NEW YORK: Brands that demonstrate specific factors of trust and dynamism, such as purpose, quality, and transparency, are more successful in engaging consumers, according to a study from Havas Worldwide.
The “Building Brands that Matter: The Sweet Spot Between Trust and Dynamism” study revealed that 60% of consumers and 83% of “prosumers,” or individuals who are ahead of the curve in adopting products and services, are more aware of the companies behind the items they buy.
Through the survey, the agency found that successful dynamic brands engage consumers on social media, show a clear social purpose, and allow for seamless integration among different platforms.
The online study, which included 10,219 participants in 31 countries, also revealed that trustworthy brands that have a loyal following focus on quality, transparency, cultural roots, and local community involvement.
One of the key findings is that large, global companies have a very strong role to play locally, said Sarita Bhatt, director of global strategy at Havas.
“For example, in India, to have McDonald's serving all-beef burgers is ridiculous, but when you put in chicken tandoori burgers, that's being locally relevant,” she explained.
Another key piece of data from the study is that 67% of prosumers and 53% of consumers believe what a brand's employees say about a company online is more convincing than an advertisement or news article.
Bhatt said this shows that companies need to “bring their employees to the forefront” and leverage them as their greatest advocates.
The idea of purpose beyond profit also ranked highly in the survey, with 80% of prosumers and 62% of consumers saying it makes them feel good to buy from companies that have a clear social purpose.
“You have to have a purpose beyond your brand, and that doesn't mean you always have to be giving away charity,” said Bhatt. “You have to stand for something greater than just a product — that's what purpose really means today.”
