Generation Y Weighs in on Green Brands

November 10, 2008

Two buzz topics - Gen Y and green brands. Put them together and you get an interesting list of brands that the sought after 20-something audience likes and thinks are actually making positive efforts to help the environment.

In a study conducted by Outlaw Consulting, 100 Gen Yers living in New York, Los Angeles, San Fransisco and Miami were surveyed and asked which brands were their favorite “green brands” and why. The results showed the following:

Green Brands Are Leaders: The Gen Y audience favors brands that get in on going green before their competitors. Think Toyota and the Prius.
Green Brands Practice Minimalism: Clean designs, packaging and advertising are favored by the Gen Y audience when it comes to green brands. Whether or not companies are actually doing much to support the environment, clean designs translate to environmentally friendly to this audience. Think Apple.
Category Matters for Green Brands: Depending on the category, being a green brand can be more important. Food and cleaning products should be green in the minds of the Gen Y audience but technology and clothing carry less importance in terms of green brands. However, it’s important to note that not as many options are available in many of these “external” categories, which may skew the results. Sounds like an opportunity for the right brand!
Green Brands Join the Conversation: The Gen Y audience is looking for information and seek it from other consumers and from companies. Green brands that join the conversation and provide information, news, ideas and suggestions for green living are thought of favorably by the Gen Y audience. Looks like an opportunity, particularly if the social web is leveraged for an ongoing conversation!

The top 15 green brands according to the Gen Y survey respondents are: