Amazon workers are rallying over high injury rates. Does it matter to consumers?

I wasn't all that surprised that Amazon was number one on the "The Best-Managed Companies of 2019" list that The Wall Street Journal published recently.

But I did think to myself - I bet the result would be different if they had crowd sourced their research.  And in fact, the report acknowledges that Amazon rates "below average on measures of social responsibility." (Cutter, 2019)

I also wondered about the four star rating in "Employee Engagement & Development."  I'm sure the employees at Whole Foods who just lost their healthcare might have a few things to say about that.  And now apparently there are safety issues in Amazon warehouses.  An advocacy group says injuries are three times higher than they are in similar warehouses.

Coincidentally the warehouse that is planning the rally has just handed out 6,000 Thanksgiving meals, part of the $250,000 Amazon has donated to food banks in 2019. (SiLive, 2019)

Talk about cognitive dissonance.  How do people process all that information?  Will they use short cuts?  Which ones?  Which issues resonate the most?  The positive or the negative?  What about with other companies?  Have you ever canceled a brand due to a clash of values?  Or adopted one?

Cutter, C. (2019, November 22)  The Best-Managed Companies of 2019.  wsj.com.  Retrieved November 27, 2019, from

https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-best-managed-companies-of-2019and-how-they-got-that-way-11574437229

SiLive (2019, Monday November 25)  Amazon Donates Dinners While Employees Protest Safety Issues.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved November 27, 2019, from

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/343821/amazon-donates-dinners-while-employees-protest-saf.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=116246&hashid=ybq2buULrntyGS6NfbELk0afrrI

What does being green mean?

This September more than seven million people took part in the Global Climate Strike.  Impressive.  I wonder how many of them recycle.

It appears that the meaning of being green varies by generation.  Baby Boomers are the most passionate about recycling.  Makes sense to me.  I won the poster contest in my middle school for the first earth day in 1970.  From that point on I thought that being green was party of the deal.  Clearly I was wrong.

These days being green means eating less meat, avoiding air travel and using soap that comes in cardboard boxes.  Hopefully it also means a move back to goods that last.  (Paquette, 2019)

But I can't help wondering how motivating these features are to potential purchasers.  Sure I am going to try the new soap since they sent it to me for free.  But if I don't like it, will I buy it anyway because it is green?  Doubtful.

People are creatures of habit and we don't like change because it stokes loss aversion. So if we are asking people to change we need to persuade them that doing so aligns with their values.

Have you changed your habits to be more green? Who convinced you?  How did they do it?  Which Cialdini techniques did they use?  Were your actions consistent with your generation?  How would you convince others?

Do you know that eating vegetarian, even one day a week is the biggest contribution you can make to the environment?  If every American did it the carbon dioxide savings would be equivalent to taking more than half a million cars off our roads. (Krantz, 2016)

But most Americans fail to eat even the 5 - 9 servings of fruit and veggies a day that the USDA recommends.  Can we convince people to eat healthier to save the environment?  Or are we all too addicted to processed foods to be persuaded?

Paquette, A. (2019, November 14)  How To Join Teens In Going Green.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved November 20, 2019, from

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/343353/how-to-join-teens-in-going-green.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=116136&hashid=qPjrjs2d4CzuoIyymSYheeVOsxs

Krantz, R. (2016, March 24)  The Single Biggest Thing You Can Do For The Environment.  bustle.com.  Retrieved November 20, 2019, from

https://www.bustle.com/articles/149271-the-single-biggest-thing-you-can-do-for-the-environment

Influencers, experiences, and novelty, oh my.

Different strokes for different folks as the saying goes.  Influencers, who were on the upswing appear to have plateaued.  While it may be due in part to negative publicity about their insincerity and lack of transparency, it has also been suggested that Gen Z prefers "real people."  I have to admit I am not sure what that means.  The research mentions micro- or nano-influencers, as opposed to individuals they actually know IRL.

According to Kantar's latest Shopper DNA Report, there are five distinct shopper profiles.

1. Utilitarians (36%)

2. Explorers (20%)

3. Researchers (16%)

4. Discerners (15%)

5. Budgeters (13%)

And while we have discussed the fact that retailers are moving toward a more experiential approach it appears that half of all consumers do not care about that at all.

You can review the summary of the research here...

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/343107/influencer-marketing-has-peaked-heres-whats-n.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=116035&hashid=pWUJIUyQGMyJVccRQy8fKxuJEXY

Based on this data, which segments are most likely to care about influencers?  Experiences?  Novelties?  What do the other segments care most about?

How do MBTI preferences align with these findings?  Based on the information given what other persuasion techniques might be employed?

In view of generational data cited, and what we know about population trends and the current distribution of wealth in this country, how would your prioritize your efforts?

Mahoney S. (2019, November 8)  Influencer Marketing Has Peaked -- Here's What's Next.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved November 12, 2019, from https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/343107/influencer-marketing-has-peaked-heres-whats-n.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=116035&hashid=pWUJIUyQGMyJVccRQy8fKxuJEXY

Will people drink the official wine of the NFL?

Or perhaps I should ask will they drink "the most photographed wine on Instagram?"  I'm talking about Babe.  It comes in a can, and its alcohol content is 12% versus 5% for a Budweiser.

Not surprisingly it is targeted to women.  The spokesperson for the brand is Kayla Nicole - an on-camera host and girlfriend of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. (Bednarski, 2019)

You can check out the commercial here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqDAYMhM9bM&feature=youtu.be

 

Before you read this blog, had you ever heard of Babe?  Does their alliance with the NFL make sense?  Why or why not?  Which will be more important for their success - the alliance with the NFL or their presence on Instagram?  Why?

Do you know who Kayla Nicole is?  Do you think selecting her as a spokesperson is a good idea?  What do you think of the commercial - do you find it funny?  What do you think of the name Babe?

And lastly, but most importantly - do you think this strategy will make people want to drink Babe?  Will you?

Bednarski, P. (2019, October 30)  This Pinot's For You: Anheuser-Busch Brings Wine In A Can Tp NFL.  mediapost.com.  Retrieved November 6, 2019, from

https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/342673/this-pinots-for-you-anheuser-busch-brings-wine-i.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_content=headline&utm_campaign=115907&hashid=ybq2buULrntyGS6NfbELk0afrrI