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Copyright © 2009 The Nielsen Company & NMI. All Rights Reserved. Winning at Green Nielsen White Paper, February 2009 WINNING AT GREEN Exploring the Potential for Green Innovation using the Nielsen BASES System and NMI’s LOHAS Segmentation Model INTRODUCTION When it comes to “going green”, the size of the opportunity is clear. Research from the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) estimates the size of the green marketplace to reach $420 billion by 2010. In fact, hundreds of certification programs now offer “eco-labels” for green products. As the market becomes more crowded and the offerings become more complex, consumers also become more sophisticated. Yet there’s evidence that there is still room for growth into untapped segments, as nearly half of American adults say they want to buy green products, but end up choosing conventional ones. How can marketers satisfy the consumer who aspires to buy green with innovations that also rationalize with a stable of “traditional” branded products? Successfully developing and positioning a new product as “green” can present different challenges from traditional launches. In addition to having a compelling product, it’s also necessary to redefine competitors (are they green or traditional?), account for new pricing dynamics, adapt marketing communications tactics, and understand a new group of target consumers. The payout, however, can be substantial. Nielsen BASES and NMI experience shows that green products generate healthy consumer purchase interest and have an easier time standing out from the competition, often resulting in solid volume potential for green initiatives. And, while line extensions to major brands are often highly cannibalistic, green products can offer higher-than-normal incremental growth. As an added bonus, green products frequently command a premium price, giving manufacturers an opportunity to build profitability by line extending without being locked into line pricing. This paper summarizes the key learning from combining NMI’s Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) segmentation with Nielsen BASES expertise in new products. Some highlights: The stage is set for many CPG categories to go green. Many food, personal care, pet products, and other categories have a strong opportunity for “green” innovation. Consumers express interest in new green options in many of these categories, and they are not perceived to be crowded with alternatives. Green doesn’t have to be niche. Many of the earliest entrants into the green segment were niche items, due to a narrow consumer base, targeted benefits, premium pricing, and limited availability. However, these factors are all changing rapidly. In fact, as Nielsen examined over 400 green initiatives tested in BASES over the past two years, we found that average consumer purchase interest fell nearly in the exact middle of the respective BASES Database. Green has evolved to where it can be a mainstream consumer proposition in many categories. While nearly 20 percent of consumers fall into the LOHAS “environmental steward” segment, more than 60 percent have at least some interest in green, and are willing to try products that are relevant to their needs. As the market becomes more crowded and the offerings become more complex, consumers also become more sophisticated.

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Page 1: Winning at Green Nielsen uk whitepaper

Copyright © 2009 The Nielsen Company & NMI. All Rights Reserved.

Winning at Green

Nielsen White Paper, February 2009

WINNING AT GREEN Exploring the Potential for Green Innovation using the Nielsen BASES System and NMI’s LOHAS Segmentation Model

INTRODUCTION When it comes to “going green”, the size of the opportunity is clear. Research from the Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) estimates the size of the green marketplace to reach $420 billion by 2010. In fact, hundreds of certification programs now offer “eco-labels” for green products. As the market becomes more crowded and the offerings become more complex, consumers also become more sophisticated. Yet there’s evidence that there is still room for growth into untapped segments, as nearly half of American adults say they want to buy green products, but end up choosing conventional ones. How can marketers satisfy the consumer who aspires to buy green with innovations that also rationalize with a stable of “traditional” branded products? Successfully developing and positioning a new product as “green” can present different challenges from traditional launches. In addition to having a compelling product, it’s also necessary to redefine competitors (are they green or traditional?), account for new pricing dynamics, adapt marketing communications tactics, and understand a new group of target consumers. The payout, however, can be substantial. Nielsen BASES and NMI experience shows that green products generate healthy consumer purchase interest and have an easier time standing out from the competition, often resulting in solid volume potential for green initiatives. And, while line extensions to major brands are often highly cannibalistic, green products can offer higher-than-normal incremental growth. As an added bonus, green products frequently command a premium price, giving manufacturers an opportunity to build profitability by line extending without being locked into line pricing. This paper summarizes the key learning from combining NMI’s Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) segmentation with Nielsen BASES expertise in new products. Some highlights:

