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The era of conspicuous consumption and disposable living is over.

Kudos to Unilever whom yesterday announced their initiative for Sustainable Living. A ‘Plan’ which outlines what and how Unilever will deliver across its portfolio a range of solutions which begin to influence consumer behaviour. It is sustainable consumer behaviour change which is the issue for brands and brand management for the 21st century. Simply put, consumers need to re-consider what they consume, when and how. We as individuals need to ‘re-set’ our attitudes and expectations to products and services. The age of disposable living cannot continue. If the growing populations of China, India, Indonesia and Brazil were to consume products and services in the same way as the ‘western economies’ the earth is on a fast track to extinction…not merely because of global warming and gasses; but to total deforestation, desertification, and the extinction of animal species.

The ‘hyper’consumption of products has been fuelled through marketing which has supported a culture of throw away and immediacy gratification. The materialistic urge through advertising and marketing has been so strong as to deeply engrain itself in our sub-conscious. It is engrained or enshrined as a right not a privilege. We are taught from a young age to want to shop, to buy or to consume. Think about…’what do  you want for Christmas?’, What do you want for your birthday?’, ‘What are you buying for the wedding gift?’…shop, buy, consume is now part of everyday cultural norms. We can buy now, and pay later. This single development via credit and debit cards reinforces the whole concept of instant gratification with seemingly zero future consequences. Why do you think we are in such a debt crisis?  In the same way, the earth is heading for a consume now, pay later cross-roads. A point at which we will be forced to consider what we consume now through the consequences of what will happen in the future.  Now..for one minute, think about all the packaging that comes with every purchase? Think about the supply chain that goes with every product or service and the waste that is created in that process even before it reaches your home. Then, consider the waste that is generated at home..whether that is from food, packaging or the use of resources (water, electricity, heating, air conditioning, etc).

Some sad stats…”The United States is one of the world’s worst offenders of unbridled consumption and environmental stress. A child born into a middle class family will live to the age of eighty years old, and consumer on average 2.5 million gallons of water, the wood of 1,000 trees, 21,000 tons of petrol/gasoline, 220,000 kilos of steel, and 800,000 watts of electricity.” (Gartner research January 2010 page 6 Collaborative Consumption, Botsman/Rogers).  Which, in comparison to other nationalities is twice that of a Swedish child, 3 times that of an Italian, 13 times that of a Brazilian, 35 times that of an Indian and 280 times that of a Haitian. “If everyone on the planet lived like an average American child, we would need five planets to sustain them during their lifetime.”  The cumulative impact of our behaviours are not felt for many years to come, and the collective behaviours for which we should be encouraged are in fact discouraged by a culture of ‘self’ gratification and ‘self interest’…the very nature of personal consumption.

So, Unilever’s challenge and ‘Plan’ comes at a critical point. On a global scale, brands and brand owners need to consider what their role is in the world beyond just creating, producing and distributing products. New technologies and services should be encouraged and embraced, but not only that – new mindsets and attitudes should be encouraged. Companies, more than governments, should use their brand clout and power to influence new behaviours in the world. Ideally, new behaviours that are linked to brands who are clearly seen to be giving back as much as they are taking out of the world.

These new sustainable brands will move beyond defining their environmental impact around their own supply/manufacture chains and packaging to include and measure/monitor their consumer usage impact (in everything from storage, to preparation, to use, to disposal). New business models will emerge that speak to and address ‘sustainable’ as a ‘No waste, No impact’ model. Could you imagine Coke Zero being less about ‘no’ sugar and more about ‘no impact’ or zero impact on land, water, health and environment? Just imagine? So, Unilever has announced this bold plan. Brand consultancies, agencies marketing and sales firms should now truly begin thinking how they can help this cause and ‘hard wire’ this thinking into tools, processes and properties which can help Unilever’s brands succeed. Indeed, any companies’ brands…as this is only the start of a global initiative across sectors and companies to change the way we think, shop, consume and live in an on-going cycle of sustainability. Unilever has called the sub-title of their plan..’Small actions, Big difference’. Four words which could be the rallying cry for a portfolio to change the way we think, work and live.

I like their approach and ambition. I like the concrete targets. I like the fact that it is anchored in brands. Well done. As we at FutureBrand develop our Positive Brand Impact scores, and methodology…we too will be looking to deploy this against not only product and service innovation and packaging, but also Consumer Behaviour. Bring it on!