If you can make vegan living cool, you’ve really done something right. This is exactly what the company, Naturli’, has managed to do. Their products are both tasty, low on CO2 and have a strong and bold narrative behind them, which at the same time unites and speaks directly to the customers’ value set. A spin-off effect became Green Ambassadors. Ambassadors who have really moved the company in a positive direction.
What are Green Ambassadors?
In this post, we look at green ambassadors, who exist among many audiences and contexts. In general, ambassadors are often associated with consumers, but they can also be employees, suppliers, B2B customers and everything in between. Green ambassadors are therefore all stakeholders who either take pride or can identify with your organisation’s values and actions. The result is active and engaged followers who, often for free, spread the organisation’s messages, products, services and help with business development.
Looking at consumers and customers, green ambassadors can become your key product developers and marketers, and most importantly, they can help avoid green fatique in your organisation.
Free product feedback and marketing from your customers
Naturli’ is a prime example of a company that has really managed to engage and activate its most loyal customers. Thus creating some highly valuable groups where customers both help with product feedback, but at the same time spread the products in the best possible way: via the word-of-mouth method. Sustainable innovation at its best.
How do you create green ambassadors?
The principles of ordinary ambassadors still apply, of course. Conversely, when we talk sustainability, we add some extra dimensions that you have to be aware of.
For Naturli’ it has been especially:
- strong value set for a sustainable future without some forms of green washing
- The Plant Movement Facebook page
- delicious plant products at the same price and quality as conventional
- trustworthy persons in the company
- good storytelling and marketing linked to the value proposition
- closed Facebook groups for various purposes
- engagement with their network via incredibly low response times to everything from direct messages and comments
- be on the social media that customers are on
- dare to think outside the box and speak your mind in a good way
Customers are important ambassadors, but your employees can be even more important green ambassadors
In addition to customers and consumers, you can also think about which employees you want. If you have green ambassadors and green products, you also help create green jobs. You can also brand yourself on this. However, it is important that you also do something in the work environment and workplace that is actually sustainable. Both in terms of the environment, biodiversity, climate and social well-being. We recommend you read more about what the future green labour market looks like, otherwise you will have a very hard time retaining employees.
Green ambassadors are also strongly linked to personalities and audiences. Therefore, it makes a lot of sense to look into the green target groups.
Disclaimer: Naturli’ has actually not necessarily thought that much into hardcore consumer segmentation. Instead, they have focused on making delicious products that encircle the population very broadly. From dedicated vegans to ordinary Danes. An approach we definitely recommend. Yes, we are a marketing house, but our clearest recommendation is without a doubt, you focus on product development. Quality and price just always come first. Next, marketing. Tesla, for example, is a prime example of a company where engineers and great products always come first. A simple way to show this is that Tesla has spent 0 crowns on paid advertising, and despite this has created the best selling car in Europe.
Hardcore product development and innovation come first.
After that, there’s no reason why you can’t look deeper into the segmentation of green consumers. There may also be some good ideas for new products as well as creative marketing in the segmentation itself.
Green target groups among consumers
In addition to thinking in terms of ambassadors, it makes a lot of sense to look at the different target groups. That way you can tailor your messages as best as possible. The international marketing agency, Dentsu, has classified 4 green target groups supplemented by a 5th group, which falls outside the category, as this group is those who will do nothing for sustainability. An important group to think about even if you identify as a green business.
The audience model is relevant when you want to target your message at certain types. That way, you’re shooting with a sniper instead of a spread, and can get more out of your marketing budget.
The green target groups from Denstu are:
The snus-savvy
The target group, the snus-savvy, is 21% of the Danish population in 2022. The majority are pensioners and 56% of them are women. They live all over Denmark.
Most people have a snuff expert in their network, but they’re not the ones you directly associate with sustainability. You may see them as more reserved, but they actually live quite sustainably.
What does the snus sensible love
- Recycling
- Savings on water, energy and/or food
They are not necessarily meant to live sustainably. They see it as saving money because they have been used to it through their upbringing.
That’s why focusing on the benefits is important when communicating to this audience.
The statistics say
- 79% believe lifestyle changes are necessary
- 43% are unsure what they can do to live more sustainably
- 93% believe the government has a responsibility to ensure we have a sustainable society
The blue ones
The blue-collar workers will make up 11% of the population in Denmark in 2022. They tend to live in big cities and 71% of them are men. They have a medium income.
The target group can be provocative. They want the world to think they are living sustainably too. Ironically, this is the target group that makes the fewest green choices.
What does the target group do?(Or what don’t they do…)
- They sort less waste than average
- They focus minimally on food waste
- They save less on water
- They do not buy Danish goods or recycled products
The above are reasons why they seem provocative. Precisely because they still want people to think they are sustainable. They are a bit of a show-off, and therefore do not compromise their image and economy. Therefore, it is difficult for this target group to make exclusively sustainable choices. In some cases, their finances are not there either. They find it hard to give up luxury, but the sustainable choice for them is the most ‘woke’. Therefore, they want to follow the ‘trend’ sustainability more than the purpose.
The statistics say
- 80% do not feel they can make a difference to climate and environment
- 80% believe sustainability is the responsibility of others
- 84% want to be recognised as a person who lives sustainably
The Concerned
The worried are 21% of Danes in 2022. They have a medium to high income, and 64% are women living in small towns.
In the name lies, of course, they are concerned. They worry about their circle of friends and their children’s future, and they are mostly women. Therefore, their choice for sustainability is based on their desire to create a better future.
However, they are not sure what the ‘right’ choice actually is. That’s why credibility is essential. For example, through certifications on products and honest green marketing.
The golden word, MORAL, is in focus here. It is the guilty conscience and their concern for the future that drives it to make good choices.
The statistics say:
- 91% are willing to change behaviour to live more sustainably
- 65% are unsure what they can do to live more sustainably
- 98% feel good about themselves if they do something good for nature or society
The activist
The activists are 18% of the population in 2022. 55% are women with a high income and they live in the larger cities.
This is the target group you first think of when it comes to green consumers. However, you may think they are a little younger than the truth actually is. 59% of the target group is over 60 years old, with only 13% aged 18-29 and 12% aged 30-39.
What does this target group do
- They are leading the fight for a greener future. They have the financial, professional and social capital to do so.
- They believe they can make a difference
- They make up to more sustainable choices
- They are willing to compromise on luxury to live more sustainably.
They are better than the average Dane when it comes to making sustainable choices. Everything from waste sorting, food waste, plastic consumption, sustainable certifications, water saving and more.
The statistics say
- 74% are willing to give up material goods to live more sustainably
- 60% want to be recognised as living sustainably
- 95% believe they share responsibility for making our society sustainable
What should you watch out for when segmenting consumers so significantly?
Our recommendation is to be careful not to get too hung up on numbers and target groups. They are simply based on statistics, so reality may be different. Rather spend more time on delicious and useful products, good general stories and the rest will come. We see the green target groups as an excellent complement.
Credibility and product development are still your most important friend
We have a mission for everyone involved in marketing to become experts in green communication. That’s why we’ve developed a free Green Marketing video course to help you tell the most effective green story.
Learn more about how to get green ambassadors and find the right audiences, and 9 other important topics.
