Why do we buy the things we do? It's all about identity.
+ An idea of how to drive sustainability in fast fashion
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I consider myself a minimalist when it comes to spending. I hate clutter. I am loathe to parting with my hard-earned money for things that are going to take up valuable space (physical and mental).
For example, I hate shopping for clothes. I'd prefer to buy some high-quality clothes once, usually in neutral colors that I can mix and match, and then not shop again for a year. I like opening up a neat closet every day and not having to waste any time deciding what to wear.
I (and the people that know me) have always thought that this just made me frugal. And maybe a bit unfashionable.
But I've been more aware recently about the things I do spend freely on:
Books
Courses
Apps
Running gear
Healthy/delicious food
This got me thinking: Why do we buy the things that we do?
Assuming our basic needs (shelter, food) are met, we spend money on things that support our beliefs about ourselves.
Identity = Behavior
The idea of identity-based behavior has come up a lot recently. The idea is that our most powerful behaviors are shaped by the type of person we believe we are - either consciously or unconsciously.
I am someone who loves to read. I consider myself someone who invests in personal improvement. I value my health. Note - these are all stories I have completely made up about myself over the course of my life, but every time I engage in behaviors that reinforce these beliefs, I get a little boost in the strength of these associations and re-confirm my self beliefs.
Were I to be the type of person who considered myself fashion-forward, I'd get a little hit of dopamine every time I bought a beautiful new pair of shoes.
And so on.
This sounds obvious, but it has important implications for marketers.
Understand your target customers' key beliefs about themselves and their identities.
Target your messaging to these beliefs.
Avoid alienating messaging.
A controversial example: Fast fashion and sustainability.
Fast fashion brands have been in the news a lot lately because of their devastating impact on the environment.
However, the majority of customers right now are indifferent to sustainability in fashion. They care about quality, price, durability, and style.
Of course, this doesn't mean that brands like H&M (who were recently in the news again for claims of greenwashing) shouldn't be working on sustainability. They must, and governments, shareholders, and citizens demand that they do.
But talking about sustainability, without explaining why this also achieves customers’ core values, isn’t going to sell more clothes. Sustainability initiatives need to be profit-accretive in order to gain support from customers and business stakeholders.
The only way to sell more is by connecting with their customers' core motives for purchasing:
If brands want to promote sustainability, they should connect their efforts to what customers value. e.g. "the latest quality fashion, at our always-low prices* (*now with less harm to the environment)”
Reeducate customers to show how sustainability supports their core identity-driven values. e.g. by showing how fashion that has “less harm on the environment” actually leads to more convenience, less cost, and better quality in the long run.
In this way, an identity-driven approach ultimately results in more aligned behavior from consumers and can support better adoption of sustainability goals - which aren’t top-of-mind for the majority of fast fashion consumers today.
Have you seen any good (or bad examples) of brands communicating their customers' identities? Reply to tell me more here or connect on LinkedIn.