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Three eco-conscious audiences for Earth Day

Published: April 18, 2023 by Experian Marketing Services

As Earth Day approaches, it’s the perfect opportunity for marketers to explore innovative ways to engage with eco-conscious customers. With a strong and growing interest in sustainable business practices worldwide, green audiences are becoming increasingly influential. In addition to being good for the planet, engaging these customers is great for any brand or organization striving to become more eco-friendly and socially responsible. By taking advantage of this timely event and using appropriate tools, you can create personalized campaigns that will both promote your brand and increase customer loyalty.

Eco-conscious audiences

In this blog post, we’ll cover three eco-conscious audiences to target this Earth Day:

  1. Solar energy
  2. GreenAwareTM
  3. Electric vehicles

Solar energy

Our first eco-conscious audience is Solar energy. Consumers in this audience show an inclination toward harnessing the power of the sun as a clean, renewable energy source. Our audience data can provide valuable insights into the Solar energy consumer base, including their age, education level, occupation, household income, and communication preferences. Let’s explore these metrics to better understand how to reach this group effectively.

Age and living situation

Consumers in our Solar energy audience are more likely to live in a home with two or more adults and are between the ages of 45-74.

consumers in the eco-conscious solar energy audience are more likely to be between ages 45-74

Education level and occupation

Consumers in our Solar energy audience are more likely to have graduated from college or graduate school and work in management-level occupations.

consumers in the eco-conscious solar energy audience are more likely to work in management-level occupations

Household income

Consumers in our Solar energy audience have household incomes of more than $75,000 and their homes are valued at over $550,000.

consumers in the eco-conscious solar energy audience have household incomes of more than $75,000

Preferred engagement channels

Consumers in our Solar energy audience are most receptive to ads served through digital channels like digital newspapers and email.

consumers in the eco-conscious solar energy audience are most receptive to ads through streaming tv and digital newspaper

Solar energy audience pairings

Consumers in our Solar energy audience also belong to three of our Mosaic® USA groups:

  1. Power Elite
  2. Flourishing Families
  3. Booming with Confidence

Our consumer segmentation portal of 126 million households and 650 lifestyle and interest attributes empowers marketers like you to precisely target your ideal audience and communicate with them on a personal level. Mosaic’s data segments the U.S. into 19 overarching groups and 71 underlying types, giving you the insights needed to anticipate the behavior, attitudes, and preferences of your most profitable customers and communicate with them on their preferred channels, with messaging that resonates.

GreenAware

Our second eco-conscious audience is GreenAware.

GreenAware segments the 126 million U.S. households within Experian Marketing Data into four distinct groups. Each group differs in their attitudes and behaviors toward purchasing products that are environmentally safe and working with companies that are eco-conscious. We created these groups using an enhanced application of traditional statistical clustering techniques based on environmentally relevant measurements in Simmons’ National Consumer Study.

Based on the distinctive mindset of consumers toward the environment, you can learn how environmental concerns fit into their lives through four major consumer segments:

  1. Eco-Friendly Enthusiasts
  2. Sustainable Spectators
  3. Passive Greenies
  4. Eco Critics

Let’s dive deeper into each group to understand their unique perspective on the environment and how this impacts their attitudes and behaviors.

Eco-Friendly Enthusiasts

This eco-conscious segment prioritizes a green lifestyle and takes pride in avoiding products that harm the planet. With traditional and liberal values, they embrace optimism and prioritize family. With their children out of the house, they take the time for some well-deserved rejuvenation and are committed to a healthy lifestyle. Some members of this group are transitioning into retirement and welcoming a new chapter in their life.

  • Mature adults and retirees
  • College graduate or more
  • Above average income
  • May be married or single
  • Typically own their homes

Sustainable Spectators

This segment aspires to be more sustainable, but they struggle with translating their green ideas into action. They have a soft spot for a cozy home. While their love for interior design and taking care of their own space is evident, they’re always looking for new experiences and opportunities to learn. Staying healthy and active is a top priority for this group, so it’s no surprise that they’re always looking for ways to stay fit and feel their best.

