BLUE Sustainability Segmentation
Brand Activation
June 16, 2009
CONFIDENTIAL, DO NOT DISTRIBUTE
Please save trees by keeping this document electronic, or recycle.
2007 Blue Diamond
Pure Blues
<1%
Only buy green*,
regardless of efficacy
Core Blues
12%
Regularly buy green
Light Blues
68%
Sometimes buy green
Disengaged
Never buy green
2
N=1000 US ADULTS
19-20%
2009 Blue Diamond
Pure Blues
<1%
Only buy green,
regardless of efficacy
Core Blues
8%
Almost always buy green
Dark Blues
27%
Regularly buy green
Light Blues
54%
Sometimes buy green
Disengaged
10-11%
Never buy green
3
N=2200 US ADULTS WITH INTERNET ACCESS
2007
2009
Pure Blues
<1%
Pure Blues
<1%
Core Blues
12%
Core Blues
8%
Dark Blues
27%
Light Blues
54%
Disengaged
11%
Light Blues
Disengaged
68%
19%
The “sustainable mainstream” has grown from 68% to 81% since 2007.
Pure Blues
Core Blues
Dark Blues
So who are they?
Light Blues
Disengaged
Core Blues
Almost always buy green
Dark Blues
Regularly buy green
Light Blues
Sometimes buy green
Let’s start with the
sustainable mainstream
My Lifestyle is Blue
Views sustainability as part of her identity
Core Blues
Dreams of a world where she can ALWAYS buy sustainable products
Believes she is leveraging consumerism to participate in a larger cause
Incorporates sustainable products into her life at all levels, from asparagus
to shampoo to solar panels
My Actions Are Blue
…for Me, My Family, My Community and the Planet
Dark Blues
Possesses confidence and pride around her depth of knowledge and
engagement in the world of sustainability
Sees the regular purchase of green products as taking better care of her
family
Understands the environmental impact of some of her actions and teaches
her children about it
Considers herself a spokesperson for the mission of sustainability
The Health and Wellbeing of My Family Comes First
Believes in Climate Change and is intrigued by “going-green”
Light Blues
Isn’t often familiar with the term “sustainability”
Has purchased the “low hanging fruit” like green cleaners, compact
fluorescent light bulbs
Needs to encounter green products at her regular retailer at an affordable
price
Sees sustainability as shrouded in mystery, and doesn’t think she’ll ever
understand
Core Blues
My lifestyle is BLUE
I am deeply
committed to a
sustainable lifestyle and
almost always purchase
green products
whenever possible
Core Blues
Women
61%
Age 35 - 54
Liberal or very liberal
54%
Highest % with grad school*
Her Beliefs and Values
as a Human Being
Influences her
community
Identifies with
healthy living
Sees few
barriers to
behaving
‘green’
Core Blues
Sustainability
is part of her
identity
10
Her Beliefs and Values
as a Consumer
Driven by her values when she shops
Core Blues
When shopping green, a company’s values and
environmental commitment are more important than
price and long-run savings
She is less skeptical about the environmental claims
companies make about their products than the Dark
Blues or Light Blues
She buys exclusively products she trusts, and has no
reason do doubt their transparency
Core Blue Behaviors…
Dark Blues
My actions are
BLUE
…for me, my
community, and
the planet
I actively and
conscientiously
participate in the
sustainability movement
by regularly purchasing
green products
13
Dark Blues
Women
57%
No skew for age
Highest % of college grads*
Skews Married
54%
Politically moderate to liberal
14
Her Beliefs and Values
as a Human Being
Concerned
about the
economy and
the
environment
Volunteers in
her community
Dark Blues
Healthy living
is a core
value
15
Her Beliefs and Values
as a Consumer
Dark Blues
Making purchase decisions is how she expresses her
values. But she must balance ideals with convenience
when she shops.
When buying green, a company’s values and
environmental commitment are more important than
price and long-run savings.
16
Segment most skeptical about companies’ “green”
claims. She is on the watch for ‘greenwashing’ and
seeks answers on the internet.
Dark Blue attitudes and
behaviors….
Light Blues
The health and
wellbeing of my
family comes FIRST
I have some interest in
‘going green’ and I
sometimes purchase
green products
18
Light Blues
No skew for gender
Younger: under 34
38%
Highest % with no college
Highest % with children living at home
Skews unmarried
19
54%
Her Beliefs and Values
as a Human Being
Believes she
has a relatively
small ‘sphere of
influence’ about the size
of her family
Strives for a
healthy
lifestyle
through diet
and exercise
Light Blues
Her family
comes first
20
Her Beliefs and Values
as a Consumer
Light Blues
May have tried to buy local, but it’s probably not a
viable every day solution due to time, money and
location
Will not go out of her way to purchase green
products; she isn’t engaged deeply enough with
the cause to compromise on time and energy
Looks to Core Blue-focused brands for guidance on
trends to follow
Light Blue attitudes and
behaviors….
