Sustainability Marketing Communications Based on Consumer Values and Principles

Abstract

Consumers are willing to buy more from companies that share their values and principles. Increasingly and rapidly consumer values are shifting towards sustainable development. This rapid shift in values has created the need for marketing communications to become anchored in appropriate sustainable marketing principles. So, it follows that appropriate sustainability marketing creates higher and longer value-based relationships with consumers. The article analyses consumer values and principles related to sustainability and its linkage with integrated marketing communications. Even though the marketing of sustainability is a heavily covered topic by scholars, it is still perceived as an alternative or “niche” solution for certain consumer segments. Considering this information, the aim of this article is to uncover the mainstream consumer values and principles and identify how they are reflected in the mainstream brands’ marketing communications. The study is based on the analysis of general and special literature, scientific papers and periodicals published by Lithuanian and foreign scholars. The retail food sector was chosen for the study due to its significant contribution to the economy. Content analysis of the sector’s integrated marketing communications was conducted. Yet the analysis of food retailers operating in Lithuania shows that consumer values and principles are only partially reflected. The biggest gap is that no brand appears to position itself as a market leader in sustainability or focuses on sustainability development within the organization. This gap shows opportunities as well as lack of commitment from the industry.

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