Dear reader, my newsletter aims to uphold your right to be informed and champion science. Together, we can drive social transformation for a post-growth world by uniting, not just teaching or preaching. By meeting people where they are and understanding their stories, motivations, and limitations, we allow amazing impact to happen. Together, we can empower each other through emotional capital – humanity’s most powerful asset – and build the future we aspire to live in, where you are warmly invited.

Inspired by Emotional Capital for the Triple Win

Neuroeconomist and Professor Paul Zak discusses the role of “superfans,” using the term for those customers whose immersion in the brand is very high.

These people invest time and money in promoting brands and readily share information on social media.

To illustrate, he pointed out that all major studios have departments that create opportunities for superfans to continuously engage with content from their favorite TV shows and movie franchises.

Identifying attributes of superfans enables entertainment distributors to engage them almost immediately.

Superfans are a segment of customers who believe in the brand, and they serve as a solid base for further development, advocating for products and services.

Ramos-Hidalgo et al. pointed out that managers should target a group of customers who already emphasize the importance of sustainable practices.

How could such customers be identified?

Demographic criteria could be used, such as age. Research by Shaikh et al. suggested that companies must target young consumers since they generally try to align their consumption habits to ensure minimum harm to societies and the larger environment (ages 18–25).

Next, we already discussed that consumers’ values should be at the center.

For example, Ahmed et al. investigated how green customer value (e.g., environmental image and perceived value), green attitude, and the green marketing mix (product, packaging, price, promotion, place) influence green purchasing intentions.

Their study revealed a significant positive relationship between all these influences and green purchasing intentions.

Oh and Chul suggest since ethics is one of the main drivers for sustainable consumption, target consumer groups would be receptive to ethical appeals.

Ethical obligation is a consumer’s perception or behavior that shifts consumption from a personal concern to a societal one and impacts ethical consumption intentions positively. Interestingly, environmentally responsible consumption may stem from moral emotions,

such as guilt.

For example, Areias et al. point out that studies both on connectedness to nature and guilt have consistently shown linkages with pro-environmental behavior.

However, it has been discovered that although guilt can enhance pro-environmental actions

and consumption, it only does so under reparatory circumstances or up to a specific fear threshold.

Additionally, guilt may lead to hazardous and norm-violating behavior.

Hence, it is advisable to refrain from using negative emotions as catalysts for sustainable consumption in business marketing campaigns.

Instead of relying on negative emotions, businesses should focus on positive messaging and solutions-oriented approaches associated with sustainable consumption.

Create impact, becoming a positive force for people & the planet

According to a study by Ling Xie et al., consumer social responsibility plays a pivotal role in influencing anti-consumption practices.

Their study also found that sustainable consumption is associated with religiosity, moderating the relationship between meat anti-consumption and human well-being.

Azazz and Elshaer agreed that religiosity could significantly influence and shape moral behavior, deterring religious individuals from participating in socially unethical activities and

showcasing its significant impact.

Thus, their research aligns with a prior study by Rayner and Easthope, which concluded that the religious world might support overcoming the consumption ideology, where different factors are associated with consumption, such as social, economic, or lifestyle factors.

Spinelli et al. highlighted that understanding how people with religious, spiritual, or secular values behave in the marketplace could be strategically important.

Who are sustainable consumption superfans?

Lifestyle represents the distinctive characteristics that aid in identifying people, who already support ideas of sustainable consumption.

Horleys explains that lifestyle is the unique way values and beliefs are behaviorally expressed and operationalized through personal construct ratings of daily activities.

Lu et al. define it as a psychological concept that encompasses how individuals behave in their daily routines.

Picha and Navratil point out that one of the recent trends in consumer markets is the Lifestyle of Health and Sustainability, commonly known as LOHAS.

Hofer explains that these consumers are seen as environmentally aware, socially attuned, and with a view of the world that considers personal, community, and planetary outcomes.

It can be challenging to identify socio-demographic groups that are LOHAS consumers.

However, they have behavioral similarities.

