On Thursday 6th March, we saw the second meeting of minds for a common cause – Branding for Good. Respected industry leaders from global bank HSBC, retailer Marks & Spencer and energy giant E.ON took to the stage to share their responsible branding journeys.
Con el hcho que los titulares de la prensa actual se llenan de noticias sobre el calentamiento global, la mano de obra barata y las emisiones de CO2; se ha puesto de manifiesto que los europeos se interesan activamente por los temas éticos, según una nueva investigación realizada a nivel mundial por la consultora de marcas Added Value.
Secondo una ricerca svolta in tutta Europa da Added Value, la pressione da parte della stampa su argomenti quali riscaldamento globale, impatto ambientale e basso costo del lavoro ha suscitato un generale interesse nelle tematiche etiche. In particolare:
- Quelle etiche sono tematiche in forte crescita, che suscitano l’interesse di oltre la metà dei cittadini europei e sono ormai una priorità per il 21%.
- UK segue Germania e Francia tra i paesi che considerano le tematiche etiche prioritarie, ma le questioni ambientali, sociali e di corporate governance sono ai primi posti.
- Secondo i consumatori, le aziende dovrebbero dare la priorità alla ricerca di soluzioni sostenibili per contenere l’inquinamento, lo sfruttamento delle risorse, migliorare l’imballaggio/riciclaggio e ridurre le emissioni di anidride carbonica.
- Alcune questioni un tempo prioritarie per i consumatori, come i test sugli animali e la beneficenza, stanno scivolando in secondo piano.
I tedeschi, da anni impegnati sul fronte del riciclaggio, sono gli europei più attenti alle tematiche etiche. Il 25% le ritiene prioritarie, contro il 22% dei francesi e solo il 15% dei britannici, sebbene circa la metà di questi ultimi le reputi comunque interessanti.
As headlines over global warming, cheap labour and carbon footprints dominate the press; Europeans are taking an active interest in ethical issues across the board, according to new pan-European research from brand consultancy, Added Value.
The Body Shop has been praised by customers as the British brand with the best corporate reputation, according to a new survey by brand consultancy Added Value. Despite The Body Shop’s acquisition by the global beauty group, L’Oreal, it remains a brand recognised for its ethical viewpoint, although it may need to keep abreast of changing consumer attitudes to hold onto its leadership position.
So how do marketers start on the responsible brand journey and how do they get it right? This was the challenge for delegates at the‘Branding for Good’ summit. Stimulating speeches were mixed with energising workshop sessions to put the theory into practice for specific brands.
The post-depression economy is over. People are moving away from the “stinginess is cool” mentality and are again demanding for quality. But the quality promises given by companies are increasingly questioned. In addition to product quality, politically correct behaviour is becoming an increasingly important role. And these claims have grown through verifiable blogs, forums and communities on the internet in real-time. In times when private brands have to catch up with quality and design, price looses its function as quality indicator, objective quality label and third party assessments end up being increasingly the focus. The times in which consumers were seduced with flowery promises are gone. Honesty and commitment to customers and their needs are the focus. Because brands do not only live from their beautiful appearance but from its substance.
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