Last Sunday, my daughter ran a fundraising event for her high school club. They offered a Zumba class to their friends and the store Athleta sponsored the event, giving away hair ties, a gift card via raffle, and allowing the students to use their space. Ever heard of Athleta? They are a fitness store, owned by the Gap, and they are very community oriented. Their mission is “Do more than sell clothes" – it guides their commitment to the communities where they live and work.
So what, you ask? Community and giving back are important themes to the consumers fast-becoming a powerful purchasing set.
In their book Spend Shift, authors Gerzema and D’Antonio talk about the changing ‘consumer’ post economic recession and how shifting behavior and attitudes are impacting how consumers think, spend and live:
‘The artificial demand based on the value of inflated assets and a mirage of wealth has disappeared. In the space opened by the post-recession crisis, our society is rediscovering its strength by reappraising its consumerism. We are moving from mindless to mindful consumption. In this new climate ‘consumers’ become ‘customers’ and more importantly, ‘people’ whose needs mandate that companies deliver value and values.’
Do you know this more mindful consumer? We’ll be touching on a few of these same themes in our upcoming, new global Sustainability study. Keep on the lookout and think about your consumer.
