1. WENDY COBRDA AND MEGAN KOVACS
LOHAS and LOHOE
MAKE GREEN COLORLESS AND SUSTAINABILITY A GIVEN
T
HINK ABOUT THE last time you stood in front of your
grocer’s freezer gazing through the glass doors, daydreaming
about ways to save the planet while looking for a frozen, sweet
concoction to eat. WHOA! Stop right there. You weren’t thinking excited are you when you get something
you desire and to your delight it’s also on
about the planet, honestly, were you? Oh sure, you may have SALE?) So how can anyone argue that
intention must be aligned with the end
decided to buy some ice cream made of soy milk or tofu, or with
goal in order to achieve success?
“just 5 natural ingredients”—but your mouth watered at the thought Consumers whose attitudes and be-
haviors are not fully aligned with the
of the experience, the creamy sensation, the sweet, flavorful taste of
LOHAS lifestyle—and that’s about 93%
the treat. That’s really why you selected it, right? of the U.S. adult population (see chart at
right), offer honest assessments as to why
Hedonics—the study of seeking plea- now you walk or bike everywhere? How they buy eco-friendly versions of prod-
sure and avoiding pain—is at work here. does it make you feel? Look deeply. ucts. You may find it surprising that the
Many of us get caught up thinking that Even if you gave up the convenience of a motivations of “Enthusiasts” and “The
to be truly sustainable we must tightly car, do you suffer from your choice for Rest” really are not all that different from
align intention to outcome. If we honest- the good of the planet alone? NO! Even one another.
ly reflect on how we choose to act and those who sacrifice get pleasure out of So what’s the takeaway?
purchase each day, we’d quickly con- refraining from purchasing/buying/us- It’s not their fault.
clude that seeking pleasure isn’t inher- ing, because ultimately it makes us feel Yes, consumers must do their part to
ently wrong. In other words, buying ice good for the very reason we are protect- not waste, but as manufacturers and
cream because it tastes good doesn’t ing the planet. service providers, if we don’t make it
mean that the intent (pleasure) behind a However, utopia isn’t quite ours. It is convenient and pleasurable for them,
sustainable choice is any less noble than true that humans seek pleasure and try to our chance of success is practically nil.
“planet first.” avoid pain—however, we do that within Americans are a resilient people; they
Let’s look at the flip side of LOHAS— the realm of resources available to us. rise to the occasion. However, unless
the concept of Lifestyles of Hedonics and Consequently, economics drive our they derive pleasure, they will not easily
Economics (or LOHOE, to go with the choices more than ever. For example, be shaken from their habits. That’s why
vernacular!) as the way to remove the who wouldn’t want to own a Tesla? Un- programs such as Recycle Bank work
preaching and get on with the teaching. fortunately, for many of us, our income so well. The rewards of measuring your
For indeed, if the adoption of health and doesn’t permit that kind of purchase, giv- efforts and being realized for your
sustainability is a universal goal, we en other priorities. In fact, the economics efforts are marketing dopamine. The
should take the sacrificial, enlightened, of sustainability often drive behaviors pleasure outweighs the pain (inconve-
“us vs. them” attitude and chuck it. Work more than altruism or evolved thinking. nience) of recycling.
with human nature to make green color- Swapping out light bulbs and replacing
less—to make sustainability a given. old appliances with energy- and water- Teach, don’t preach.
Not convinced? saving alternatives is driven by a desire Consumers often don’t know the story
Think of how you get around. Did for cost savings. And yes, the act itself of behind the products they buy. In a world of
you buy a hybrid or perhaps a clean die- consciously consuming can be very plea- a million SKUs, it’s impractical to know
sel? Or maybe you gave up your car and surable—dare we say, hedonistic. (How the history of all the products we use. Won-
34 LOHAS JOURNAL | SPRING 2010 www.lohas.com

2. Motivations for making “green” purchases (Ranked by selection frequency) LOHOE Motivators vs. LOHAS Motivators
PERSONAL CARE FOOD DURABLES
ENTHUSIASTS THE REST ENTHUSIASTS THE REST ENTHUSIASTS THE REST
Health Safety Ingredients/Materials Taste Taste Cost Savings Cost Savings
Ingredients/Materials Health Safety Ingredients Ingredients Quality Brand
Quality Quality Lifestyle Lifestyle Impact Quality
Beliefs/Values Brand Manufacturing Price Brand Price
Brand Price Future Health Availability Price Impact
Manufacturing Beliefs/Values Source Future Health Health/Safety Recommended
Price Recommended Brand Brand Beliefs/Values Beliefs/Values
Recommended Availability Price Manufacturing Materials Health/Safety
Availability Manufacturing Availability Recommended Manufacturing Manufacturing
Packaging Cost Savings Packaging Source Recommended Materials
Cost Savings Packaging Current Health Packaging Recyclable Recyclable
Source Source Recommended Current Health Source Source
Enthusiasts = 7% and The Rest = 93% of respondents—Eco-Insights 2009 (30,000+ surveyed). Respondents scored on a series of questions relating to
sustainable attitudes and behaviors, with Enthusiasts rated High on both attributes.
