I’m published! My Pizza Personality in Readings and Cases in Sustainable Marketing: A Strategic Approach to Social Responsibility

Due to the My Pizza Personality project, I am now a “contributing author” in a case study called Environmental versus convenience purchases and the role of online community champions: My Pizza Personality. Well, I think it sounds exciting…

A contributing author based on the contribution of others

For those of you who have had any sort of academic experience involving a textbook, it is unlikely that you recall the author or editor.  It is even less likely that you gave the list of contributors more than a passing glance.  Let me tell you, that all changes when you see your name on the list.

I contacted LaTrobe University lecturer  Dr. Clare D’Souza as part of my preparation for the My Pizza Personality project a few years back.  Clare made my project possible based on her input from her extensive research in green marketing, labelling and the nature of convenience purchases.  As the project wrapped up, Clare mentioned she was putting together a book on sustainable marketing and asked if I wanted to contribute.  I said yes, and now my name stares back at me in print.

As is the way with many things in my life, the project would not have seen the light of day without Theresa Renando.  Not only did her encouragement keep me going as I pushed against deadlines, the project would be nothing if not for her artwork and illustrations.

I am also grateful to my friends, family, and colleagues who put up with my ceaseless promotion of the project.  Thanks to their efforts and a small degree of twitter spam, I was able to get my first 700 responses in a matter of weeks.  In keeping with my Capriccioso personality, my interests have focused elsewhere but my gratitude remains.

So now what?

The My Pizza Personality project started in 2010 as a research project for my Masters with the Australian College of Applied Psychology.  You can read the background, a story about how the project was promoted, the nature of the green consumer, and some of the outcomes.

The 1,150 responses as of June 2012 continue to support the initial questions: “Do people who buy pizza care about the environment?”, “Does the environmental position of the pizza company impact the consumer’s decision-making process?”, and “Can online communities help bridge an environmental / convenience gap?” The responses should be fairly self-explanatory, but the segmentation is fascinating as to the extent that consumers with a belief system can be mobilised.  If you want the specific breakdowns, I encourage you to pick up the book  or buy me a coffee and I’ll share some statistics.

I’ll be leaving the site up to slowly collect data from those who stumble across its tasty goodness.  Another aspect that is of interest is the differences in response over time.  Will responses in 10 years differ from those today?  Will the same proportion of people purchase pizza or care about the environment?  Will behaviour begin to normalise towards one or the other?

Time, and My Pizza Personality, will tell.

Thanks again for all your support.  One last plug for old time’s sake…

If you haven’t already, head on over to www.mypizzapersonality.com and discover your pizza personality!