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Section Editor: Mandy Saven, Head of Food, Beverage & Hospitality
Analyst: Hayley Ard, Senior Editor - Consumer Lifestyle
Outrospective thinking – the act of
considering the motivations, needs and
problems of individuals and communities beyond
oneself – is spurring consumers to bring about
positive social change.
Today’s consumers believe they can make
a difference. Compared to five years ago, 44%
of global consumers believe they now have
more power and influence to make a difference,
according to the 2012 Goodpurpose study by US
public relations firm Edelman. Similarly, a 2012
survey by US global mass media company Viacom
found that 80% of 15,000 millennials from 24
countries agreed with the statement: “My age
group has the potential to change the world for
the better”.
Many consumers are driving change through
web-enabled social activism (Avaaz, 38 Degrees
and Change.org), while others are leveraging
micro-donation platforms (Watsi, Instead App)
to make small – but meaningful – monetary
contributions to big causes. New social fundraising
site Believe.in (launched in the UK in March 2013)
enables individuals to create a “philanthropic
identity” akin to a professional LinkedIn profile or a
social Facebook one.
“With the pathways to activism now
more varied and accessible, this generation
[millennials] believes that they can have an
impact on the world, whether by changing their
consumer habits or by starting a business or
organisation,” explains David Burstein, New-York
based author of Fast Future: How the Millennial
Generation is Shaping Our World.
This outlook is particularly relevant to brands
and companies that want to align themselves with
pro-social consumers. With trust in governments
and banks diminishing, consumers are turning
to brands and businesses for mentorship and
ethical guidance.
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Consumer Lifestyle