Green: The New Color for Tech?

`Green' or environmentally sensitive Tech products and practices are emerging as a new element of Tech brand positioning and consumer consideration, according to a new study from Ipsos.

The survey asked a broad spectrum of online respondents about the importance they place on a half-dozen different green Tech practices, and the degree to which they view each in a long list of Tech brands as environmentally sensitive in their approach to business. Taken together, the results indicate that while green factors are emerging as a critical-mass consumer consideration, the potential to claim a green leadership position is much more fragmented across the Tech brandscape.

When consumers were asked to rate the importance of each of six green practices in influencing their Tech purchase preferences, over half (57%) rated the presence of the Energy Star label as influential. Following closely behind in purchase influence were manufacturer commitment to discarding older Tech products in an environmentally friendly manner (48%), and meeting EPA standards for these product disposals (45%). At least one-third of the respondents rated each of the other three factors as influential as well, including green energy inputs to production, manufacturing that incorporates recycled components, and contributions to environmental causes.

View larger image

As these green issues emerge in more mainstream considerations, what is striking is their overall consistency. Regardless of age, gender, income, or where people live - the same concern is there. An interesting note is the attention college-educated and higher income consumers place on green consideration in their assessment of a tech product or service. The influence of such environmentally friendly purchase factors shows up as being more prominent among more socially influential consumers.

In the survey's other main finding, respondents were presented with a long list of leading Tech brands and asked which (if any) they would associate with having green or environmentally friendly business practices. The first tier were all brands - Dell, HP, Microsoft, and Apple - that consumers encounter regularly, either in their personal lives, at work, or in the news. A second tier included venerable Tech brands reflecting very different fortunes in recent years - Kodak, Sony, Gateway, IBM, and Motorola.

View larger image

To an extent, the rank order of the brand mentions appear to mirror their prominence in the Tech market, yet at the same time, this may be a `halo index,' in that there is little information available to consumers to accurately assess how green one brand is versus another.

The results demonstrate `green technology' as an emerging issue in the minds of consumers. Although not likely to become a universal factor, the issue is important enough to enough consumers to matter to Tech firms. The paradox here is that this may rapidly become an expectation for many consumers - `of course, I expect prominent brand X to care about the environment and act accordingly.'

A final point of interest...while consumers coast-to-coast use Tech products from brands based all over the world, brands that are headquartered in the U.S. dominate the more prominent green mentions - Japan-based Sony is the only exception. This suggests that as consumers increasingly value green Tech practices, and have related expectations for home-grown brands, it is increasingly important for these brands to monitor their environmentally-oriented practices worldwide. While R&D and manufacturing practices function on a global scale, it is vital that brands do not overlook the concerns and expectations of the local consumer.

Methodology

Data were drawn from an online survey conducted by Ipsos Insight, among a nationally representative sample of age 18+ adults, drawn from its U.S. online panel. Data collection occurred over April 3 through April 6, 2007.

Of the total survey respondent base of N=1,295, 91% (N=1,183) reported personal ownership and/or use of at least one in a list of technology devices (see list below). Among this base of N=1,183 device owners/users, respondents were asked the questions highlighted in this release.

The list of qualifying products used/owned in order to be asked the `green' question sequence included the following:

• Apple iPod or other Apple brand portable MP3/media player
• Non-Apple branded portable MP3/media player
• Smartphone device such as a Blackberry or Treo capable of streaming video
• Standard cellphone or wireless handset
• Notebook or Tablet PC
• Latest-generation video game console such as a Nintendo Wii, Microsoft X-Box 360 or Sony Playstation 3
• Portable Gaming Device such as a Sony PSP or Nintendo DS
• Digital Video Recorder or TiVo
• High-Definition Television (Plasma, LCD or DLP)
• Personal/home printer capable of printing photos
• Digital Camera
• High Definition Camcorder
• Portable Navigation Device (GPS)
• High Definition DVD Player (such as Blu-Ray or HD-DVD)
• High Definition Radio Receiver (HD-Radio)