The stage is set for many CPG categories to go green. Many food, personal care, pet products, and other categories have a strong opportunity for “green” innovation. Consumers express interest in new green options in many of these categories, and they are not perceived to be crowded with alternatives. Green doesn’t have to be niche. Many of the earliest entrants into the green segment were niche items, due to a narrow consumer base, targeted benefits, premium pricing, and limited availability. However, these factors are all changing rapidly. In fact, as Nielsen examined over 400 green initiatives tested in BASES over the past two years, we found that average consumer purchase interest fell nearly in the exact middle of the respective BASES Database. Green has evolved to where it can be a mainstream consumer proposition in many categories. While nearly 20 percent of consumers fall into the LOHAS “environmental steward” segment, more than 60 percent have at least some interest in green, and are willing to try products that are relevant to their needs.

As the market becomes more crowded

and the offerings become more complex,

consumers also become more sophisticated.

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Winning at Green

Extending an established brand equity may be the best bet. Branding is, of course, a key consideration for green initiatives. Many of the early entries into the green segment were built around new brands to compete credibly. As consumer awareness and interest in green has evolved, mainstream brands have attempted to play in the green space as well. Should you try to extend an established brand equity into the green space or invest behind a new one? Perhaps surprisingly, most consumers show a clear preference for buying green products from traditional brands. Even the most green LOHAS consumer segment shows clear openness to buying green products from established brands. While not all established equities could stretch into green, marketers should give preference to exploring the potential for brand extension for efficiency’s sake. Green/LOHAS products have a better chance of breaking through the clutter. Particularly among key target groups, green products are considered more unique by consumers in BASES testing. In an overcrowded marketplace, this advantage enables more efficiency in communications and potentially at the shelf. Marketers should not overlook uniqueness in considering green strategies, as it has a clear connection to sales potential.

Getting beyond “niche” will require choosing and attracting the right target. To win at green, appeal to the LOHAS consumer is typically a critical first step. However, being successful in the mass market likely means that you need to move beyond the LOHAS consumer and attract another consumer group to your initiative. For many products, the challenge will be to educate the consumer on the specific environmental benefit, along with delivering its primary functional benefit. Different segments will likely respond to different messages and features, so these choices are critical.

Getting the price right is a clear key to success. On average, green products are perceived as a lesser value than their traditional counterparts, but consumers do expect green products to cost more. In general, consumers are not likely to be surprised by a premium price for green products and services. Determining exactly what that premium should be to attract the target consumer should be a major focus area prior to launching new green products. In-depth pricing research should be a valuable tool to determine what level of premium is appropriate. Along with the secondary consumer targeting strategy, getting the price right is the other critical success factor for winning at green.

*For this analysis, “green” initiatives from the BASES Database are considered to be those offering all-natural, organic, or environmentally friendly benefits. “Traditional” initiatives and products are those with no explicit focus on natural ingredients or environmental concerns. Similarly, green manufacturers are those with a central focus on the environment, while traditional manufacturers are those just beginning to enter the green space.

Green doesn’t have to be niche.

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Winning at Green

ANALYTICAL APPROACH This analysis combines three primary analysis tools. NMI’s LOHAS segmentation model was used to classify consumers into one of five segments, based off their attitudes and behaviors related to the environment. This segmentation model was applied to the BASES consumer panel in the United States. BASES Database of new product introductions was mined to identify relevant concepts that had been tested by BASES, and results were analyzed using the LOHAS model. BASES introSCAPE served as the means to diagnose green products’ performance. This tool represents a model of the consumer adoption process for new products, and is a relevant way to identify nuances of innovating with green products.

