Generation G is what Trendwatching.com is referring to today as the "generosity" (vs. greed) generation. This article/posting is feels like one of my earlier posts - i.e. far too long to do much other than scan quickly, especially when you are busy.
But I am glad to see that they included a thought around "green" or "eco-generosity" in addition to ideas around charitable acts (including how Perkonomics might apply).
I have been thinking recently about a post on the direction the green movement is likely to take in the coming years. Rather than simply be about saving the planet, which some "light-green" consumers might get behind (e.g. driving a 22 MPG hybrid Lexus), the I predict alternative energy to grow in popularity for economic reasons before environmental ones. Smart value combined with feeling good should present opportunities to marketers. Especially as the new administration in Washington pumps money into this area.
Yes alternative energy will remain only a fraction of the total energy our society consumes for many, many years. But from what I have seen there are several very innovative ideas out there that have the potential to catch on. At some point in my lifetime, I believe we will reach a real tipping point on this (Yes we can). When the economy starts to improve, we may need a bigger shove in this area (e.g. think gas tax that gets redirected into alternative fuel R&D). In the meantime there will be lots of opportunities as new things are tried.
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Brian, I agree the alternative is well on its way to breaking through the malaise consumers have shown towards it in the past. Key will be the consumer reaching some sort of pain point before they take action to search it out. Maybe the pain that the economy will show many parts of the world will be the boost needed. By pain I mean we need to do something different to build jobs as the old rules haven't been working so lets try some new ones.
ReplyDeleteWe may learn that China will accept this alternative energy switch faster than anyone as they need it for their environment and economy and thier is a real will to fix both that does not really sit in to many other nations.
Pain (or fear of it) and reward are key basic motivators for consumers. I would contend that reward is usually a bigger attraction. If alternative energy can actually reward the wallet it will really take off. The problem of course is the barrier of initial capital investment. Let's hope innovation, incentives and marketing make this barrier smaller.
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