Increasingly, evidence demonstrates that global stakeholders across the board are expecting business to deliver greater value beyond just a slicker product or bigger profits. This panel provides three types of filters for decision-making as to how to prioritize your sustainable innovation initiatives such that you might recognize most uplift in stakeholder support.

1. Sustainable Brand Perception vs.
Performance: Reducing the Gap
¡ Kate Cox, Head of Strategy, MPG Media Contacts,
Havas Media
Sustainable Brands
London Conference

2. Sustainable Brand Perception
versus Performance: Reducing
the Gap
27th November 2012
Havas Media: Meaningful Brands for a Sustainable Future

3. We survey ‘meaningfulness’ globally
5th year of research into
brand meaningfulness
2011 survey covered:
• 50,000 consumers in 14 countries
• 300 brands in 10 industries
Explores brand equity in relation to personal well-being and
social capital
Directs, shapes and measures meaningful communications

4. “WOULD YOU CARE IF THIS BRAND
CEASED TO EXIST?”
CAN WE MEASURE
‘MEANINGFULNESS’?
“DOES THIS BRAND IMPROVE YOUR
QUALITY OF LIFE?”

5. Consumer Perception of ‘Being a Better Business’ and
‘Personal Value’ combined into one metric
Meaningful Brand Index
Collective Outcomes Personal Outcomes

6. Huge disparity in the power of brands across markets
30%
5% of people would care if
this brand disappeared in
the UK
18% of people would care if 12% of people would care if
this brand disappeared in this brand disappeared in
North America Europe
53% of people would care if
this brand disappeared in
South America
50,000+ people
14 countries
300 brands

7. Developing and Developed Markets
All Countries, 2010–2011 Always + Often
Always Often 2011 2010
Global 12 43 32 10 2 55% 47%
Chile 21 51 23 51 72% -
China 17 55 25 3 72% 68%
Mexico 17 54 24 4 1 71% 69%
Colombia 18 51 25 5 1 69% 45%
India 23 45 27 4 68% 69%
Italy 13 54 26 6 1 67% -
Argentina 19 47 26 7 1 66% -
Brazil 13 46 32 7 1 59% 63%
Spain 9 40 36 13 2 49% 46%
France 5 38 39 15 3 43% 43%
USA 5 31 39 19 6 36% 34%
Germany 4 32 43 17 4 36% 35%
UK 3 25 43 23 6 28% 28%
Increase/decrease of at least 3% since 2010
Q5t. How often do you consider environmental, social or ethical aspects when making purchase decisions / when you go shopping?

8. Why Responsible Products/Services not Chosen More
Frequently?
All countries, Top Three Reasons Given, Total Mentions, 2011
Informa(on:
“From
the
informa/on
available,
it
is
difficult
to
understand
if
a
par/cular
product
is
more
responsible
than
another”
Expense:
“They
are
more
expensive”
Availability:
“In
my
area
they
are
not
broadly
available”
Impact:
“I
think
that
my
individual
effort
does/will
not
have
a
big
impact”
Credibility:
“I
do
not
believe
what
the
company/product
says
about
its
environmental
and
social
responsibility”
Interest:
“I
am
not
interested
in
socially/environmentally
responsible
products”
Subsample: those answering “Often,” “Sometimes,” “Rarely,” or “Never” at Q5
Q6t. Why do you not choose socially/environmentally responsible products or services more frequently? Please choose up to three reasons.

9. Marketing saturation driving corporate cynicism?
1.2%
Developing
Developed economies
USA economies
Argentina
1.0%
Advertising spend as a proportion of GDP
UK
0.8%
Brazil
Global average
0.6% Germany
France Chile
Spain China
Colombia
0.4% Italy Mexico
India
0.2%
Correlation = -0.51
0.0%
20 30 40 50 60 70 80
% of people who always/often consider Environmental/Social/Ethical aspects when making purchasing decisions
Source: MBI & Z Global Forecasts

10. And economic growth concerns in developed markets?
18%
Argentina
Correlation = 0.59
16%
India
14%
Developing economies
China
12%
10%
GDP growth
Brazil Colombia
8%
Chile
Global average Mexico
6% Developed economies
4% USA
UK
France
2%
Germany Spain Italy
0%
-2%
20 30 40 50 60 70 80
% of people who always/often consider Environmental/Social/Ethical aspects when making purchasing decisions
Source: MBI & Z Global Forecasts

11. Insight + Implications for developed markets
People’s start point for corporate communications in the
Insight developed markets is cynicism. If the company’s motivation is
not clear, the message will be treated with suspicion.
Transparency is key – there is a specific need in developed
markets to put the short term business reason for commencing
Implication any marketing activity around Sustainability at the forefront of
the messaging to combat cynicism

12. M&S Case Study

13. Thank you!