A shock for everyone interested in brands

Havas Media, the global media network of the French company, Havas, conducted another annual survey, this time involving online panels with 50,000 consumers, in the period March to June 2011, in 14 markets – France, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Argentina, China, Japan and India.

The results are, if not shocking, at least eye-opening:

* For the 4th year running consumer expectations of companies’ responsible behaviour continue to rise

* Nearly 85% of consumers worldwide expect companies to become actively involved in solving these issues (an increase of 15% from 2010)

* Those prepared to reward responsible companies by choosing to buy their products is up 11% from last year to now more than half of all consumers (51%)

* Those who would pay a 10% premium for a product produced in a responsible way is up once again, also now to more than half – from 44% last year to 53% in 2011

* The percentage of consumers who would punish irresponsible companies has also increased to 44% (from 36% in 2010)

* Only 28% of consumers worldwide think that companies today are working hard enough to solve our social and environmental challenges

* Only 20% trust companies when they communicate about their social/environmental commitments and initiatives

* For the second year running: most people would not care if 70% of brands ceased to exist.

As a response, Havas Media has launched “Meaningful Brands,” a global framework that offers a new index, analysis and proprietary tools to measure and build brand value in the context of changing consumer expectations.

The Meaningful Brands index(MBi)connects brands with our quality of life and well-being by measuring the perceived impact of brands on our health, fitness, happiness, values, social relationships, financial security, lifestyles, communities, societies and the environment.

The MBi's ten top brands are: Ikea, Google, Nestlé, Danone, Leroy Merlin, Samsung, Microsoft, Sony, Unilever and Bimbo.

I must confess that Leroy Merlin and Bimbo surprise me. Leroy Merlin is French, and we might suspect a slight French bias there, but Bimbo is Mexican.

The next ten are also interesting: LG, Philips, Apple, P&G, Mars, Volkswagen, L’Oreal, Wal-Mart, Carrefour, Coca-Cola.

The surprises here are Apple and Coca-Cola.

Apple because it is so far below Google and Nestlé, and only just above a chocolate manufacturer and a household products company (both relatively old industries).

Coca-Cola because it pips Pepsi here - and I am interested to learn that it really adds to the sum of human well-being. Sphere: Related Content