No doubt, the demand for sustainable and eco-friendly products has skyrocketed in 2019. Role-model Greta Thunberg and activist groups like Fridays For Future or Extinction Rebellion kept reminding us why our consumption habits have to change. The interest for conscious consumption is growing especially for younger consumers who rebel against the environmental degradation of the older generations. As consumer interests change, does this draw an end to influencer marketing? Influencer marketing is dominated by industries that boost fast consumerism…or not?

Why is Sustainable Shopping Growing?

The way consumers shop is changing. Consumers demand brands to offer high quality, affordable products AND to act socially responsible. This means that consumer values are becoming more important during the consumer decision journey besides product price. Belief-driven buyers choose, switch, avoid and boycott brands based on its stand to societal issues such as climate change. They are likely to consume less but are willing to pay more if a product aligns with their values.

Eco-friendly, sustainable shopping was long labeled as a tree-hugger’s trait but the Greta-Effect has given the final push to turn conscious consumerism into a trending lifestyle choice.

How can brands meet sustainable expectations?

Influencer marketing provides the perfect opportunity for brands to tap into the conversation about sustainability and maintain brand trust. Influencers can help you to:

• Create transparency in telling your own sustainable brand journey
• Help you to reach a new audience of eco-friendly buyers  
• Link your core business with the new sustainability trend 
• Build an authentic customer-brand-relationship 

Many influencers already share their own eco-friendly lifestyle on Instagram and YouTube and collaborate with sustainable brands. This niche of sustainable influencers is likely to expand rapidly in the near future. 

Austrian eco-influencer Madeleine Darya Alizadeh (@dariadaria) has taken her followers on her journey to live a more sustainable life and recommends her eco-friendly brand choices along the way.

Influencers like Dariadaria who promote sustainable brands are perceived as very authentic as their content links to their core values. They share their true experience, benefits, and challenges with living a sustainable life. Consumers who aspire green living can identify with that type of content as they share the influencer’s values. Brands can utilize the existing strong relationship between eco-influencer and followers to reach a new conscious group of buyers and establish brand trust.

It’s key to be transparent in your own brand journey to become more sustainable and environmentally friendly. Influencer marketing provides the opportunity to communicate your brand journey authentically step by step to meet changing consumer expectations.  

Tapping into belief-driven communities

Additionally, eco-influencers help you to grow a community. Sustainable outdoor brand Patagonia excels in this strategy by building communities through influencer ambassador programs like Patagonia Climbing. Doing what you love AND doing it sustainably! Who would say ‘no’ to that?

Another example offers Adidas’ savvy strategy to grow a strong link of their core business to activism with their annual #RunForTheOceans event in collaboration with Parley. Their campaign mobilizes thousands of professional runners, influencers, and activists every year around the world.

I know, not every brand has a set sustainable strategy like Patagonia or is a global brand like Adidas. The good news is that eco-friendly consumption links to many other sustainable lifestyle trends like upcycling that brands can dig into with a pinch of creativity.

German brand TrueFruits sells its smoothies in glass instead of plastic bottles appealing to anyone living zero-waste or plastic-free. Additionally, the brand encourages its customers to re-use or upcycle their empty bottles – no craft skills needed!

Conscious consumers may be a bit more rational during their buying journey but there are plenty of ways for brands to appeal to those eco-friendly buyers. The right influencer marketing strategy helps to succeed in sharing your sustainable approach in a creative, transparent and authentic way.