NMI’s LOHAS Segmentation Model Since 1990, NMI has been consulting with both Fortune 500 companies and start-ups on strategies for new products, branding, communications, and target identification. Using proprietary research tools and databases, NMI specializes in the health, wellness, and sustainability marketplace. In addition to custom research across a range of capabilities, many consumer research reports are also published each year by NMI, educating clients in industries from personal care and pharmaceuticals to government and media. NMI specifically developed the LOHAS segmentation model to

classify consumers based on their attitudes toward health and sustainability. The LOHAS segmentation model has been in broad use since 2002 to understand the green marketplace and help manufacturers tailor their strategies to capitalize on the growth in this market. The LOHAS model has also been utilized in over 10 countries, expanding to 20 countries in 2009. This segmentation model scores consumers based off their attitudes and buying behavior into five segments. The most environmentally-concerned consumers fall into the LOHAS segment, representing 17 percent of the U.S. adult population. NATURALITES, CONVENTIONALS, and DRIFTERS can also be concerned about the environment, but for varying reasons related to green. On the far end, UNCONCERNED consumers, 16 percent of the population, express that environmental concerns are not relevant to their current behaviors and attitudes. BASES Database As the world leader in new product forecasting, BASES has accumulated far more testing experience by country and by product category than any other provider. Worldwide nearly 100,000 new product concepts have been tested in the BASES system. Because every BASES study conducted anywhere in the world contains a core set of consistent questions results can be compared across studies, across countries, and across manufacturers. Additionally, the link between BASES Database rankings and in-market performance allows us to understand which initiatives have the best chances of long-term success.

DRIFTERS:- Good intentions, mixed action- Trendy and engaged in green- Price sensitive

UNCONCERNED:- Unconcerned about the environment and society

LOHAS:- Active stewards of the environment- Dedicated to personal and planetary health- Lifeystyle-oriented- Heaviest purchasers of green and socially-responsible products

CONVENTIONALS:- Practical- Interested in LOHAS behavior when they can make a difference to their budget also NATURALITES:

- Secondary target for many mainstream LOHAS products- Personal health is their primary motivation- More likely to use LOHAS-related consumables (compared to durables)

LOHAS Segmentation Model: Percentage of U.S. Adults

Source: NMI LOHAS Consumer Trends Database®

LOHAS17%

DRIFTERS24%

NATURALITES17%

CONVENTIONALS26%

UNCONCERNED16%

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Winning at Green

BASES introSCAPE BASES developed the introSCAPE framework to increase marketing understanding of the consumer adoption process for a new product. Using thorough R&D and 30+ years of new product experience, we have been able to identify five key factors on which winning new products excel: • Being salient, or “standing out” with consumers • Communicating a clear message • Generating consumer attraction via a relevant benefit • Converting attraction at the point of purchase • Delivering an enduring product This proprietary framework translates the adoption

process into actionable and marketing oriented consulting for initiatives tested in the BASES system. Initiatives are evaluated on their ability to deliver against each dimension, and consulting focuses on action steps that will build on the strengths or compensate for the vulnerabilities of any new product.

METHODOLOGY BASES U.S. consumer e-Panel was interviewed and classified in November 2008, using NMI’s proprietary LOHAS model. In addition to the LOHAS classification, consumers were also probed on issues such as skepticism in green, category-level interest, and attitudes towards green products from traditional manufacturers. To better understand how green innovations are perceived, BASES identified 25 recently-tested green initiatives across categories, and paired these with 25 traditional initiatives, matching category in all cases and manufacturer where possible. Scores were cut by the five LOHAS segment groups in order to identify shifts in perceptions among different segments. Finally, for broader insight, the entire BASES Database of green concepts tested within the past two years has been compared to all traditional initiatives tested in the same time period. This macro-level analysis allowed us to look at scoring trends in each of the introSCAPE dimensions for green initiatives and identify opportunities to modify consumer marketing approaches for green products.

KEY FINDINGS The stage is set for many CPG categories to go green. BASES asked consumers for their perceptions on the state of green, including the number of green offerings in a range of categories, as well as their interest in purchasing green products within those categories. The result among LOHAS consumers shows that, with healthy interest but only moderate availability, there are opportunities within many CPG categories for new green products. While Household Cleaners appear to be highly competitive, the landscape is perceived by consumers to be less crowded in Personal Care, Refrigerated, Frozen, and Shelf-Stable Foods, and Pet Products, where interest is also above-average.

BASES testing history adds to the story by identifying trends in new product ideas. Across all categories, roughly seven percent of concepts tested in the past two years have been “green” (all-natural, organic, or environmentally friendly). However, green concepts within personal care are clearly less prevalent, suggesting room for further marketing innovation.