  • Established and mid-life adults
  • College graduate or more
  • High income
  • Typically married
  • Likely to own their homes

Passive Greenies

This is the largest and one of the most youthful groups. Known for their love of exploration and self-discovery, they may not have fully embraced eco-conscious behaviors yet, but they are eager to stay current with the latest technology and trends. With their incredible ability to multitask, they’re always on-the-go, and constantly seek the next best thing.

  • Mainly young adults and diverse
  • Education ranges from high school through some college
  • Below average income
  • More likely to be single or divorced
  • Typically rent

Eco Critics

This group is not likely to be eco-conscious and may have negative attitudes about the environment. They are confident, driven, and focused on their personal growth. They crave instant gratification, seeking out quick and easy solutions to their everyday decisions. They place a high value on entertainment, their social life, and carefully curate their image.

  • Young and established adults
  • Education ranges from high school through post-graduate studies
  • High income
  • Married or single
  • Typically own their homes

Let’s take a look at how the GreenAware segments stack up against each other in terms of age, household income, education level, and media preference. How do they compare? Let’s find out.

Age

Consumers in the Eco-Friendly Enthusiasts segment are the oldest of the four GreenAware segments – about half of the consumers are 65 or older. Eco Critics are the youngest segment, with over half of consumers in this group between ages 25-44.

consumers in the "eco-friendly enthusiasts" audience are the oldest of the eco-conscious audience segments

Household income

Sustainable Spectators and Eco Critics are the wealthiest GreenAware segments. The average household income of consumers in these segments is above $100,000. Passive Greenies have the lowest household income, with a majority below $50,000.

sustainable spectators and eco critic consumers are the wealthiest of the eco-conscious audiences

Education level and occupation

Passive Greenies are more likely to work Blue Collar jobs and have the lowest level of education. As the wealthiest segments, Sustainable Spectators and Eco Critics have the highest levels of college degrees and work in management, business, and financial operations. Eco-Friendly Enthusiasts are the most likely to be retired and out of the workforce.

graph of eco-conscious audiences and the highest education level they have finished

Preferred engagement channels

  • Streaming TV is the preferred engagement channel for all GreenAware segments.
  • Eco-Friendly Enthusiasts prefer digital channels like digital newspapers, mobile SMS, and email. They also engage with traditional channels like direct mail and newspaper.
  • Passive Greenies have a high preference for digital display, mobile SMS, digital video, broadcast cable TV, and radio.
  • Eco Critics have a high preference for digital channels like digital newspapers, mobile SMS, and digital display.
  • Sustainable Spectators strongly prefer digital newspapers. They don’t show as strong of a preference for mobile SMS and digital display as Eco Critics and Passive Greenies.
graph of the eco-conscious audiences' preferred engagement channels

GreenAware audience pairings

Six of our Mosaic groups have at least one GreenAware segment with 10% or more of the population. For more precise targeting, below are suggested Mosaic audiences you can pair with each GreenAware segment:

Eco-Friendly EnthusiastsSustainable SpectatorsPassive GreeniesEco Critics
Booming with ConfidencePower EliteSingles and StartersPower Elite
Autumn YearsBooming with ConfidenceGolden Year GuardiansSuburban Style
Golden Year GuardiansSingles and Starters

Electric vehicles

Our third eco-conscious audience is electric vehicles.

Electric vehicles (EVs) are having a major moment in the automotive industry. This is no surprise given that new EV models are being released and an increasing number of charging stations are popping up around the country. As EVs become more prominent, it’s essential to stay up to date on relevant trends to make informed decisions about what lies ahead.

The demand for electric vehicles (EVs) is on the rise

Consumers are embracing the EV revolution, showing their desire for a cleaner, greener future. Automotive marketers are increasingly looking to reach in-market EV shoppers and current alternative fuel vehicle owners due to the growing availability of electric vehicles, improved infrastructure, and rising popularity. In 2022, EVs charged up the market and accounted for a remarkable 6% of new retail registrations.

