Activism Consumer Insights

Implications - To declare their dissent towards the ascending cost of oil, defiant designers have created statement pieces for those sharing their vision of insurgence. Fashion and jewelery can function as everyday awareness pieces, while home decor items can send a silent message depicting these views.

Implications - After Al Gore’s Inconvenient Truth made its global impression, campaigns against global warming became hot forms of advertising. Not everyone was eco-interested then, but 2008’s surge in gas prices peaked interests in new demographics seeking to prevent global warming-related disasters.

Implications - On March 29, 2008, over 50 million people voluntarily shut off their lights for 60 minutes. The WWF Earth Hour initiative had participants in 370 cities in 25 countries turn off all electronics as a collaborative visual statement to express the care people share for the planet.

Implications - Consumers are actively seeking to be more socially conscious, from making charitable donations to taking eco initiatives. Credit cards offering these types of rewards programs align with these virtues. Coordinating product features with client conscience entices consumers to spend more freely.

Implications - Consumers have sought ways to save money for centuries, but a new movement has people in search of living for free — and they’re succeeding, often luxuriously so. From free flights in exchange for viewing ads to gratis living in homes in need of care, these innovations rely on reciprocity.

Implications - Sartorial acts of beneficence have been one of the most fashionable things to hit runway with year. Some designers have integrated charitable aspects to their collections by donating proceeds to social causes. While breast cancer continues to rank high, many designers are now opting for green charities.

Implications - People have a tendency to look at creative artworks longer than basic photographs, and much longer than words. When trying to bring awareness to something, the longer the target can be engaged with the campaign, the better.

Implications - Witnessing the violation of human rights, from sexual abuse to physical battering, is an innately uncomfortable experience. Images that manage to ruffle emotions are often the ones that have considerable impact and make lasting impressions. This is best achieved through realistic, visceral imagery.

Implications - Not only do celebrity activists empower others, their star cred improves in the eye of fans and media if they’re engaged in good causes. Socially conscious organizations have realized the power of celebrity endorsement on their campaigns and are forming these mutually beneficial relationships.

Implications - Water conservation has been a hot topic for a long time, now it's becoming more personal as people bring their own styles to the cause. More aesthetic attention is being bestowed on environmentally-conscious innovations to appeal to even the most discerning consumers.