The line represents the level of testing where the incidence of green initiative testing matches the incidence of traditional testing in recent BASES history.

Using an established brand equity is not against the rules. Importantly, the windows of opportunity to go green are open to existing brands. Most consumers show a clear preference for

Salience

Communication

Attraction

Point of Purchase

Endurance

Stand out from what is currently available in the marketplace

Effectively convey your distinct consumer proposition

Consumers evaluate your message versus their needs/desires and beliefs and evaluate its costs

Consumers attracted to your product find and evaluate it at shelf

Among users, the product must exceed initial expectations then continue to evolve

Communication

Attraction

Point of Purchase

Endurance

Salience

Category Expansion Opportunites for the LOHAS Consumer

Cars

Shelf Stable Foods

Beverages

Personal CareHousehold Paper

Fresh Produce

Electronics

Home FurnishingsLawn and Garden

Appliances

Frozen Foods

Pet ProductsRefrigerated Foods

Household Cleaning

Light Bulbs

Perceived Current Product Availability

Co

nsu

mer

Pu

rch

ase

Inte

rest

Low

Low

High

High

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

BASES Testing: Share of Green Concepts Relative to Share of Traditional Concepts

Pet Household Care Human Foods Personal Care

Source: BASES Database

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Winning at Green

buying new green products from traditional brands, rather than brands with an exclusively green focus. LOHAS consumers are evenly split: even though they favor green brands more than other consumers, they are also ready to consider new green products under a “traditional” label.

In fact, far more than other groups, LOHAS consumers express agreement that they are “happy when a new eco-friendly product is offered, even if it is made by a traditional manufacturer”. While there will inevitably be obstacles, traditional manufacturers are allowed to play in the green space.

BASES introSCAPE Framework: The Nuances of Green To better understand how consumers react to and will adopt new green products, the BASES Database was analyzed for scoring trends in each of the five introSCAPE dimensions. All green initiatives tested within the past two years were aggregated and compared to all traditional (non-green) initiatives tested in the same time frame. By asking the same questions of each set of concepts: • Salience (Do consumers recognize the idea as distinct?) • Communication (How well is the message understood?) • Attraction (Is the offering relevant and free of barriers?

Who is most interested?) • Point of Purchase (Are we in the right places at the right

price?)

• Endurance (Does the product deliver on its promises?) —we were able to identify the unique advantages and challenges that face new green initiatives. Salience: Green products have a better chance of breaking through the clutter. Based on our set of 25 concept pairs, it’s evident that for traditional products, there is little differentiation in uniqueness scores across segments. However, green products are particularly likely to catch the attention of LOHAS and NATURALITES consumers.

Much of the reason is due to higher awareness and engagement: relative to other groups (especially UNCONCERNED), LOHAS consumers are far less likely to say they “don’t know” how many green products are available in a given category. Given their familiarity and interest in environmental concerns, LOHAS consumers are likely to become aware of new green products earlier than others, likely to be early adopters, and therefore likely to be critical to any green initiative’s success.

Communication: How well does the message get across? Effectively communicating product features and benefits can seem like a hurdle for green products, due to the inherent complexity of the product. Green products often have a dual communication challenge – convincing consumers that the new product delivers on both its primary benefit as well as its green

% of consumers who would prefer a...Traditional Brand “Green” Brand

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

43%48%

60%

28%

67%

24%

67%

22%

74%

17%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

% of consumers who agree that they are happy when a new eco-friendlyproduct is offered, even if made by a tradtional manufacturer

LOHAS CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

90%

67%66%

53%

45%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

NATURALITES

Uniqueness Perceptions: Green vs. Traditional

Green Product Traditional Product

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

4.00

3.00

5-Point Scale: 5=Extremely new and different, 1=Not at all new and different

Source: BASES Database

Avg % of consumers saying “Don’t Know” when asked about current offerings

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

12%

22%23% 24%

35%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

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Winning at Green

promise. Some consumers will need reassurance on the core promise, while others will need to be convinced that it is truly green. Effective messaging will require balancing both of these ideas to motivate consumers. The good news: although the communication objectives for green products may be different, the BASES Database shows that on average, they are not more difficult to convey. BASES assesses communication effectiveness via consumer feedback on simplicity, clarity, focus, and message translatability. Across each of these measures, green products show little difference from their traditional counterparts.

