MARKETING
88 percent of consumers globally are more likely to be loyal to companies that support social and environmental issues . Throughout the 2010s , CNBC notes , millennials led the charge in environmental , social and governance investing ( known as ESG ) and contributed $ 51.1 billion to sustainable funds in 2020 .
In ESG , environment represents how a company ’ s operations ( such as energy use and pollution ) impact the planet ; social represents a business ’ s commitment to inclusion and how it treats its workforce , partners and the community ; governance represents how a company operates on the highest levels , including accounting .
You can see the impact of the ESG wave everywhere , from electric vehicle ads to multicultural commercials to HenHouse Brewing Company in Sonoma County , which launched a collaboration among 23 breweries to create a beer to urge its customers to take political action regarding the Green New Deal legislation . “ A Mobilizing India Pale Ale Brewed to Combat Climate Change ,” reads the tagline on the beer can . Participating breweries also include Sudwerk Brewing Co . in Davis and Flatland Brewing Company in Elk Grove . Businesses can ’ t afford to ignore this new reality if they hope to stay relevant . But in the Capital Region — with its hodgepodge of cultures , age groups and political interests — advertisers have to be strategic and intentional in their efforts to reach customers .
“ Because the world has become so much more politically divided — and this is such a tragic truth ,” says Doug Elmets , president of Sacramentobased Elmets Communications , which represents Native American tribes throughout the country , “ advertisers need to be particularly sensitive to their audience .”
Driving the trends
Even Yelp , the popular platform that publishes crowd-sourced reviews about businesses , has had to adapt to
Doug Elmets , president of Elmets Communications , represents Native American tribes in California . PHOTO COURTESY OF DOUG ELMETS
socially-minded demands . The company notes that searches for “ plant based ” increased about 56 percent every year from 2018 to 2021 . Similarly , searches for “ EV charging ” jumped 41 percent in that same span . In May , Yelp updated its search options to make it easier for consumers to find more sustainable businesses . On the platform , users can now select more amenities , including “ EV charging station available ,” “ plastic-free packaging ,” “ provides reusable tableware ,” “ bring your own container allowed ” and “ compostable containers available .”
If you were born before 1980 , these amenities might feel completely foreign . Baby boomers and Generation X consumers came of age when individual aspiration was the focus of advertising , according to Paul McClure , principal and advertising director at RSE , formerly known as Runyon Saltzman .
McClure has been in the business for more than 35 years . He remembers when brands wanted audiences to feel empowered by their products as status symbols — specifically , in the automotive , fashion and technology industries . Decades ago , good mileage and reduced emissions weren ’ t nearly as important as creating a perception of how the car conveyed the image of the driver .
“ If I drive a BMW , people are going to think of me a certain way : I ’ m successful and cool ,” McClure says , but during this past year ’ s Super Bowl , he notes how many car commercials focused on electric vehicles and
82 comstocksmag . com | July 2022