more generally by presenting good practice in communicating LCA results [11–13].
The discussion has been dominated by positive opinions, showing that eco-design
and LCA are good fundaments for marketing claims. However, there are also some
voices advising caution when using LCA results in marketing communications. The
scepticism doesn’t relate to the LCA as a method, but rather to its subjectivity and,
especially, a high flexibility in formulating the initial assumptions [14, 15].
Besides being discussed in the literature, LCA is more and more present in
business practices and communication. LCA results are usually released as a part of
organisation-related sustainability report or product-related communication. The
results can be disclosed in comprehensive, quantitative and third party verified
forms (EPD declarations, the environmental certificates), but can also include more
general content of advertising spots, brochures and websites. Some recent examples
of using LCA in product advertising can be found. Life cycle based advertising
video spots are published on mainstream media channels, for example, the ads
published on YouTube by Beiersdorf AG (Nivea creams) [16], Toyota Motor
Corporation (Toyota Prius) [17] and W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore-tex
® footwear)
[18]. In these cases, the spots are based on a presentation of general information
about life cycle thinking and LCA results.
A question regarding life cycle based communication is pivotal, not only
because of an increase in the number of LCA-based ads, but also because of the
European Commission Initiative on Product and Organization Environmental
Footprints. PEFs and OEFs are intended for estimating and communicating the life
cycle environmental performance of products and organisations [19]. The verification and assessment of various communication vehicles are currently important
subjects for the European Commission and for related pilot working groups.
Different variants of PEF labels, as one of the communication vehicles, are under
consideration. A few years ago, in 2012, a study entitled “Different options for
Communicating Environmental Information for Products” was launched by the
European Commission—DG Environment. The aim of this study was to review and
analyse the existing knowledge about different ways of providing final consumers
with multi-criteria environmental information related to products [20].
As mentioned above, the papers about using LCA results as content of marketing
communications can be found. However, no information was discovered in the
literature about using neuroscience to verify the effectiveness of this kind of
communication. In order to fill this gap, an initiative has been undertaken by the
authors to use neuromarketing tools to assess the human reaction to products
labelled with life cycle based environmental labels and to ads with life cycle
environmental information included. Our project aims at answering the following
questions:
(1) What, if any, are the differences in the neurological responses of consumers as a
result of exposure to eco-labelled and non-eco-labelled products?
(2) Which elements of environmental labels and the eco-labelled products attract
the visual attention most?
Neuro-marketing Tools for Assessing the Communication …
165
The discussion has been dominated by positive opinions, showing that eco-design
and LCA are good fundaments for marketing claims. However, there are also some
voices advising caution when using LCA results in marketing communications. The
scepticism doesn’t relate to the LCA as a method, but rather to its subjectivity and,
especially, a high flexibility in formulating the initial assumptions [14, 15].
Besides being discussed in the literature, LCA is more and more present in
business practices and communication. LCA results are usually released as a part of
organisation-related sustainability report or product-related communication. The
results can be disclosed in comprehensive, quantitative and third party verified
forms (EPD declarations, the environmental certificates), but can also include more
general content of advertising spots, brochures and websites. Some recent examples
of using LCA in product advertising can be found. Life cycle based advertising
video spots are published on mainstream media channels, for example, the ads
published on YouTube by Beiersdorf AG (Nivea creams) [16], Toyota Motor
Corporation (Toyota Prius) [17] and W. L. Gore & Associates (Gore-tex
® footwear)
[18]. In these cases, the spots are based on a presentation of general information
about life cycle thinking and LCA results.
A question regarding life cycle based communication is pivotal, not only
because of an increase in the number of LCA-based ads, but also because of the
European Commission Initiative on Product and Organization Environmental
Footprints. PEFs and OEFs are intended for estimating and communicating the life
cycle environmental performance of products and organisations [19]. The verification and assessment of various communication vehicles are currently important
subjects for the European Commission and for related pilot working groups.
Different variants of PEF labels, as one of the communication vehicles, are under
consideration. A few years ago, in 2012, a study entitled “Different options for
Communicating Environmental Information for Products” was launched by the
European Commission—DG Environment. The aim of this study was to review and
analyse the existing knowledge about different ways of providing final consumers
with multi-criteria environmental information related to products [20].
As mentioned above, the papers about using LCA results as content of marketing
communications can be found. However, no information was discovered in the
literature about using neuroscience to verify the effectiveness of this kind of
communication. In order to fill this gap, an initiative has been undertaken by the
authors to use neuromarketing tools to assess the human reaction to products
labelled with life cycle based environmental labels and to ads with life cycle
environmental information included. Our project aims at answering the following
questions:
(1) What, if any, are the differences in the neurological responses of consumers as a
result of exposure to eco-labelled and non-eco-labelled products?
(2) Which elements of environmental labels and the eco-labelled products attract
the visual attention most?
Neuro-marketing Tools for Assessing the Communication …
165