Trends Affecting the Awakening Consumer Hank Stewart Green Team ESTC October 28, 2008
Agenda
Green Team The Awakening Consumer Awakening Traveler Trends Global Warming Concerns Opportourism Voluntourism Waiting For Green The Rise of Social Marketing The Meltdown Weathering The Storm
Founded in 1993, Green Team is a New York-based, integrated advertising and communications agency that specializes in marketing to the Awakening Consumer.
Green Team Mission Use communications to harness the power of business to bring about social and environmental change.
More Female 55/45
College grad plus:133 Post Grad degree: 150
Median age 42.6
49MM 23% of US
Middle class HHI 61K Source: MRI 2006
Demographics
Urban/Suburban 45% A County (109) 25% B County (98)
Coastal markets
Corporate Social Responsibility: $37 billion Socially Responsible Investing: 11% of all
US investments Organics: +20% per year Fair Trade: +41% per year Green Building: 14,000 LEED buildings
Source: The CRO
Spend more: $6,000+ (132) Own a passport (137) Travel abroad (172) Combine foreign business and personal
travel (168) Plan travel online (140)
Source: MRI Fall 2006
Awakening Traveler Trends
Global Warming Concerns Opportourism Voluntourism Waiting For Green
Global Warming Concerns
62% of Awakening Consumers believe global warming is
a problem we can solve 54% say offsetting carbon from travel is “extremely” or
“somewhat” important
Source: g-Think
Global Warming Concerns
Offset Projects 2000: 13 2007: 211 Volume (metric tons) 2000: 1 million 2007: 10.2 million 600+ organizations develop,
market or sell offsets in US
Source: Government Accounting Office
Global Warming Concerns
Regulation would help, but not
recommended.
Source: g-Think
Opportourism
Opportourism
Lonely Planet Bluelist: Unmissable places to visit before they disappear
Places to see before they disappear
11 places to see before they disappear
World’s more endangered travel places
Voluntourism
Voluntourism
3.7 million Americans did long-distance
volunteering 14% have taken at least one volunteer vacation 38% plan to voluntour in 2008 55% willing to in the future 39% of Awakening Consumers say opportunities to volunteer are important when making a travel decision
Waiting for Green
Awakening Consumers
“Extremely” or “somewhat” important when traveling 76% environmental impact of accommodations 63% environmental impact of transportation 65% bettering communities visited 38% opportunities to volunteer
Source: g-Think
Responsible Travelers
32% of US travelers say they will be more environmentally
conscious in their travel decisions this year 23% US consumers say clearly stated green policies are
very important when making travel plans 79% willing to spend more on an eco-friendly destination or
business. 75% of hotel guests are willing to participate in
environmental programs
Source: TripAdvisor 2008 Annual Travel Trends Survey; Prospectiv; JD Powers
Going Green, But Still Along Way to Go
25 Big Companies That Are Going Green; Business Pundit, July 2008
The Rise of Social Media
The Rise of Social Media
Facebook 100,000,000 users MySpace 100,000,000 users, 230,000 new users every day LinkedIn 20,000,000 users 150 industries
Barack Obama – Marketer of the Year
Hired Chris Hughes (co-founder of Facebook) 10 million+ YouTube views of “Yes We Can” by wil.i.am 6 million+ YouTube views of Obama’s “race” speech
Barack Obama – Marketer of the Year
Friends on Facebook: Obama: 2,144,798 McCain: 576,475
www.my.barackobama.com ƒ raised $51 million ƒ 65,000 new donors
www.factcheck.org www.washingtonpost.com/Fact_checker www.politifact.com and…www.factcheck.barackobama.com
Social Media and the Green Movement
Facebook “over 500” green groups 301 ecotourism groups MySpace 1,460 search results for “ecotourism”
Social Media and the Green Movement
Care2: almost 10 million members
Make Me Sustainable: carbon management and social networking
Celsias: blog turned social network, community site
Hugg: user generated news (a green Digg)
GenGreenLife: green social network with local focus
The Rise of Social Media
Social Media and Travel
83% of travelers are online 41% of US travelers use some social media for travel research 20 million unique visitors to TripAdvisor in one month (July 2008) 30% of US travelers would change hotel choice based on an online
review
Sources: iht.com, hotelmarketing.com, newsguide.us
Social Marketing and Travel – sharing sites
Lonely Planet ThornTree TripAdvisor hereorthere.com seebeforeyoudie.com igougo.com ShareTrip.com TripSay.com
Social Marketing and Travel – sharing sites
Social Marketing and Travel – commercial sites
Social Marketing and Travel – commercial sites
Social Marketing and Travel – niche sites
AirlineMeals.net Groople, TripHub, Triporama FlightClub, Tripmates, AirTroductions
The Meltdown
September 2008
Major hotel chain and a high-end cruise line report decreases 89% of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction “This downturn could last 8 years.” – Warren Buffet
-10%
Sources: International Council of Shopping Centers, New York Times/CBS poll
-12%
-3%
September 2008
+2%
Source: International Council of Shopping Centers
+6%
The Good News
Awakening Consumers: (October) ƒ 44% buying organics as always ƒ 50% buying environmentally friendly/natural products as always
EverVail
new 11-acre development second largest LEED certified resort (after CityCenter in Vegas) 190-300 condos hotel 150,000 square feet restaurant/commercial space
Sandals Foundation
education environment community
Tauck
R. Tauck & Partners, LLC ”cross-section of profit and non-profit”
The Meltdown: Staycation?
9-24% to have a staycation this year ‘101 Days of Summer Staycations’ widget from Walmart.
Sources: g-Think
The Meltdown: Still Travelling
BUT 83% of Awakening Consumers are still planning to travel (October) 30% traveling more affordably 26% are using rewards points/miles to offset costs. 25% are traveling closer to home 20% are traveling fewer days
Sources: g-Think October Survey
The Meltdown: Material to Experiential
T&L readers 60% say travel is too important to their mental health to quit CNT readers spending money on in 2008: 21% Car 32% jewelry/fashion 97% travel
Sources: Conde Nast Traveler, AMEX Travel Trends Survey
The Meltdown: A Shift In Values
Greed vs. Green Short term gain vs. Long term sustainability Me vs. We
Sources: Conde Nast Traveler, AMEX Travel Trends Survey
Be opportunistic Add value Stick together Stick to your guns
Thanks
Our Work: greenteamusa.com g-Think.com Contact Info: Hank Stewart (212) 966-6365 hank@greenteamusa.com