As the former CMO of Sonos, Joy Howard’s job was to make people want to buy new electronics. Now, it’s her job to convince them not to.
In April, Howard took the CMO role at Back Market, an online marketplace founded in France that sells secondhand electronics.
One in every three phones in France is refurbished, which isn’t all that surprising, says Howard on this week’s episode of AdExchanger Talks. France is known for its vibrant flea market culture, and the French have a well-documented passion for high-quality reused items.
The US market, however, is a “much tougher nut to crack,” says Howard, who was brought on in part to boost Back Market’s visibility outside of Europe. Selling Americans on secondhand is a unique marketing challenge, she says.
But even US consumers are getting a little fed up with the imperative to constantly buy the newest gear.
Back Market’s strategy is to tap into people’s “fatigue with this insistence that they upgrade,” Howard says. “I think they’re getting tired of it.”
Last month, Back Market launched its “Downgrade Now” campaign – which was Howard’s first big marketing push at the brand – with the message that an older device is just as good as the latest model for most of what people do on their phones (e.g., texting, making calls and watching videos).
But older devices are also better for the environment.
According to Back Market’s calculations, manufacturing a new smartphone produces 191 pounds of carbon dioxide, whereas refurbishing an existing phone produces just 15 pounds of CO2.
The same dynamic is at play in other industries. According to the European Environment Agency, textile purchases in the EU in 2020 generated roughly 270 kilograms (more than 590 pounds) of CO2 per person.
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Howard has experience in apparel. She was also the VP of marketing at Patagonia for three years and launched the brand’s Worn Wear program, which lets people trade in eligible Patagonia gear to get credit toward their next purchase.
“I could see so clearly how secondhand apparel and circularity [the concept in sustainability of minimizing waste] have really blown up,” Howard says. “It’s time for that to happen in consumer electronics, too.”
Also in this episode: Measuring out-of-home, which channels help build trust (and which don’t) and why Howard is a proud member of Team MMM. Plus: When you’re done listening to this podcast, check out ’90s indie band Seely. Howard was Seely’s bassist and pianist in her premarketing life.