Attraction: a) The strongest green initiatives are able to generate interest across segments. Some initiatives are truly niche propositions: though the concept and product are both viable, they only find a limited buyer base due to a premium price, very targeted benefits, or low levels of marketing support. In such cases, a secondary target may not be necessary, but strong interest from LOHAS will be crucial to strong in-market performance, since LOHAS consumers are most likely to become aware in the absence of mass advertising. Key Drivers: The LOHAS consumer tends to be concerned with performance relative to other green products. To appeal to the LOHAS consumer in competitive categories, simply being green isn’t enough – the product must provide an advantage over other green offerings. LOHAS consumers are also the most concerned with corporate social responsibility, and the least price sensitive of all the segment groups.

However, the most successful green products are likely to derive a large share of their volume from other segments. In the lower left chart it’s clear that successful green initiatives increase their appeal among LOHAS consumers – but the increase in appeal among non-LOHAS segments is nearly as big. Since no product is likely to appeal to all groups equally, the nature of the initiative can help determine which segment (NATURALITES, CONVENTIONALS or DRIFTERS) is likely to be the best secondary target. Key Drivers: NATURALITES are high purchasers of eco-consumables, and tend to value the performance of the product versus traditional products. They are primarily concerned with personal health and wellness, but also would like to do more for the environment. Key Drivers: The most practical of all the segments, CONVENTIONALS are primarily concerned with the product’s performance compared to traditional products. This group can also look for cost savings from green products, making them more value sensitive in some categories. They will pay for quality, but will need to be convinced. Key Drivers: DRIFTERS appear to be driven both by perceptions of health/safety and by their perception of the product’s performance versus traditional products. They are somewhat price sensitive, and tend to be influenced by trends. Attraction: b) Overall, green products do not provoke significantly more skepticism. For the 25 green concepts studied, believability does not appear to be a cause for concern in any group. LOHAS consumers are especially receptive to green claims. For worthy initiatives, most consumers are willing to accept green products’ claims.

To look more closely at possible sources of skepticism, we asked consumers how they felt about green products made by traditional brands. In general, performance is not a concern: fewer than 10 percent of consumers feel that green products will not be as good as traditional ones.

Simplicity Clarity Focus

Communication Measures

Green Traditional

5-Point Scale5= Very simple, 1 = Very Complicated

5= Extremely focused, 1= Not at all focused

5= Extremely well communicated, 1= Not at all well communicated

4.50

2.50

4.00

3.50

3.00

Source: BASES Database

Volume Potential for Green Initiatives

Below Average Potential Above Average Potential

LOHAS

Other

LOHAS

Other

+81%

+73%

Source: BASES Database

Believability - Natural

LOHAS

89%

53

36

NATURALITES

87%

50

37

CONVENTIONALS

82%

38

44

DRIFTERS

80%

38

42

UNCONCERNED

80%

39

41

Completely Believable

Somewhat Believable

Source: BASES Database

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Winning at Green

Interestingly, consumers are even less likely to feel that green products from traditional brands won’t be as good as green products made by “green brands”. LOHAS is the only group that shows no change, suggesting that expectations for green brands are simply lower among consumers with less familiarity. Either way, this further supports the notion that many established “traditional” brands have opportunities to extend into green.

While consumers overall are willing to believe the promise behind green products, there is some skepticism that the products really will be as green as they claim. To be sure, demonstrating why a product will be better for the environment is harder than showing it works, and the task becomes easier when consumers have a specific concept to evaluate. This is key, as many marketers tend to focus on convincing consumers of the primary functional benefit rather than the green feature.

Importantly, though, LOHAS consumers are the least skeptical. As was seen previously, they are more welcoming of these products than other consumers, and are not put off by the idea of green products from traditional brands. Even with strong interest and low levels of skepticism, LOHAS consumers tend to be sensitive to green-washing - making vague green claims without any change or improvement in behavior will be ineffective. LOHAS and NATURALITES are both more likely to see the contradiction when traditional manufacturers sell green products alongside their traditional ones.