While Tesla continues to dominate the EV market, Ford, Chevrolet, and Hyundai are starting to compete, each holding more than 3% of the market share of new retail EV registrations.

graph showing the demand for electric vehicles by model

Geography

Where are we seeing the most new retail EV registrations? The top designated market areas (DMAs) for new retail EV registrations are mostly located in heavily populated, coastal cities like Los Angeles, CA and New York, NY.

graphic showing the top designated market areas for new retail EV registrations

The fastest growing DMAs, however, are in smaller cities like Tucson, AZ and Oklahoma City, OK.

Generational demographics

Gen X and Millennials make up the largest percentage of new retail EV buyers at 37.5% and 34.4%. Gen Z and the Silent generation represent the smallest shares at 5% and 2.1%. Boomers hover between Gen X and Millennials’ share and account for 20.6% of new EV retail purchases.

EV audience pairings

Our top five Mosaic groups for new EV buyers include:

  1. American Royalty
  2. Cosmopolitan Achievers
  3. Philanthropic Sophisticates
  4. Couples with Clout
  5. Fast Track Couples

How to target consumers in-market for electric vehicles

We offer 70+ audiences that are focused on likely buyers and owners of EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicles. We also offer a subset of 28 audiences focused on individual EV/PHEV vehicle models.

Below is how you can find a few of these audiences on-the-shelf of most trusted advertising platforms:

  • Autos, Cars, and Trucks > In Market-Fuel Type > Electric
  • Autos, Cars, and Trucks > In Market-Fuel Type > Used Electric
  • Autos, Cars, and Trucks > In-Market Make and Models > Tesla
  • Autos, Cars, and Trucks > In-Market Make and Models > Chevrolet Bolt EV

We can help you reach eco-conscious consumers

Earth Day is a great opportunity to get creative with your marketing efforts with our three eco-conscious audiences: Solar energy, GreenAware, and electric vehicles. To find out how you can add eco-conscious audiences to your marketing plan, contact us.

