Consumer Insights on Green and Sustainability in Social Media

Consumer Insights from the Blogosphere

Janet Eden-HarrisAverill Doering

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Marketing 1.0 Marketing 2.0

Moving to Marketing

2.0

One way communication

Focus on big spenders

Mainstream media

Protect the brand

CPM, reach, frequency

Surveys

Complex communication

Focus on big influencers

Social media

Share the brand

Engagement metrics

Blogs, message boards

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million blogs WW

% read blogs in US (73% WW)

of adults blog freq or occasionally

Blogging by the numbers

% of bloggers opine about products

% bloggers older than 30

1Technorati, Jan 20082,3BIGresearch Simultaneous Media Survey, April 20084Universal McCann Report Social Media Consumption, April 20085Ad Age, October 2007

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Social media can be used in a variety of ways

Blogger Outreach

Crisis Communication!

Innovation ideas

Brand insight

Industry analysis

Customer insight

Tactical Strategic

Presenter

Presentation Notes

This extraordinary capability can be used in a variety of ways, from the tactical to the strategic. Each is an important tool in our marketing bag of tricks. One of the first ways companies began using the blogosphere was to monitor for rumors or crisis communication. Next, some have developed a strategy for doing selective outreach to bloggers you want to engage with. Some as a direct result of the crisis communication, but increasingly, companies are also seeing the power of getting a set of very engaged consumers involved in specialty sites, or self-help teams or company panels. These tend to be fairly small in number—20 – 100 bloggers, but can be a powerful way to engage and learn. Many companies are using the blogoshere to understand what a wide range of consumers are saying, studying tens of thousands of conversations to understand how consumers are using and thinking about their brand Others are stepping back and looking at what consumers are saying about their industry, competitors, or perhaps the adoption rate of a new technology. We’ve worked with a number of companies do help them do some exciting work around profiling their consumers based on how they talk about their product or category. I like to call it “organic segmentation” because in contrast to traditional marketing methods, we can create segments based how consumers talk about their experiences and what motivates them to buy. We’re going to focus today on how social media can be used to help with the innovation process. And take a specific look at some of the consumer trends we’ve observed over the past year that might be used to inform new product concepting in the coming year

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Natural Language Processing and Machine Learning

“OMG… I took my boyfriend shopping with me today. He hated the mall but he really digs me .”

Getting Geeky

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Take a look at this sentence. If you had to predict whether the person writing this was a man or a woman, could you? Could you predict their likely age range….Gen Y, Gen X, or Baby Boomer? Could you tell if she was speaking positively or negatively about her boyfriend? Now think about the clues you used…. And imagine if you could program a computer to recognize the patterns in speech that would let you predict whether a writer is male or female, and what age range they are in, what they’re talking about, and whether it’s positive or negative. That’s what Umbria’s Natural Language Processing does. It’s patent-pending.

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Why

When HowMuch

What

Who

Topic

Umbria Analysis Fundamentals

Presenter

Presentation Notes

To come up with the trend data for this report, we’ve used two basic approaches. The first is what we call a topic analysis. We start with a topic…in this case, all the conversations around online TV…and look for conversations that tell what people are saying about the topic.

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GenderAge

Why

When HowMuch

What

Who

Topic

Presenter

Presentation Notes

As you just heard, we can use our NLP algorithms to let us break down those conversations into age and gender, so we know what the various profiles are.

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Sentiment

SubTopics

GenderAge

UnmetNeeds

When

Why

HowMuch

What

Who

Topic

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Next we apply our algorithms to break the conversations into topics…different programs they’re discussing, the characters, or how they watch…and run our sentiment algorithms to see how much positive or negative sentiment there is. If it’s negative, it’s often a clue to unmet needs.

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Why

When HowMuch

What

Who

Topic

SpeakerVolume

PostingVolume

Sentiment

SubTopics

GenderAge

UnmetNeeds

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Then we roll it up into aggregate totals…how many posts were there on the topic? How many individual speakers? And we can determine when they posted to get a week by week or even daily tally.

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Why

When HowMuch

What

Who

Topic

SpeakerVolume

PostingVolume

Sentiment

SubTopics

GenderAge

UnmetNeeds

DateOf

Post

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Then we roll it up into aggregate totals…how many posts were there on the topic? How many individual speakers? And we can determine when they posted to get a week by week or even daily tally.

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Why

When HowMuch

What

Who

Topic

SpeakerVolume

PostingVolume

Sentiment

SubTopics

GenderAge

Values

Purchase& Usage

DateOf

Post

UnmetNeedsMedia

Presenter

Presentation Notes

Finally, we start digging for specific conversations that will tell us a lot about their motivations, the media they speak about, how and why they buy.

