Here’s how brand values influence consumer purchases
A new survey reveals growing consumer awareness and consideration of the values of the brands they shop.
More than 88% of surveyed U.S. consumers purchase from brands that align with their values and nearly 84% of respondents will recommend a brand based on values.
"The Rise of Conscious Consumers: How Values Drive Customer Purchases," a study from responsible advertising and marketing solutions platform Givsly, found that more than one in four respondents consider brand values more today than they did five years ago, a trend that is even stronger among Gen Z respondents (36%).
Respondents feel a brand’s values are very important in their purchase decisions across all categories including everyday essentials (26%), restaurants/fast food (26%), retail/apparel (26%), travel/hospitality (24%) and automotive (22%).
Almost two-in-three (64%) respondents say they would pay more for brands that reflect their values, a number that jumps to 79% for Gen Z respondents. More than half (55%) say they feel more loyalty to brands that publicly share their values
Multicultural respondents care more about values than overall respondents, and 24% of multicultural respondents reconsider buying from brands whose values don’t align with their own.
These findings are supported by a recent survey from Collage Group revealing that LGBTQ+, Black and Hispanic consumers are all more likely than overall consumers to consider purchasing from brands that support causes they care about, such as diversity and inclusion.
Consumers want values discussed in ads
Only 12% of respondents prefer brands to stay neutral and avoid involvement in social issues and 53% feel disappointed when brands stay out of social conversations.
In addition, more than six-in-10 respondents want brands to talk about their values in product ads as opposed to cause marketing campaigns that do not focus on products. This is particularly true in the travel/hospitality (63%) and retail/apparel (62%) sectors.
Four-in-10 respondents pay more attention to digital ads that include a donation as compared to traditional digital ads.
[READ MORE: Survey: Most consumers still look to buy sustainable, but only some will pay extra]
Top values
Across all respondents, animal welfare (38%), mental health (37%) and food insecurity (34%) stand out as key values. The biggest value for self-identified political liberals is women’s rights (52%) and for self-identified political conservatives is supporting the military/veterans (45%).
"In today’s market, where brands are watching every dollar they spend, values-based advertising delivers a winning strategy," said Chad Hickey, founder and CEO of Givsly. "Consumers aren’t just buying products; they’re buying into brands’ stances on the values they care about as people.”
Givsly commissioned GWI, which has a panel of more than 22 million consumers, to survey more than 2,100 adults in the U.S. for this study from March-April 2025.