Get in touch

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Why scale matters in third-party onboarding The benefit of third-party onboarding is scale. It enables data owners to monetize their insights, while giving advertisers access to richer audiences they couldn’t build on their own. It’s the engine behind CMNs, commerce media, and the growing data-sharing economy. With a partner like Experian, that scale becomes even more powerful. Our advanced modeling and identity solutions help brands expand their audiences responsibly using lookalike and predictive modeling to identify high-value segments, increase reach, and maximize performance across every activation channel. The responsibilities of data sharing in third-party onboarding As data ecosystems grow, so does the opportunity to collaborate responsibly. Once data leaves its original owner’s ecosystem: Consent obligations become more complex. Control over downstream usage can blur. Regulatory oversight increases, especially around transparency and consumer rights. With the right governance in place, these responsibilities can help strengthen partnerships, protect consumers, and create a foundation for sustainable growth. Experian’s ethical enablement role in third-party onboarding Experian’s enablement role is both technical and ethical. Our deep expertise enables us to partner with brands and support their monetization efforts, helping them derive new value from their data while maintaining the highest standards of privacy and compliance. Meanwhile, our infrastructure ensures third-party data onboarding happens securely and transparently: Identity resolution expands reach without overexposing identifiers. Data verification and governance ensure partners meet strict privacy standards. Revenue-share structures maintain fairness without hidden costs. Cross-channel integrations enable you to onboard your data once and activate it everywhere (programmatic, CTV, or social) through Experian’s 30+ direct and 200+ indirect destination partnerships. Why third-party onboarding matters Third-party onboarding is the foundation of modern data collaboration. When done through Experian, it becomes a trusted extension of your brand’s identity governed by the same privacy, consent, and accuracy standards that strengthen your first-party ecosystem. We help brands uncover new opportunities for growth, partnership, and responsible innovation. When first-party onboarding turns into third-party onboarding When data ownership shifts, privacy expectations change, and the rules of onboarding start to look a little different. This stage can feel complex, but with the right approach, the crossover becomes clear. It’s a natural evolution that helps brands connect data more effectively and collaborate confidently. Here’s what that can look like in practice. A retailer uses its own first-party data to engage loyal shoppers through its website, app, or email program. The data is secure, consented, and fully under the retailer’s control. Then comes collaboration. The retailer decides to partner with a brand, like a CPG company, to reach those same shoppers across connected TV or the open web. In that moment, the retailer’s first-party data becomes the CPG’s third-party data. Ownership doesn’t really change, but accountability does, along with new privacy and compliance considerations. This “crossover moment,” when first-party onboarding turns into third-party activation, is a small shift with big potential that can lead to new reach, deepen collaboration, and strengthen customer connections across the marketing ecosystem when managed responsibly. Why clarity matters in the crossover between first- and third-party onboarding When data starts flowing beyond owned channels, questions naturally come up. Marketers want to know things like: Who “owns” the audience once it’s shared with a partner or DSP? Whose privacy notice applies — the retailer’s, the brand’s, or both? How do we keep match accuracy without overexposing PII? Who’s responsible for opt-outs and suppression compliance downstream? These are the right questions to be asking, and they’re signs of a mature, data-driven strategy. Asking them is what helps brands strengthen governance, build trust, and get more value from collaboration. With the right framework in place, what could feel complicated becomes clear, opening the door to more confident growth across CMNs and other shared-data environments. How Experian brings clarity and control to the first- and third-party onboarding crossover As a neutral, privacy-first partner, we provide the infrastructure that keeps data secure, compliant, and meaningful wherever it flows. Our onboarding solutions help both sides of the partnership — retailers and advertisers — maintain trust through: Clear ownership and consent management: Experian enforces data-handling rules that preserve each party’s control. Every record is matched and activated in accordance with strict consent parameters and Global Data Principles that exceed industry standards. Accurate, privacy-safe identity resolution: Our Offline and Digital Graphs connect people to their devices, households, and behaviors using hashed identifiers, ensuring match precision while protecting individuals. AI-powered contextual intelligence: Experian’s AI models analyze real-world behavior and contextual signals to enhance match quality and extend reach without reliance on cookies. For CMNs, that means better off-site activation, targeting the right shoppers in the right environments while maintaining compliance. Trusted integrations and transparent reporting: With direct integrations into 30+ programmatic and TV destinations, Experian delivers consistent match rates and unified measurement through solutions like Activity Feed and Experian Outcomes. This is how Experian transforms complex data challenges into seamless, scalable collaborations that give marketers the confidence to expand responsibly into commerce media and commerce ecosystems. The new standard of responsible AI and commerce media Commerce media represents the future of audience activation, but only if the transition is managed responsibly. As the lines blur between data ownership and activation rights, Experian’s AI-driven, privacy-first identity framework acts as the connective tissue between retailers, brands, and platforms. We help CMNs: Enrich shopper data with Experian Marketing Attributes for deeper insights. Extend addressability off-site using privacy-safe identity resolution. Optimize activation through real-time, contextually aware audience expansion. Measure results transparently through privacy-compliant feedback loops. In short, we ensure that when your first-party onboarding becomes third-party activation, trust and performance stay intact. Why