New tips for “green” advertisers

A scientist at Swinburne University says companies wanting to advertise environmentally friendly “green” products need to target specific personality traits.

A scientist at Swinburne University says companies wanting to advertise environmentally friendly “green” products need to target specific personality traits.

Swinburne neuroscientist Joseph Ciorciari interviewed 42 volunteers and studied how their brains responded when viewing a variety of advertisements. He then concluded companies must look beyond age demographics to find what personality traits find their products attractive.

“If they want to sell, they need to target certain personality types that seek out certain types of ads,” he says.

“Those with high ‘emotional intelligence’ also engage with ads that focus on the community – and interestingly they also respond the appearance of celebrities,” he argues, as those with high emotional intelligence levels are also more likely to purchase “green” products.

Ciorciari will be presenting his findings at the Green Marketing and Branding Conference in Sydney on the 11 and 12 September.

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