While enjoying exciting sustainable food, I pondered the evolution of marketing driven by sustainability.

"Is Sustainability Friend or Foe for Marketing?"

I'm Kaori Sakurai from Dentsu Inc.'s Sustainability Consulting Office, where I work on enhancing corporate value and supporting business initiatives through sustainability.

As the importance of SX (Sustainability Transformation) in corporate management grows, there is a growing movement to incorporate sustainability into marketing. However, balancing "marketing to sell products and services" with "sustainability to ensure environmental and social sustainability" is far from easy and remains a significant challenge for many companies.

When considering how to balance marketing and sustainability, we use the keyword "heart-racing sustainability." If it's heart-racing sustainability, people should naturally want to buy it.

In this series, five shopping-loving planners will explore the potential of sustainability in marketing, drawing on "heart-racing sustainability examples" they've encountered in their daily lives.

Only 6.8% of people buy sustainable products even if they cost a bit more!?

According to a survey conducted by Dentsu Inc., only 6.8% of respondents said they would "buy sustainable products even if they cost a bit more." Honestly, my reaction was "Well, I guess that makes sense..." Personally, I'd prefer prices didn't go up at all...

While incorporating sustainability into marketing is essential in today's era, it inevitably tends to drive up prices, making it difficult for consumers to accept. Particularly for mass-market products targeting broad audiences, getting consumers to accept price increases is challenging, and this is seen as a barrier to Marketing SX.

On the other hand, there are certainly sustainable initiatives gaining attention, even if they aren't mass-market products. Thinking that marketing SX insights might lie there, members of the Sustainability Consulting Office decided to gather "inspiring sustainability examples" and brainstorm together while chatting. Here Here is a report on that roundtable discussion.

Exploring the Appeal of Heart-Pounding Sustainable Food Together

We kicked off with the familiar topic of "food"! Here are two examples. The first is "2foods," introduced by Mori-chan. We all visited the Ginza Loft store.

2foods is a brand we discovered by casually walking into the store. Looking at the menu, we realized, "Oh, this seems plant-based." I found it interesting how they deliberately avoid pushing terms like "vegan" or "plant-based" to the forefront, instead creating a brand that looks pop and approachable.

The Ginza Loft store has a stylish, contemporary design, right? Zero plant-based vibe—it felt distinctly urban. It was impressive how bustling it was, packed with young people and inbound tourists. Prices are a bit high, but considering the Ginza location, maybe not that unreasonable.

The burgers are generously piled and substantial, feeling more like a "treat burger" than just fast food. Both the meat and cheese are plant-based, so I could dig in guilt-free!

I ordered the omelet rice. It was my first time trying plant-based eggs, and they tasted just like real eggs! I was surprised by how much it resembled traditional omelet rice. With this flavor and being healthy, it's absolutely perfect.

The egg-style sandwich I had was also amazingly fluffy and creamy. What made me especially happy was that the egg salad part uses a plant-based, cholesterol-free egg filling. It's appealing enough that you'd choose it even without allergies.

They also sell croissants and sweets, all with mouthwatering looks yet plant-based – a brand that truly satisfies both junk food cravings and healthy desires.

The second example is "ovgo Baker," recommended by Mr. Fukuda.

ovgo is a brand offering cookies and muffins, made 100% plant-based and using organic, naturally cultivated, and domestic ingredients whenever possible. While that might sound quite strict, the store and products are simply adorable.

The Kodenmacho store has a retro vibe reminiscent of a New York street corner. The way the products are displayed feels distinctly international—just looking at the displays lifts your mood!

Honestly, I don't think many people buy it just because it's sustainable, and that's the key point. People buy it because it looks delicious, because it's cute, because it seems like it would make someone happy. And beyond that, there's the added story: "Actually, it's environmentally conscious," or "Actually, it's vegan and organic."

There are so many varieties, just lining them up on the table lifts your spirits! The most popular is apparently the "Impossible Chocolate Chip Cookie." It's so satisfying to eat, you'd never guess it's plant-based!

It has that classic American cookie texture – super crunchy, packed with dried fruit and chocolate chips, yet not overly sweet and incredibly delicious! At around 400 yen per cookie for this size, the affordable price is another plus.

Among us, the "Weekend Citron" lemon cake was the most popular. Personally, I really liked the "Chocolate Cranberry Cardamom Cookie" because the cardamom flavor really comes through.

I hear the atmosphere varies slightly by location, so I'd love to visit other stores too.

The counterintuitive approach of "◯◯◯ yet sustainable"

What 2foods and ovgo share is that they don't immediately appear sustainable. Yet they build brands that appeal to cravings, like "junk food thrills" or "Instagrammable American cookies."

Sustainability often feels like sacrifice or restraint, but these two brands feel completely free of that constraint. Instead, they affirm human instincts and desires in a refreshing way. I sense that the unexpected combination of "sustainable yet appetizing" or "sustainable yet photogenic" resonates strongly, especially with younger people.

When something instantly grabs your heart with "I want to try this!" or "So cute!", and then you're told "Plus, it's healthy and sustainable," it just adds to the satisfaction. It's a win for both your right brain and left brain.

Earlier, we discussed how sustainability alone doesn't necessarily increase price acceptance. However, if something is "delicious, Instagram-worthy, healthy, and also sustainable," I think people might be willing to pay a bit more.

Assuming sustainability alone rarely drives purchase decisions, the key is to build strong customer value around the "◯◯◯" in "◯◯◯ yet sustainable," then layer sustainability on top to add further value. Viewing sustainability as a "tool for layering brand value and storytelling" might make it a more proactive asset in marketing.

<Summary>
・ Capture hearts with the unexpectedness or gap of "◯◯◯ yet sustainable."
・Sustainability can serve as a tool for layering brand value and story.
・By positioning sustainability as a background value rather than the forefront, it becomes a story you can share: "Actually, this is sustainable."

Our journey to discover exciting sustainability continues

Though we're completely full now, we're already planning our second and third articles. We aim to continue collecting heart-racing sustainability while leveraging each of our five members' unique personalities and interests. Finally, a quick comment from each of us.

■I want to combine PR and environmental perspectives to uncover clever sustainability solutions! (Yuka Sawai)
■Leveraging my experience in Australia, I want to make sustainability more accessible in Japan! (Ai Sakamoto)
■Drawing on my instincts as a mother and homemaker, I'll gently unravel marketing SX. (Kaori Sakurai)
■Sustainable shopping eliminates guilt toward children and serves as education. I'll keep an eye on it as a mother, creator, and consumer! (Yurika Mori)
■I'll globally seek out innovative sustainability solutions that enrich the world. (Kyoko Fukuda)

Stay tuned for more next time!