Program on the Environment

Marketing is used to persuade the public to consume products. However, over the decades, marketing has been so successful in this goal, that it has created a society with consumption habits that are ultimately unsustainable. Now, with a social movement that demands more sustainable products (i.e. sustainable fashion, and the wide spread ban of single use plastics), how can marketing help persuade the public to consume more sustainably? To help answer this broad question, I worked as a sports marketing intern with Clif Bar & Company, an energy bar company who is committed to “running a different kind of company…one that strives for a more sustainable world.” Through this experience, I refined my study question to: how can sports marketing influence consumers’ decisions to purchase more sustainable energy bars? After ten weeks at Clif Bar & Co., I learned how companies can use athletes to deliver messages that not only promote their products, but promote messages of sustainability. Along-side this internship, I surveyed Division I athletes at the University of Washington to get a basic understanding of the importance of sustainability in relation with athletic performance products. The purpose of this study is to provide a foundation for the sports marketing industry so that it can ultimately influence more sustainable consumer habits.