing open goal it used to be, especially when consumers’ time, money and bullshit detectors are so over-exercised. But brands who build eco credentials into genuine utility for their product can still thrive in the sustainability space. Get your product fundamentals right and you can save the world at the same time as growing a brand. There’s just no room for those who only deliver on the second half of that equation any more.”
Matt
Senior Creative Strategist