derful new tools such as Good Guide—an why your product is better—explain why Convenience and economy often
app that allows you to scan a barcode and they will feel good when they buy from trump altruism.
quickly link to nutritional and sustainable you. Help them rank your product against Few would disagree, for example, that
information—is great, yet will not engage other options. Using eco-guilt will backfire. public transportation is a better use of
the masses, the LOHOE-driven popula- Embrace the concept “it’s okay if sustain- our resources. But in areas not densely
tion. How do we provide information that ability is a byproduct” of their decision- populated, it isn’t always a practical
people will use at ‘point of choice’? Share making rather than the main driver. Continued on page 47 >
When you’re ready to flex your green marketing muscles, call Earthsense.
With 30,000 respondents, our Eco-Insights database helps you pinpoint green
consumers with laser-like precision, bringing you actionable insights into
 Consumer motivations and barriers
 Green attitudes and behaviors
 More than 125 product categories
 Eco-Attitudes & behaviors
 Extensive demographics
 Psychographics and lifestyles
 Media usage
 Religion and politics
 80+ retail chains (grocery, drug, mass, club, discount)
 Custom questions exclusive to your company
Quite simply, Earthsense beings you the most comprehensive
information on green consumers. Period.
Now that's data that packs a punch. Earthsense.com
Earthsense: Strength in Numbers.
www.lohas.com LOHAS JOURNAL | SPRING 2010 35

3. san francisco april 10|11
concourse exhibition center
chicago may 22|23
n av y p i e r
seattle june 5|6
w a s h i n g t o n s tat e c o n v e n t i o n & t r a d e c e n t e r
washington dc oct 23|24
washington con v en tion cen ter
san francisco nov 5|6|7
concourse exhibition center
WHERE ARE THE GREEN... LOHAS AND LOHOE
< Continued from page 7 < Continued from page 35
We need to begin by thinking green, choice. (And while we may plan a smart- tentions are constrained by economic
beginning with our own homes and life- er sprawl, we don’t necessarily need to considerations.
styles and practices at our places of busi- live in a city to be “green.”) Buying or- An actual societal shift will occur
ness. On the cusp of a new economy, the ganic milk is arguably better than buying when sustainable options become the
door is wide open for the next big regular milk—but with a difference of up norm, because they meet our needs with-
idea(s). The small green business of to- to $5 a gallon, it pits economics against out sacrifice. The burden must be shoul-
day could be the Fortune 100 company health or societal costs. If we as a society dered by those who manufacture and
of tomorrow. LJ want to really embrace sustainability, we market products and services; consumers
must banish the premiums by making all shouldn’t have to work so hard to do the
MaryAnne Howland is owner products sustainable by design. Until that “right thing.” LJ
and president of Ibis Commu- happens, people will more often choose
nications, an advertising and the path of least resistance. Wendy S. Cobrda, CEO &
marketing solutions firm that Co-Founder of Earthsense, is a
builds bridges between brands and commu- Conclusion: veteran of the target marketing
nities of color. They connect consumers Is our green glass Half Empty or Half industry who has spent the last
with brands, employers with talent, Full? It’s all about perspective and atti- twenty years building innovative data and
purchasers with minority suppliers, and tude. Whether we admit it or not, we all consulting enterprises.
philanthropists with nonprofits. MaryAnne want the same basic thing—enjoyment
is vice chair of Social Venture Network, from the products we choose to buy and Megan Kovacs is Insights
Diversity Chair for the American Advertis- use, whether driven by our own personal Product Manager of Earth-
ing Federation—Nashville, and member of tastes and interests or a desire to mini- sense and leads efforts for
Multicultural Marketing Committee for mize our footprint on the planet. Keep making Eco-Insights the most
National Association for Multi-ethnicity in in mind that human nature is driven by comprehensive study of the green consumer.
Communications, Community Outreach a desire to feel pleasure and avoid pain,
for Frist Center. and that even those with the best of in-
www.lohas.com LOHAS JOURNAL | SPRING 2010 47