The Lish Brand and the 'Ethi-Cool": An exploration into the effects of a simultaneously ethical and trendy brand on consumption patterns of mainstream South African youth

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility is an increasingly important factor used by brands to inform a core ethical identity, and considered by consumers in their purchasing decisions. It is claimed that consumers are becoming conscious/green consumers; however, this may not be the case in the context of South African youth. Young consumers may say that they are aware of their environmental or social impact, but do not necessarily support ethical brands as their desire for trendy, material goods may be more prominent. The proposed study arose out of a necessity to address whether a brand such as LUSH, which offers personal care products and is both ethical and trendy, could thus change the consumption patterns of South African youth and potentially inform greener lifestyles overall. Furthermore, the intersection of ethical personal care brands and South African youth is an under-researched area. It is hypothesised that a majority of youth only buy LUSH products for its “cool” value, yet that some young consumers are starting to buy the products as part of a green lifestyle and not just due to the brand’s “cool” factor. The objective is to ascertain whether the above assumptions hold true in reality, and this will be achieved through exploratory, qualitative research. Data was gathered through questionnaires and personal interviews with mainstream South African students aged 18—25, in order to draw conclusions about their ethical/sustainable consumption patterns. Findings show that LUSH has predominantly impacted youth mind sets as opposed to actions, resulting in young consumers requiring that more businesses be transparent about, and accountable for, their actions. The results of the proposed research can help local strategists ascertain what could influence South African youth in purchasing ethical brands and in potentially becoming conscious consumers.