Pure Blues
Core Blues
Dark Blues
But what about…
Light Blues
Disengaged
23
Pure Blues
Only buy green,
regardless of efficacy
…the fringe segments
Disengaged
Never buy green
Pure Blues
I am
sustainability
He is sustainability and his role in life
is to save the planet—it’s his life’s
mission
He is important because Pure Blues
are the innovators, the NGOs and the
gatekeepers of the perceived truth
Examples of Pure Blue Characteristics:
Has dedicated his career to saving
and changing the planet
Does not commute—he lives close to
where he works so he can ride a bike
or walk
If he has a car, it runs on bio diesel
he makes himself
Grows his own food or belongs to a
community garden
25
Can be as young as college grads
and as old as the “hippie generation”
Disengaged
I am intentionally not
a part of sustainability
and really never buy
green products
Found at all age groups
High representation of Caucasian,
African American
“Not really concerned” with issues such
as the environment and social
wellbeing
No less likely to be familiar with the
term “sustainability” than Dark or Light
Blues (48% vs. 58%); It’s a matter of
opinion, politics or priority, not
education or awareness
Not skeptical about companies’ green
claims
Trusts companies and governments to
make decisions for him
Important because his values will
diminish in the marketplace as the
population grows into sustainability
Methodology
In 2007, Saatchi & Saatchi S created a model we call the “Blue Diamond” to segment values
and behaviors across the spectrum of sustainability in the US:
• We used the 2006 Mintel Green Living Report to identify the segments and their population
sizes based on one simple question: Do you regularly, sometimes or never try to buy green
products when available?
• In order to understand who our sustainability segments are, we overlaid additional third party
segmented research including the Hartman Group Sustainability Report, Roper Green Gauge
Study, BBMG Conscious Consumer Study, Saatchi & Saatchi X Sustainability Shopping Study as
well as data from Natural Marketing Institute and other various sources.
• In addition to the Core Blues, we carved out <1% of the population we defined as “Pure
Blues,” a segment deeply steeped in BLUE that should be called out as it’s own segment with
different values and behaviors.
All of this data has been refreshed for 2009.
27
A Refresh for 2009
Using the recently released 2009 reports from Mintel and Hartman, alongside additional 3rd
party research from 2008/2009, we refreshed our model to more accurately reflect shifts in the
sustainability consumer landscape since 2006/2007.
The data coming out of these two studies, which were conducted at the end of 2008, showed
some significant changes that are reflected in the updated Blue Diamond:
• The Mintel study added a fourth response, “Almost Always Buy Green,” which allowed us to
further segment the Blue Diamond
• Hartman further subdivided Light Blues, providing insight into attitudes and behaviors at each
end of the Light Blue spectrum
• Both Mintel and Hartman showed an marked increase in affinity for green and green
purchasing between 2006/2007 and 2008/2009
28
Works Cited
• BBMG Conscious Consumer Report, 2007
• The Hartman Group Sustainability Report, 2009
• The Hartman Group Sustainability Report, 2007
• Mintel Green Living Report, 2009
• Mintel Green Living Report, 2006
• Natural Marketing Institute Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability Trends Database 2008
(Environmental Leader)
• Roper Green Gauge Study 2009
• Saatchi & Saatchi X Sustainability Shopper Study
• Wal-Mart Sustainability, Power Category Study
29
Media Consumption
Core Blues
Dark Blues
Light Blues
Most likely to frequently
purchase green products
through the internet (23%) 1
She is an influencer 1
– Both online and in her
social network
Consults a variety of
information sources for
insight on the ingredients,
packaging and
manufacturing of a given
product, and uses this
knowledge as the primary
barrier or motivation for
purchase 2
More likely to be engaged and
active in online communities
like Facebook and MySpace 4
Educates herself passively
through TV 4
– Not an active searcher
and learner when it comes
to sustainability
Pre-teens are a vocal
influencer group, especially
in their relationship to their
parents’ purchase decisions
30
Relies on expert opinions from
many sources in her
purchasing decisions 2
– When in doubt she looks
to Pure Blue media such as
Gaiam or Treehugger as a
trusted source on
sustainability questions
2