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Consumer-driven analysis: Tribes

WHO:Define the Consumer Segment

UMBRIA 360°ANALYSIS

Presenter

Presentation Notes

We used our topic analysis to gain a lot of insight into this group of consumers. But Umbria also has a unique technology called Tribe Analysis that gave us some additional insight. With Tribe Analysis, we first define a consumer segment…maybe it’s young adults, or people who have a dog, or new car buyers…any group that can be defined based on how they talk can be used. In this case, it was people who talked about online TV. Then we use our clustering technology to learn what the major topics of conversations are among this tribe Then we measure the volume of conversation and apply sentiment Ultimately, looking for the drivers of those topics…what’s the emotional or need state driving those themes. In this case, our ‘tribe’ was in effect, all of the groups we researched in 2007…a very wide swath of consumer types. With a tribe that large, we were looking for the uber-trends, or mega-trends…consumer patterns that would transcend the individual industries that might be indicative of something ‘bigger’ going on. So what were the major trends we found?

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Eating Out

Weekends

24%

Travel

64%

78%

5%

4%

Climate Change Health

WellnessWHAT:

Identify Topics of Conversation through Clustering



Presenter

Presentation Notes

To come up with the trend data for this report, we’ve used a derivation of our new Tribe Analysis technology. We first define a consumer segment…maybe it’s young adults, or people who have a dog, or new car buyers…any group that can be defined based on how they talk can be used. Then we use our clustering technology to learn what the major topics of conversations are among this tribe Then we measure the volume of conversation and apply sentiment Ultimately, looking for the drivers of those topics…what’s the emotional or need state driving those themes. In this case, our ‘tribe’ was in effect, all of the groups we researched in 2007…a very wide swath of consumer types. With a tribe that large, we were looking for the uber-trends, or mega-trends…consumer patterns that would transcend the individual industries that might be indicative of something ‘bigger’ going on. So what were the major trends we found?

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Eating Out

Weekends

24%

Travel

64%

78%

5%

4%


WellnessWHAT:


HOW:Measure Volume



Presenter

Presentation Notes


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Eating Out

Weekends

24%

Travel

64%

78%

5%

4%


WellnessWHAT:


Neutral

Negative

Positive

HOW:Measure Volume


Determine Sentiment


Presenter

Presentation Notes


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Eating Out

Weekends

24%

Travel

64%

78%

5%

4%


WellnessWHAT:


Neutral

Negative

Positive

HOW:Measure Volume


WHY:Uncover Drivers of Interest, Sentiment or Purchase

Determine Sentiment

Tribe ProfileUMBRIA 360°ANALYSIS

Presenter

Presentation Notes


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Sustainability in the Blogosphere

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49,081

73,102

94,295

127,466

Janu

ary

February

MarchApril

MayJu

neJu

ly

August

Septe

mber

October

November

December

Janu

ary

February

MarchApril

May

Sustainability Remains Hot in 2008

160%

2007 2008

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What are consumerstalking about?

[ 20 ]Percent of Industry Mentions within Sustainability Discussions

Most Talked about Industries within Sustainability2007 vs. 2008 Comparison

4%

5%

8%

12%

13%

15.80%

16%

16%

21%

23%

35%

74%

3%

5%

7%

12%

15%

11%

19%

12%

24%

37%

42%

76%

Pharmaceuticals

Appliances

Paper Products

Electronics

Light ing

Retail

General Packaging

Apparel

Transportat ion & Travel

Food & Beverage

Automotive

Energy & Fuel

2008

2007

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Information Centric DiscussionJanuary – May 2008

News64%

Scientific Research

13%

Personal Experience

23%

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Not Yet a Branded DiscussionJune – December, 2007

BrandDiscussions9%

SustainabilityDiscussions

[ 23 ]

But Merging over TimeJanuary – May, 2008

BrandDiscussions11%

SustainabilityDiscussions

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The Conversation Shift

Debating the Issue Debating the Solution

56% 53%Q2 Q4 2007

59%Q1 2008

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Who is Talking?