Point of Purchase: While green products are generally perceived as a lesser value than their traditional counterparts, consumers do expect green products to cost more. On average, all consumers rate green products as a lesser value than their traditional counterparts. This is to be expected, as the vast majority of green products that BASES has tested are premium-priced relative to alternatives.

But by the same token, across segment groups, a majority of consumers expect green products to cost more than traditional products. They are unlikely to be surprised by a premium price at the shelf.

% of consumers who believe that green products by traditionalmanufacturers will not be as good as their traditional products

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

4%

10%

4%6%

7%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

% of consumers who believe that green products by traditionalmanufacturers will not be as good as those made by green manufacturers

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

4%

9%

2%

4%5%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

% of consumers who believe that green products by traditionalmanufacturers will not be as green as they claim

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

9%

15%

12%11%

16%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

% of consumers who believe that traditional manufacturers who makegreen products should discontinue making their traditional products

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

14%

12%

4%5%

4%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

Value Perceptions: Green vs. Traditional

Green Product Traditional Product

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

4.00

3.00

5-Point Scale: 5= Very good value, 1= Very poor value

Source: BASES Database

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Winning at Green

A Homescan analysis showing consumers’ shopping habits further demonstrates that price tolerance will vary by segment. While LOHAS consumers tend to favor the warehouse channel, NATURALITES are more likely to frequent mass supercenters and dollar stores, with very different pricing environments. In short, while different segment groups are likely to have different perceptions of price and value, the willingness of some consumers to pay a premium for green products does not hide the fact that price can limit broader acceptance. Pricing research should therefore be a critical tool for succeeding in green—to insure against the risk of pricing too high, but also to ensure that money is not left on the table.

Endurance: Consumers are unlikely to compromise on performance just to go green. After paying a premium for most green products, most consumers are unwilling to make concessions on product performance. Post-use responses to green products in the BASES Database indicate that consumers are nearly twice as likely to suggest that green foods improve their taste and that green household products improve their efficacy, relative to their feedback for traditional products. When trying a green household product or food for the first time, some triers may well be hypersensitive to aspects like taste and effectiveness. Regardless of ingoing expectations, it should be clear that

manufacturers cannot afford to lower the bar, as consumers are unlikely to make repeat purchases for items that sacrifice performance for green benefits.

% of consumers who believe that green productswill cost more than traditional products

LOHAS NATURALITES CONVENTIONALS DRIFTERS UNCONCERNED

74%76%

80%

71%

79%

Source: BASES U.S. e-Panel, November 2008

Suggested Improvements for Green Products, Indexed to Traditional

Effectiveness Taste

Green Traditional

182%

157%

100% 100%

Source: BASES Database

115879411698Conv/Gas

881021168698Mass Merchandisers

7911711068110Warehouse Club

143818214378Mass Supercenters

153

100

93

NATURALITES

83

104

104

LOHAS

108

89

93

UNCONCERNED

69

96

103

CONVENTIONALS

100Dollar Stores

106Drug

103Grocery

DRIFTERS

115879411698Conv/Gas

881021168698Mass Merchandisers

7911711068110Warehouse Club

143818214378Mass Supercenters

153

100

93

NATURALITES

83

104

104

LOHAS

108

89

93

UNCONCERNED

69

96

103

CONVENTIONALS

100Dollar Stores

106Drug

103Grocery

DRIFTERS

Channel Choice Reflects Differentiation of LOHAS Segments

Index to Total Outlet $ Sales

Indexed Spending: = above average = average = below average

Source: Homescan®, a service of The Nielsen Company—Total U.S.—52 week ending 12/29/07

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Winning at Green

IMPLICATIONS FOR MARKETERS The results of the LOHAS segmentation analysis point to several keys to winning at green.

