This document summarizes key findings from a global survey conducted by APCO Worldwide of 600 companies across 15 countries and 70,000 respondents. It finds that stakeholders now expect more from companies and have more ways to engage with and influence them. The top performing companies achieve business objectives by adding social value, act as advocates for stakeholders, and stand for issues larger than themselves. These companies rate highly on societal impact, advocacy, authenticity, and building emotional connections with stakeholders.

1. KIRK STEWART
Executive Director, APCO Worldwide

4. Global Survey
600 companies
15 countries
70,000 respondents

5. Source: APCO Worldwide Champion Brand Research Study, 2012
Higher Expectations Than Ever

6. Source: APCO Worldwide Champion Brand Research Study, 2012
A Shift in Power

7. The Corporate Veil has been Pierced
Source: APCO Worldwide Champion Brand Research Study, 2012

8. Power to Do Good
Source: APCO Worldwide Champion Brand Research Study, 2012

9. Companies Need to be Champions
Source: APCO Worldwide Champion Brand Research Study, 2012

10. Investors
Consumer
Advocates
Community
Activists
Policy Influencers
Employees
Environmentalists

11. Seeking out information
about companies,
including getting news
about companies, visiting
corporate websites, and
reading corporate
responsibility reports and
annual reports.
more likely to have visited
companies’ corporate website to
read about the companies
practices, policies and activities
in the past 30 days.
to have read an annual report in
the last 12 months.
More than 6 times
6 times more likely

12. Join organizations that
address the concerns of
multiple interests. to belong to a consumer
advocacy organization.
10 times more likely
to be an active member of a
business, trade or commerce
group.
10 times more likely

13. Taking action either in
support of or to criticize
companies, including
boycotting, writing blogs
and contacting
government officials.
to have contacted a government
official to express their views
about a company’s or companies’
practices, policies, or activities.
7 times more likely
3 times more likely
to start a conversation with friends,
family or colleagues, about a company’s
practices, policies, or activities.

14. Believing that
companies have an
increased influence
and the ability to
shape a better society,
so they expect more of
companies today than
in the past.
agree that companies now serve
some functions in society that
were previously reserved only for
the government.
told us they care more about a
company’s practices and policies
today than they did 10 years ago.
78% of stakebrokers
83% of stakebrokers

15. Shared
Value
Reputation
Management
Authentic
Advocacy
Brand
Relationship
Philosophy
Historically, companies
have considered the
concepts of reputation
management, authentic
enterprise, brand
relationship and shared
value independently.

16. Philosophy
Shared
Value
Brand
Relationship
Reputation
Management
Authentic
AdvocacyPulling together the
very best thinking is
far more
comprehensive than
any single theory on
its own.
The Champion Brand
model was built using
these combined
theories as the
foundation.

18. Top 20 Companies
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
11. 12. 13. 14. 15.
16. 17. 18. 19. 20.

19. While Alignment is a necessary first step, it is
not sufficient to create strong and enduring
brands. Many brands have solid reputations,
but reputation alone can't help the brand
withstand a difficult business challenge.

20. Authenticity is achieved through transparency in
both word and deed – say what you mean, mean
what you say, and do what you say. Companies
with solid reputations who also act authentically
to meet their stakeholder expectations
ultimately build trust.

21. Stakeholders need to feel an attachment, not
only to the product, but also the company.
Building a deeper emotional connection is
what establishes loyalty.

22. Advocacy is the hardest dimension to achieve.
When companies become advocates –
champions – for the interests of stakeholders
and society they can become truly great
brands.

23. Stand for something bigger than themselves
Empower lives
Have a defined, clearly articulated platform
Employ surround sound communications
Companies
rated highly by
stakebrokers on:
The company achieves its business objectives by adding value to society
The company is an advocate for its stakeholders and society
Generally, these companies also:
SOCIETAL VALUE
ADVOCACY

24. Ranked 29th most admired company by
FORTUNE.
Number 1 rated auto company by Harris
Interactive.
Remains #1 in brand perception.
Continued strong brand loyalty.
Number 1 in global auto sales.

25. 9 million vehicles recalled.
Four Congressional hearings.
84 class action lawsuits; $1.2 billion
settlement.
10% decline in market share.
$21 billion in lost market cap.
$2 billion in total cost; $16.4 million fine.

26. 5.9
7.3
7.1 7.3
4 A’s Comparison - Global
7.16.8
6.66.0
6.4
6.5
6.2
6.9
7.1
7.0
6.66.3
6.8 6.9
7.2
6.8
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY
6.0

27. Ranked 23rd Most Admired Company by
FORTUNE.
Number 15 on Reputation Institute’s RepTrak
100.
Number 5 on Harris Interactive RQ.
Interbrand’s 6th Best Global Green Brand.
On Working Mother 100 Best for 28 years.

28. Voluntary recall of hip replacement devices.
Five year failure rate of 40% in one hip system.
More than 12,000 lawsuits.
$4 billion settlement.
Recall of more than 60 million bottles of
Tylenol, Benadryl, Motrin, Rolaids.

29. MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, SUPPLIES and PHARMACEUTICALS
4 A’s Comparison - Global
6.6
7.16.9
7.46.86.76.4
6.56.46.26.1
5.55.45.04.4 6.1
6.9
7.0

30. Ranked number 1 Most Admired Company by
Fortune.
Number 1 on Interbrand’s Best Global Brands.
Number 2 on Harris Interactive RQ.
World’s most valuable company

31. 4 deaths in Foxconn factory explosion.
14 suicides at another Foxconn facility.
Tax avoidance allegations.
Retail pay issues.
New York Times front page series.
“Apple never cared about anything other than
increasing product quality and decreasing
production cost… Workers’ welfare has nothing to
do with their interests.”
Former Foxconn manager

32. COMPUTER HARDWARE
4 A’s Comparison - Global
7.3
7.47.2
7.67.36.9
7.16.86.76.2
7.16.96.85.9
6.9
7.4

33. Commonalities
QUALITY PRODUCTS
CLEAR VISION, MISSION, VALUES
STRONG CULTURES
HIGH EMOTIONAL QUOTIENT
ADVOCATES

34. Does your organization have
a clear understanding of who
they are, what they stand for
and what they believe in?
Is there a clear expression
of your purpose that is
consistently
communicated both
internally and externally?
Does your organization
leverage all of its existing
initiatives to maximum
mutual benefit?
Does your organization
have an advocacy
mindset?

35. www.apcochampionbrand.com
kstewart@apcoworldwide.com