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63% of Authors are Female

Boomer Female13%

Boomer Male16%

Gen-X Female17%

Gen-X Male9%

Gen-Y Female33%

Gen-Y Male12%

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DIS

AGR

EEM

ENT

AGR

EEMEN

T

ACTION

INACTION

Consumer Personas within Sustainability

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DIS

AGR

EEM

ENT

AGR

EEMEN

T

ACTION

INACTION

Negator

Apathetic

Skeptic

Shifter

Activist

Idler

Uncertain


Rejecter

Guilty

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DIS

AGR

EEM

ENT

AGR

EEMEN

T

ACTION

INACTION

Negator

Apathetic

Skeptic

Shifter

Activist

Idler

Uncertain

Personal

Social


Rejecter

Guilty

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DIS

AGREE

MEN

T AGREEM

ENT

ACTION

INACTION

Negator22%

Apathetic(not measured)

Rejecter14%

Activist9%

Guilty6%

Idler5%

Uncertain24%

Consumer Personas within SustainabilityApr - Jun, 2007

Shifter8%

Personal

Skeptic12%

Social

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DIS

AGREE

MEN

T AGREEM

ENT

ACTION

INACTION


Shifter16%

Idler13%

Uncertain9%

Consumer Personas within SustainabilityOct - Dec, 2007

Guilty14%

Rejecter12%

Negator17%

Personal

Skeptic11%

Activist10%

Social

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DIS

AGREE

MEN

T AGREEM

ENT

ACTION

INACTION


Shifter19%

Idler15%

Uncertain10%

Consumer Personas within SustainabilityJan - May, 2008

Guilty13%

Rejecter8%

Negator14%

Personal

Skeptic13%

Activist8%

Social

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Belief: Climate change does not existAttitude: Highly frustrated by “one sided”

media focus and the perceived public “naiveté”

Behavior: Actively expresses opinion and shares facts in an attempt to sway the beliefs of others


“A major new scientific study concludesthe impact of carbon dioxide emissions onworldwide temperatures is largely irrelevant,prompting one veteran meteorologist to quip, "You can go outside and spit and have the same effectas doubling carbon dioxide." That comment comes fromReid Bryson, founding chairman of the Department of Meteorologyat the University of Wisconsin, who said the temperature of the earth is increasing, but that it's got nothing to do with what man is doing.”

Negator14%

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“Until recycling becomes the only viable means of resource, I will buy whatever suits me or my business. What's next, plastic? At least

most paper is recyclable and is the least of our worries. About half of the plastic out there are non-biodegradable, non recyclable and eat up our

landfills. Some of you will probably start raving about not to buy products that don't use recycled plastics! "Oh, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to buy

that iPhone because it doesn't use recycled plastic." Give me a break...”


Belief: Climate change is not a serious issue and it’s not my problem

Attitude: Values individual freedomBehavior: Makes purchase decisions based

on personal need and does not consider environmental factors

Rejecter8%

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Belief: Doubtful of climate change issuesAttitude: Skeptical of current information or

unsure of current solutionsBehavior: Expresses opinion and evidence

contrary to popular belief, but does not try to shift others; acts when logical or convenient

“So, chances are I won't find out the truth. Pretty much all the evidenceI'll be presented with will have to be subjective in some way, shape, or form. I mean, hell, I should be used to that by now, as this is a fact that Seems to be universal. Irritating. But the way I see it, there's nothing detrimental in saving energy (it's cheaper, for one!), and not accumulating rubbish and general stuff like that. It's not like it deprives me of anything, really, and I do approve of planting trees and things. Self-sufficiency and avoiding wastefulness is probably a good thing, global warming or no.”

Skeptic18%

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Belief: No clear stance on the issueAttitude: Curious, confused, overwhelmedBehavior: Initially seeks information in

order to solidify opinion, but eventually tunes out the debate and continues with habitual behavior

“In my Science class, they made us watch "An Inconvenient Truth,“the movie by Al Gore that shows how bad Global Warming isgetting and what the consequences are going to be. When I saw it,it seemed hella logical and legit, and it freaked me out and made me wanna be all environmentalist...then I look at [stuff] on the internet, and it says otherwise.It says things like Earth is going through a natural cycle that it always has forall time and that all this man made Global Warming stuff is a myth popularizedby…Al Gore and his Hollywood liberal buddies like Michael Moore. They then state opposing so called "facts" as well that go completely against the "facts“that Al Gore and Co. are giving us...so what the hell am I supposed to think?”

Uncertain10%

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Belief: Climate change is an issueAttitude: Personal insignificanceBehavior: Acts sporadically, but most

often encounters barriers of cost, availability or quality; expresses demand for new green products & technologies

“But what of those things that we should do but very often don't?I don't sort my trash for recycling (like most of Chicago ) and Idon't buy carbon offsets for my portion of the jet fuel burned onthe flights I take. Sometimes, I leave lights on when I leave theroom. I never turn the tap off when I brush my teeth. Go aheadand belittle me for my un-green ways, but there's a method to my wasteful madness. I will not participate in non-mandatory pro-environment actions that are not in my clear financial interest because those actions turn environmental problems into personal statements and undermine the public policies that will create actual change.”