choose Experian's onboarding solutions? Many view onboarding as a data transfer, but we treat it as a trust process where accuracy, privacy, and performance align. Here’s why marketers choose us: 1. Unmatched data and identity foundation When brands struggle with incomplete or siloed customer data, Experian’s unified foundation connects fragmented records into a single, accurate identity. Our Offline and Digital Graphs link households, individuals, and devices with persistent accuracy. Updated weekly and built on decades of historical data, our graphs maintain 97% household coverage across the U.S., even through signal loss. 2. Privacy-first and compliance-led Given tightening regulations and growing consumer expectations, privacy compliance is essential. With decades as a regulated data steward, we apply the same rigorous controls from our financial operations to marketing data. Every data partner is verified for transparency and compliance with consent requirements, and all consumer data is governed by Experian’s Global Data Principles, which exceed industry standards. We help brands meet their privacy and consent obligations confidently while maintaining the data integrity that drives results. 3. Real-time, contextual activation Experian’s industry-leading Offline and Digital Graphs are widely adopted across the advertising ecosystem, powering identity resolution and audience activation for the world’s top marketers. Our integrations span 30+ direct and 200+ indirect activation platforms, including leading DSPs, CTV networks, and commerce environments. With real-time, AI-driven contextual intelligence, Experian enables privacy-safe targeting even in signal-limited environments through solutions like Contextually-Indexed Audiences that deliver reach without reliance on cookies or personal identifiers. 4. Platform flexibility Modern marketing requires interoperability. Experian’s onboarding framework is technically integrated across multiple platforms, offering brands and data providers the freedom to activate where they choose. Whether through self-service onboarding in Audience Engine for first-party data or managed onboarding for third-party monetization, Experian scales with your organization, providing transparent pricing, seamless delivery, and dedicated support teams to ensure every connection performs. 5. Human-centered innovation Marketing should strengthen relationships and build trust. Our AI-driven identity systems are designed to protect privacy, respect individuals, and create real human value — helping brands connect with people meaningfully. They aren’t built to collect more data but to make better use of the data you already have by connecting insights responsibly and ethically.  Every innovation at Experian is guided by the principle of balancing personalization with compliance. Top use cases for Experian’s onboarding solutions Our onboarding solutions are transforming how brands operate across industries every day. Whether you’re deepening loyalty, expanding reach, or proving performance, Experian helps connect data responsibly to drive measurable results. Here’s where we make the biggest impact: Automotive: Connect purchase intent data with digital identifiers for more efficient targeting. Commerce media: Use both first- and third-party onboarding — first-party for on-site activation and owned marketing, third-party for off-site activation and monetization — all while maintaining compliance and accurate attribution. CPG: Activate shopper data through retailer partnerships to drive off-site reach and stronger brand collaboration. Data providers: Monetize audience segments across Experian’s programmatic and TV integrations. Financial services: Deliver compliant, personalized cross-channel offers with unified identity. Healthcare: Use National Provider Identifier (NPI) onboarding to reach healthcare professionals compliantly. Retail: Power loyalty personalization, partner monetization, and CMN audience activation. Across each use case, Experian’s privacy-first identity foundation turns data onboarding into a trusted driver of growth and stronger customer relationships. Navigate the new data economy with Experian Data onboarding has come a long way, mirroring the changes in marketing itself. We’ve moved from relying on third-party cookies to empowering first-party data, and now to building collaborative ecosystems like CMNs. At Experian, we’re right in the middle of that evolution. With decades of data expertise, privacy leadership, and AI-driven activation, we help marketers connect more responsibly, measure what matters, and grow with confidence. Want to see what that looks like for your brand? Let’s build safer connections together. Start connecting responsibly Data onboarding FAQs What is Experian First-Party Onboarding and Third-Party Onboarding? Experian First-Party Onboarding helps brands take the customer data they already own, like CRM lists or loyalty files, and use it safely across digital channels for targeting, personalization, and measurement. Experian Third-Party Onboarding helps retailers, publishers, and data providers share or monetize their audiences responsibly with partners through secure, privacy-first activation.Both are powered by Experian’s trusted identity foundation that keeps every connection accurate, compliant, and privacy-safe. What’s the difference between first-party and third-party data onboarding? The difference between first- and third-party onboarding is who’s using the data. First-party means a brand is activating its own customer information, while third-party means that data is being shared or used by another advertiser or partner. When does first-party onboarding become third-party onboarding? First-party onboarding becomes third-party onboarding most often in CMNs or commerce media. When a retailer monetizes its first-party shopper data for use by CPGs or advertisers, the use case shifts to third-party onboarding. Why do marketers need both first- and third-party onboarding? First-party onboarding helps brands reach and understand their existing customers, while third-party onboarding helps expand reach, enable partnerships, and monetize data responsibly. Latest posts

Nov 19,2025 by Experian Marketing Services

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At Experian Marketing Services, we use data and insights to help brands have more meaningful interactions with people. As leaders in the evolution of the advertising landscape, Experian Marketing Services can help you identify your customers and the right potential customers, uncover the most appropriate communication channels, develop messages that resonate, and measure the effectiveness of marketing activities and campaigns.

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