Results of the yearly C-Change New Consumer research. Consumers are in search of solutions to new problems in energy, food and transport. They demand leadership from brands in these matters. Unexpected segments take the lead.

1. Get to know your new consumers to
increase your chances for success
Tuesday 28 August 12

2. We believe transforming the climate crisis into a
restorative economy is urgent, smart and profitable.
Futureproofed presentation
Tuesday 28 August 12

3. We deliver bold, sustainable
business solutions for energy,
transport and food creating
value today and tomorrow.
Tuesday 28 August 12

4. Connect and Cocreate
with those consumers
who drive changing
consumption behaviour.
• Anticipate the changing needs
and aspirations
• Futureproof your brand affinity.
• Improve your product & services
innovation.
Tuesday 28 August 12

5. proofed
Large scale consumption mapping covering
74% CO2 impacts households and 43% budget
CO2 Budget
Energy 27% 6%
Transport 31% 17%
Food 16% 20%
74% CO2 households 43% budget households
Tuesday 28 August 12

6. Understand ...
• the changing consumer behaviour for energy, food &
retail, mobility and finance
• mass market demand ànd early signs of shifting
consumption
• quantified market potential of product and service
innovations
• changing consumers segmentation
• business opportunity for sustainability and role for
brands
... and forecast relevant consumption shifts and
become aware of what drives them.
Yearly large scale consumption behaviour mapping
Tuesday 28 August 12

7. The research question
1. Can we identify a cross-sector
segmentation of “New Consumers”
based on actual concretely changing
behaviour ?
2. Where is current and future concrete
market demand ?
3. In what level does sustainability really
form a significant concern, at least at
same level of other concerns ?
Text
Management question :
strategically integrating sustainability ?
Tuesday 28 August 12

8. 70% of the market will determine your
brand affinity over the coming years
Changing consumption scale
0 5 10
30% Conservatives 49% Future Switchers 21% New Consumers
0-3 6-8 8-10
Kick off the change
Are open for change
if secure
Hold on to existing
Will change when everyone else has
Tuesday 28 August 12

9. New Consumers
Future Switchers
Conservatives
Conservatives
Tuesday 28 August 12

10. 30% conservatives
• Anxious, poor self-confidence -
identity comes from the group
Socio
• Focus on myself, ego-centric
attitudes, escapism, Demographics
• Status quo, avoid risks, safety, Gender : 55% Female
Age : 28% 35-44 yo
routine ... Language : 68% Dutch
Region : 67% Nielsen 1-2
• The world is ending ... but it is not
my fault : withdrawal, uninvolved
• Status, security, luxury, materialism
The typical conservative is a young insecure Flemish
girl, holding on to what she has.
Tuesday 28 August 12

11. 30% conservatives
Personality traits Values they live by
• negative self-image : • Safety – routine –
anxious introverted, predictability
suspicious, insecure • Home – Family
• Indifferent - uninvolved • Status quo- tradition
• Risk avoider • Convenience
• Yearning for status & • Luxury – Show-off
security
• Withdrawal attitudes
As the typical conservative is yearning for
confirmation, offering safety and security will be key.
Tuesday 28 August 12

12. 30% conservatives
DO DO NOT
• take away all risks of losing • believe it is the young who
comfort or status will drive the change
• add service or drop price
• refer to own opinions or
• play on conformism,
own initiative
belonging to group, use
status, impact on personal
• ask to give up comfort,
image
material things
• focus on personal comfort, • use rational, factual
family, close group language
• focus on status quo • play on feelings of
• build on small feasible steps responsibility
Strictly respect their comfort zone
Apply traditional marketing principles : add service or lower price
Tuesday 28 August 12

13. 13% 23% 30%
10% 12% 16%
12% 18% 22%
29% 35% 40%
% Past Behaviour % Current Behaviour % Future Behaviour
Even if significantly less effective behaviour
changes, still important potential of this
group requires new products as well
Tuesday 28 August 12

14. Minor actions – 51%
Improve the isolation- 42%
Take drastical actions -25%
Use public transport-31%
Read the labels-41%
Cheap supermarket brands-58%
Choosing solid institution-52%
Simple transparent services- 49%
Top 2 key consumer actions of the 30% conservatives
Answering these demands form the hygiene factors
for brand affinity in these sectors.
Tuesday 28 August 12

15. 49% Future Switchers
• Group, bonding, human, social
• Still with distinct sense of direction, on Socio
the move, open minded, confirmation Demographics
• Security, routine, evidence, proof Gender : mixed
Little push in the back, take away the Age : 19% 55-65 yo
risk, labels Language : 54% Dutch
Region : 20% Nielsen 3
• Family, home, simplicity, at ease and 5
• Conscious, involved, responsibility
Future Switchers want to make the difference as a
group. Take away all risks and you will get them to act.
Tuesday 28 August 12