Idler10%

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Belief: Climate change is a critical issue that must be addressed

Attitude: Guilt or hopelessnessBehavior: Takes little action in daily

life due to perceived barriers or habit

“Every time I'm at Steve's I feel incredibly guilty because he drinks a lot ofbottled drinks (mostly water) and canned soda. He also uses plastic cutlery, paper plates, thow-away cups, the like. Living in an apartment, recycling iskind of a luxury. Indianapolis has curbside, but you have to pay for it, and it'snot available for apartment complexes. It really sucks, because most complexes have such a HUGE amount of glass beer bottles, cans from beer and pop, plastic bottles from water and soda...not to mention the amount of junk mail circulars that we get several times a week from the grocery stores andother paid advertisers. All this makes for a damn lot of garbage. I feelawful each time I have to throw away my water bottle. I feel guilty thatI bought it to begin with, and guilty that I threw it away instead of recycling.”

Guilty13%

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Belief: Climate change is an issue and we can do something about it

Attitude: Proud, smart, empoweredBehavior: Makes simple substitutions

such as recycling, changing light bulbs, or switching to reusable shopping bags

“It probably is true that whatever action we take on global warming willhave to take place on a massive scale, but using more energy efficientlight bulbs, recycling and yes, plastic bags is about changing the waywe think. It's about making our culture and ourselves moreenvironmentally conscious. It probably won't make a difference if weunplug our charger when our cellphone isn't charging, but we show achange in our attitudes by acknowledging every little bit helps. We alsoshow that doing something about the environment is something we care,about rather then a problem we find someone else to worry about.”

Shifter19%

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Belief: Climate change is a critical issue that must be addressed

Attitude: Bi-polar - optimistic / pessimisticBehavior: Actively engages consumers,

businesses and governments by sharing information and tips in order to encourage change

“While shopping today I picked up a special edition of "Time Magazine" called "GLOBAL WARMING, the causes, the perils, the solutions, the actions: what we can do". Giving a beautiful restatement of the problems of "global warming" and practical steps on how we could reverse the situation. Like most problems today, our need to act on the global warming issue is not just urgent but dire and like most problems today there are still people who need to be convinced. If you are one of those, please pick up a copy of the time magazine just mentioned (they restate the problems in 122 pages). I wanted to take this opportunity to give you some of the 50 things we can do now to stop global warming.”

Activist8%

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A Challenging Journey for Consumers

1. Awareness2. Understanding3. Accountability & Personal Relevance4. Action

– Lifestyle Impact & Habit– Availability– Cost– Quality– Functionality– Usage Experience

[ 42 ]

The Truth about Sustainability?

Awareness Understanding

[ 43 ]

TRUTH?

Businesses

Journalists

Artists

Enthusiasts

Friends &Family

Academics Experts

NGO’s Government

[ 44 ]

The Truth about Sustainability?

Awareness Understanding…

[ 45 ]

How are Consumers Perceiving “Benefits” Today?

Intangible“how does this relate to me and my life?”

Difficult to measure“how green are we, how green is this?”

Uncertain“What impact will my actions have on the bigger picture / on the future?”

[ 46 ]

What Benefits do Consumers Desire?

Seamlessness

Productivity

Social Connection

Inspiration

[ 47 ]

Green Tech Gone Awesome

“There is one idea, though, that definitely captured my interest. Piezoelectric crystals, for those of you who don't know, are crystals that generate an electric current when compressed. They're used in sensors and ultrasound machines in hospitals primarily now. The amount of power they produce is very small, but imagine several of them acting in an array. Now, imagine the array of piezoelectric crystals embedded in the floor of a busy area, like a train station . Or even several places around the modern office . The possibilities are quite endless, and gave me plenty of ideas.” http://javeharron.livejournal.com/#javeharron

http://javeharron.livejournal.com/�

[ 48 ]

What are the Desired Emotions?

Accomplishment (Personal)

Pride & Acceptance (Social)

Decrease in Stress & Anxiety

Excitement

[ 49 ]

the realistic factor…

Make It Simple

[ 50 ]

the relevant factor…

Make It Personal

[ 51 ]

the social factor…

Make It Visible

[ 52 ]

WHY—WHAT—HOW (Need) (Offering) (Delivery)

http://sustainablelifemedia.com/�

Consumer Insights on Green and Sustainability in Social Media

Business

tribes umbria

global warming

driven analysis

climate change

al gore

clustering

consumer personas

sustainability