Marketing research conducted for Green Event, an online seller of compostable flatware, to determine and define target green consumer. Research resulted from conducting focus groups and online surveys to determine four-level greenness scale to define green consumers.

1. Green Event
December 5, 2011
May Abughazalah
Erin Lanphier
Shital Kadakia

2. Focus Group

3. Green Event Discovery
Purpose Focus Group Questions
 Gain insight into the attitudes  Began with general questions…
toward eco-friendly products: How do you define
- values/beliefs environmentally friendly
- knowledge products?
- behaviors  To specific…
What would make purchasing
 Identify Green Event’s customer compostable dinnerware and
profile and target market flatware more attractive?
 Understand eco-friendly  Purchasing Scenario
purchasing behaviors - process
- types - what
- where - where
- knowledge
- attributes

4. Focus Group Participants
Focus Group Focus Group Individual
A B Interviews
 4 Participants  4 Participants  2 Individual
 Interviews
 2 Men / 2 2 Men / 2 Women
Women  1 Green Event  Both women
customer
 All graduate  1 Green Event
students  2 graduate students
customer
 1 Undergrad student
Targeted participants who were green-minded customers and non-
customers of Green Event
4

5. Focus Group Positives and Negatives
 Diversity – ethnic and cultural  Used “convenient participants”
 20% of participants were Green
 High degree of environmental Event customers
knowledge with several
participants  additional insights  Varying levels of environmental
knowledge, awareness and
behaviors  bias?
 Feedback on Green Event
products  Consistency of questioning
 Lack of interviewer experience
 All team members were able to
participate in a focus group  Feedback on Green Event
session products
5

6. Key Findings
“Compostable” was not
considered a product
attribute –rather discarded The purchase of eco-
food scraps used to make friendly products was
compost (fertilizer) most influenced by price,
convenience and
availability
Ingredients and product
packaging significantly Some had a negative
influenced purchasing perception about the quality
decisions of some of compostable products
(durability and strength)
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7. Interpretations
Identified four levels of “greenness” based on participants eco-
attitudes and developed a profile of the consumer’s purchasing
behavior toward environmentally friendly products.
Level 4:
Environmental
Activist
Level 3: Conceptually
Aware Environmental
Consumer
Level 2: Occasional
Environmental Consumer
Level 1: Oblivious Consumer
7

8. Survey

9. Survey Development
Survey Objectives Survey Approach
 Define Green Event customer  Green Event’s customers and
profile our personal network.
 Attain Customers’ green level  Used constantcontact.com
 Understand purchasing  Kept survey results separate
behaviors for eco-friendly customers vs non-customers.
products
 Provided a week for survey
 Identify Green Event’s target collection.
market

10. Analysis Techniques Used
 Descriptive Analysis
 Green Level
 Product and Place attributes
 Demographic
 Cross-Tabulation
 Age and income distribution by
Greenness level
10

11. Greenness Level
Greenness Level
Non-Customer Customer
Total 46 20
LEVEL 4 8 14
LEVEL 3 26 6
LEVEL 2 12
Level 1 0 0
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12. Crosstab Analysis – Age and Income
Age Distribution by Greenness Level
50 + 40 - 49 30 - 39 Under 30
55%
Level 4 18%
14%
14%
9%
Level 3 16%
47%
28%
8%
Level 2 0%
50%
42%
Income Distribution by Greenness Level
45%
42%
< $50,000
$50,001 to $99,999
25%
22%
22% 23% $100,000 to $149,999
19% 19%
17% 17% $150,000 to $199,999
13% 14%
9% > $200,000
6%
5% 5% No Answer
0% 0%
Level 2 Level 3 Level 4

13. Defining Environmentally Friendly Products
Non-Customers
recyclable
2% biodegradable
8%
17% non-toxic
9%
natural
3%
2% 8% organic
no pollution Customers
16% 9%
energy-efficient
Recyclable
minimal environmental
10% impact 15%
11% 5% compostable
Reusable
sustainable materials 32%
12%
Products that do not harm
the Environment and
Natural resources
Sustainable
26% 15%
Compostable

14. Product Attributes
Green Products Attributes Chart Composting Product Quality Perception
Other No Opinion
Source
Well Below Average
Style
Quality/ Durability Below Average
Non Customers
Product Packaging
Customers Average
Price
Ingredients Above Average Non Customers
Convenience Customers
Well Above Average
Brand
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 0% 20% 40% 60%
 Ingredients, quality and source are top 3 product  Non-customers have less ideas about
concerns of the respondents composting product quality, customer are more
satisfied with the quality
14

15. Place Attributes
Green Products Shopping Area Chart Source of Environmental Info.
Others Total Source of Environmental Info.
I Do Not Purchase Others 9
No info sought 15
Online
Retail (POP) 32
Green or Health Food Friends or Family 36
Grocery
Non-Customers Schools 3
Convenience Store Groups 7 Number of Responses
Customers
Websites 35
Membership Warehouse
Subscriptions 20
Local Bodega/ Community Blogs 12
store
Big Box 0 10 20 30 40
Retailers/Superstores
Large Grocery Stores
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
 Respondents are more willing to go to Large  Website, Retail, Friends and family are top 3
Grocery Stores and Green or Health Food channels where respondents get the green
Groceries for eco-friendly products products information
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16. Green Event Customer Persona
Level 4
Has an income of between
$50,001 to $99,999
Works in business or is retired
Has at least an undergraduate
degree
Lives in the Bay Area
Between the age of 41 to 50
years or older
Non-Hispanic/White
Female 16

17. Top Recommendations
 Use keywords (from our survey), in order to create more traffic as well
as advertise on blog and other green websites
 Target larger customers: Such as Event Planning companies or food
trucks to use products for their events.
 Provide product ingredients and labeling
 Provide educational information with product about proper disposal,
etc.
 Advertise local pickup options available
17

18. Questions?