Introduction:
There are numerous factors that affect consumer trends towards shopping; the purchasing decision behaviour entails the selection of a brand, vendor selection, quantity, and time and payment method decision (Nieuwen, C. et al, 2008).
Many big brands, in view of the trend of the consumers, focusing on environmental and ethical conscious companies, wants to build trust by investing on these aspects, besides, the use of organic ingredients to develop products is also on the rise.
Lush Cosmetics:
The company is an inspirational story in creating a brand that transcended new trend, with its exceptional and revolutionary approach to invent, ethically source and in essence creating fresh beauty products by hand and that is the unique selling proposition of Lush Cosmetics that has created an inimitable space in the minds of the targeted consumers.
The marketing communication to connect with the consumers focused on the fresh aspect of the brand and how Lush is playing a positive and ethical role, to help sustain the environment and the world.
The marketing communication is supported by actual acts of valuing people and the needs of the planet, starting with ethical buying, supporting charities and campaigns on animal testing, and these actions have helped in creating a loyal consumer base primarily the younger urban generation having strong views on sustainability and ethical values (Lush, 2016).
An editorial of Lush printed quarterly and an amazing interactive e-commerce website showcasing the kitchen and behind the doors ‘experience’ to consumers and prospective consumers has helped in carving a strong niche in the minds of the consumers (Method, 2016).
The Body Shop:
The brand is a global phenomenon in manufacturing cosmetic products that are natural and the operational procedures are based solely on ethics be it in relation to animal testing or working fairly with the supplier and farmers and most significantly helping the community extensively, with no exploitation (Manifesto, 2016).
The company has always done things differently and have been enriching the cosmetic sector and the planet since 1976. The company has a diverse segment of consumers, in view of the array of products that they develop and with the USP of using natural plant, the ethical based consumers are genuine loyalist of the brand.
The marketing communication is also strongly focuses on social factors to showcase the companies stand on ethics from different perspectives such as, sex trafficking, HIV, Renewable energy, violence at home to name a few (Campaigns, 2016)
The company is the epitome of ethics and the 2020 commitment showcases the desire of the company to help the environment from all the operational aspects, these initiatives has helped a great deal in connecting the consumers to the stores and most importantly help a large number of people to realise the importance of ethics.
Donation’s and charity is one of the major ways to target the consumer and with campaigns such as last year’s 2015 global Christmas campaign, a total of 4.4 million specially selected gifts were sold that helped in raising £195,000 (Latest Stories).
In this age of digital communication, the consumers are aware more than ever, in relation to the operational process of companies and are more swayed by trends that matches their personalities that affects their selection of a certain brand, just like the trend of purchasing decision based on ethical conscious on a personal level.
References:
Nieuwen, C. et al. (2008). Business Management: A Contemporary Approach. Purchasing Decision. pp.162. Juta & Co. Print.
Lush (2016). Is Lush an Ethical Company?. Retrieved from https://uk.lush.com/article/lush-ethical-company
Latest Stories (2016). The Body Shop. Retrieved from http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/commitment/LatestStories.aspx
Method (2016). LUSH Fresh Handmade Cosmetics. Retrieved from http://method.com/work/lush
Manifesto (2016). The Body Shop. Retrieved from http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/commitment/manifesto.aspx
Campaigns (2016). The Body Shop. Retrieved from http://www.thebodyshop.co.uk/commitment/campaigns.aspx