16. 49% Future Switchers
Personality traits Values they live by
• Family values, concerned
• Conscious but afraid of
• Frugal – Show-off
change
• Wants to contribute to
• Expecting, waiting society, without too much
• Open-minded effort though
• Looking for confirmation
• Routines, certitudes
and support
• Sociable
Future Switchers want to make the difference as a
group. Take away all risks and you will get them to act.
Tuesday 28 August 12

17. 49% Future Switchers
DO DO NOT
• give guarantees, support • ask too much effort, too
with labels big steps
• testimonials • focus on bio and fairtrade
• stepped plans, realistically only, stretch too far
achievable and accessible • only rational
• fous on ‘we’
• clear, simple, delimited call
to action
• focus on concrete result
that can be obtained
Enable by taking away all risks and making the first
step very easy and tangible.
Tuesday 28 August 12

18. 29% 47% 83%
19% 21% 35%
23% 37% 48%
36% 47% 60%
% Past Behaviour % Current Behaviour % Future Behaviour
Vast majority will accelerate changed behaviour
in energy. Also food is 1 out of2. For mobility,
changes will be initiated by New Consumers first.
Tuesday 28 August 12

19. Green energy sold-58%
Intelligent meters-55%
Environmentally friendly car-46%
Take drastical actions-43%
Attention to environmental impact-51%
Products from a local supplier-41%
Simple transparent services-67%
Make ethical investments-44%
Focus is already on more evolved products and services
to get these groups to act and build brand affinity.
Tuesday 28 August 12

20. 21% New Consumers
• Made it, ambition, can do and
influence, change maker & driver
Socio
• Dynamism, positivism, extravert, Demographics
outgoing, social >< internal locus of
control Gender : 54% men
Age : 23% 55-65 yo
• Straightforward, requires Language : 53% French
Region : 31% Nielsen 3
transparency, reliability, stability, and 5
responsibility, expertise
• Realism, pragmatism, hands-on
solidarity, rational planner
New consumers are babyboomers who have made it, are
convinced things need to change and will influence others
Tuesday 28 August 12

21. 21% New Consumers
Personality traits Values they live by
• Self-confident, active • Transparency, well informed
• Autonomy • Straightforwardness,
• Pragmatism & Realism • Dynamism & Ambition
• Extravert-outgoing-social • Stability & reliability
• Expertise - Criticism • Duty – responsibility
• Active decision taker • Solidarity
As New consumers are influencing people around them,
their behaviour is predictive for mainstream market.
Tuesday 28 August 12

22. 21% New Consumers
DO DO NOT
• Approach rationally, direct • Preach, dream, idealism
factual language • Emotional language
• Interactive dialogue, viral • No ideological discourse :
• Transparant info = 1/ beyond believer/non-
correct, 2/ complete and believer
3/ relevant (box-turners) • Treehugger personification
• Best solution • Status
• Newest solution
A rational, pragmatic, hands-on and transparent attitude
will get New Consumers to act ... and influence others.
Tuesday 28 August 12

23. 27% 70% 97%
17% 42% 72%
24% 57% 77%
42% 65% 77%
% Past Behaviour % Current Behaviour % Future Behaviour
This is less about inspiring and much
more about engaging.
Tuesday 28 August 12

24. Produce energy by myself-58%
Helps me to save energy-89%
New alternative transport-39%
Different means of transportation-58%
Attention to environmental impact-72%
Read the labels-84%
Simple transparent services-82%
Ethical investments-61%
Priorities for New Consumers show where you
can differentiate your brand. Understanding them
allows you to predict where the market will evolve.
Tuesday 28 August 12

25. How to increase your
chances for success ?
Tuesday 28 August 12

26. Changing consumption scale
0 5 10
30% Conservatives 49% Future Switchers 21% New Consumers
0-3 6-8 8-10
Hold on to existing Are open for change Kick off the change
Will change when everyone else has if secure
Comply with Make it Seeing
comfortzone simple, =
Believing
More service accessible, =
Lower price low risk Doing
Apply different market levers pending segment maturity
Tuesday 28 August 12

27. 30% Conservatives 49% Future Switchers 21% New Consumers
0-3 6-8 8-10
You prescribe them You inspire them They screen you
Adult-to-child Adult-to-adult Adult-to-adult
communication communication co-creation
Emotional Rational
Opportunity Simple Transparant
Necessity Mature Expertise
Educational Open Pragmatic
Guidance Analytic
Nurturing Aspirational
Security Social bonding Committed
Reassurance Involvement Empowered
Understand the levers for successful communication
Tuesday 28 August 12

28. Move beyond inspiring to enabling
Inspiring examples - far from typical greenwash suspicion
Tuesday 28 August 12

29. We deliver bold sustainable business
solutions for energy, transport and food
Tuesday 28 August 12