They tend to favor local producers, seek high-quality and effective natural products, and can be seen as “early adopters” who look for the latest recipes, formulas, and technologies, investing in personal development.

Urh add that these consumers invest in mind–body–spirit connections, self-help, leadership, and spirituality connected with ecological lifestyles.

Ramos-Hidalgo et al. emphasized the importance of sustainable customers with an active position.

For instance, Market Forces activists discovered that investment choices marked as “sustainable” or “socially responsible” in super funds were still fossil fuel firms, such as coal producer Whitehaven and prominent oil and gas companies.

This revelation sparked heated debates on social media platforms and led to conversations advocating for increased socially responsible fund alternatives as a choice for individual investors.

Consumers appreciate bank services that endorse climate change initiatives, following the same principle.

Enthusiastic advocates of sustainable consumption could also be explored among those customers who prioritize well-being.

They are transitioning toward leisurely activities at home and with family, cultivating a profound reverence for nature and an uncomplicated lifestyle marked by intentional simplicity, thriftiness, humility, and modesty.

That’s all for today.

We’ll talk again in two weeks.

If these words were useful to you, please share your thoughts with Your Emotional Capital Newsletter readers: we are happy to hear from you!

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For inspired researchers:

Zak P. Immersion: The science of the extraordinary and the source of happiness. Lioncrest Publishing; 2022.

Ramos-Hidalgo E, Diaz-Carrion R, Rodríguez-Rad C. Does sustainable consumption make consumers happy? International Journal of Market Research. 2022;64(2):227–248. doi: 10.1177/14707853211030482.

Shaikh A, Mukerjee K, Banerjee S. Cab-sharing services and transformation expectations of consumers: The moderating role of materialism. Benchmarking: An International Journal. 2023;30(1):234–255. 10.1108/BIJ-09-2021-0525.

Ahmed RR, Streimikiene D, Qadir H, Streimikis J. Effect of green marketing mix, green customer value, and attitude on green purchase intention: Evidence from Notes the USA. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2023;30(5):11473–11495. doi: 10.1007/s11356-022-22944-7.

Oh J, Chul Y. Theory-based approach to factors affecting ethical consumption.

International Journal of Consumer Studies. 2014;38(3):278–288.

Lee D, Wan C. The impact of mukbang live streaming commerce on consumers’ overconsumption behavior. Journal of Interactive Marketing. 2023;58(2):198–221. doi: 10.1177/10949968231156104.

Ling Xie S, Muhammad Faisal W, Abdul A, Qurat ul S, Zunair A. Do meat anti-consumption opinions infl uence consumers’ wellbeing? The moderating role of religiosity. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13:1–14.

Azazz AMS, Elshaer IA. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, social media usage and food waste intention: The role of excessive buying behavior and religiosity. Sustainability. 2022;14(11):6786. doi: 10.3390/su14116786.

Spinelli G, Nelson-Becker H, Ligossi R. Consumer competence strategies, spiritually inspired core values and locus of control: What are the links? Sustainability. 2019;11(17):4787. doi: 10.3390/su11174787.

Horley J. A longitudinal examination of lifestyles. Soc Indicators Res. 1992;26:205–219.

Lu F, Huang X, Wang X. Willingness to pay for mobile health live streaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: Integrating TPB with compatibility. Sustainability. 2022;14(23):15932. doi: 10.3390/su142315932.

Pícha K, Navrátil J. The factors of lifestyle of health and sustainability infl uencing pro-environmental buying behaviour. J Clean Prod. 2019;234:233–241. 10.1016/j.jclepro.2019.06.072.

Höfer R. Sustainable solutions for modern economies. Vol 4. Royal Society of Chemistry; 2009.

Urh B. Lifestyle of health and sustainability – the importance of health consciousness impact on LOHAS market growth in ecotourism. Quaestus. 2015(6):167.

Ramos-Hidalgo E, Diaz-Carrion R, Rodríguez-Rad C. Does sustainable consumption make consumers happy? International Journal of Market Research. 2022;64(2):227–248. doi: 10.1177/14707853211030482.