Secondhand, First-Class: Identifying Target Communities for the Reuse Commons and Effective Marketing Strategies for Engagement
The unsustainable practices of mass production seen through the popularity of single-use plastics and fast fashion have become normalized, resulting in unsustainable consumption and conspicuous waste from consumers. Since the abundance of unsustainable consumption hurts the environment, it is essential to implement circular economies within American society. In a circular economy, all materials and products are reused or refurbished ensuring that waste is diminished. The first step in this process is to implement circular economy malls, like the ReUse Commons, in urban cities like Seattle. This project aimed to identify key communities for the ReUse Commons, understand their values, and assess the most effective marketing strategies to foster engagement. To accomplish this, I evaluated the most efficient ways to market towards and engage unique communities by interviewing experts in reuse and repair industries around Seattle. Through market research, I identified four key communities for the organization to target. I also supplemented these interviews with external research focused on consumer behaviors in relation to sustainability. My findings indicate that the key communities the ReUse Commons will want to prioritize include: low-income populations, refugees and immigrants, homeowners, and students. The key values for these communities are: affordability, community, education and sustainability. Future marketing and engagement strategies for the ReUse Commons should tailor their communication approaches to align with the values of the community they aim to reach.