Salience

Stand out from what is currentlyavailable in the marketplace

Communication

Effectively convey your distinctconsumer proposition

Attraction

Consumers evaluate your messageversus their needs/desires andbeliefs and evaluate its costs

Point of Purchase

Consumers attracted to yourproduct find and evaluate it at shelf

Endurance

Among users, the product mustexceed initial expectations thencontinue to evolve

Look for opportunities to go green! Opportunities exist in any category, and in most cases consumers prefer to see greenproducts from traditional brands. Understand your brand’s core equity and whether it can stretch credibly into green.

Winning new productsbreak through the clutter,and green products tend tohave a built-in advantage.

While green benefits are an essential part of the message,strong initiatives also provide reassurance aroundperformance (efficacy or taste). Optimize the balance in pre-market testing.

On average, green productsdo not have a hardertime communicating.

The best initiatives appeal to a hetereogeneous group ofbuyers. The specific focus of your initiative (health, safety,affordability, or relative performance) will help determinewhich groups are the most likely targets.

Ensure acceptance amongLOHAS consumers, and identify a secondarytarget.

Most consumers expect green products to cost more. However, the appropriate level of premium will depend notonly on your competition but on your likely consumer target groups. Test and simulate different price points for their impact on volume and profit.

Commit to finding the right price.

Most consumers are not willing to make meaningful efficacy or taste trade-offs as they aspire to go green. While ingoing consumer expectations may be slightlydifferent for green products, standards for product performance should not be compromised.

Consumers are unlikelyto sacrifice product performance for greenbenefits.

WINNING PRINCIPLES PUTTING PRINCIPLES INTO ACTION

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Winning at Green

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Rob Mooth Rob has worked in packaged goods marketing for 20 years, with a variety of roles in brand management, market research, and product development. He has been with Nielsen BASES for 11 years, mainly in its Client Consulting Group. He has helped bring dozens of new products to market successfully and has authored a range of papers and articles on topics related to innovation. He is currently the Vice President, Cincinnati Region Manager. He holds bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Chemistry from Indiana University. Steve French As Managing Partner at NMI, Mr. French has over 25 years of marketing, strategic consulting, and management experience across numerous industries. With his focus on health, wellness, and sustainability, he works with many clients on developing new business opportunities, strategic planning, and market research. He has pioneered a range of NMI consumer databases that analyze consumer attitudes and behavior, including NMI’s LOHAS Consumer Trends Database™. As a recognized industry expert, Mr. French’s expertise is also utilized on a regular basis by global media, is an author of numerous reports and articles, and is a regular speaker at many industry events worldwide. Martin Moore Martin is a Manager in Client Consulting at Nielsen BASES. He has been with Nielsen BASES for close to five years, all in Client Consulting, and has worked with clients across a variety of consumer package good categories. He has a bachelor’s degree in Economics and Actuarial Science from the Stern School of Business at New York University.

ABOUT THE NIELSEN COMPANY The Nielsen Company is a global information and media company with leading market positions in marketing and consumer information, television and other media measurement, online intelligence, mobile measurement, trade shows and business publications (Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Adweek). The privately held company is active in more than 100 countries, with headquarters in New York, USA. For more information, please visit, www.nielsen.com. ABOUT NIELSEN BASES BASES, a service of The Nielsen Company, provides services that help clients achieve growth through successful new product innovation. BASES is known for analytical and forecasting expertise, its extensive database of experience (100,000+ new product concepts studied), and providing global coordination and consistency. BASES offers a broad range of services related to innovation strategy, new product qualification and optimization, and initiative commercialization. BASES has offices in 25+ locations, partnering with most of the world’s leading marketers across a wide range of business sectors. For more information, visit, www.bases.com. ABOUT NMI As a leading business consulting and market research firm, NMI assists a range of Fortune 500 and start-up companies across many types of industries, such as consumer packaged goods companies, retailers, nutritional ingredient suppliers, pharmaceutical companies, government, academia, associations, financial institutions, and service organizations. By utilizing a diverse mix of proprietary strategic market development tools and methodologies—including qualitative and quantitative research—NMI provides its clients insightful market analysis and strategic planning surrounding new product opportunities, branding, communications, consumer target identification, sales strategy, and strategic business planning. For more information, visit, www.nmisolutions.com.

Nielsen White Paper, February 2009

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