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Here’s how brand values influence consumer purchases

Values (Image: Shutterstock)
Most consumers care about the value of brands they purchase (Image: Shutterstock).

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. 

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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.

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