Consumers Look for Brands to Take A More Active Role in Local Communities

January 18, 2013

This article is included in these additional categories:

Boomers & Older | Brand Metrics | Government & Politics | Local & Directories / Small Biz | Youth & Gen X

Havas-Brand-Involvement-Local-Communities-Jan201361% of online consumers from 31 countries around the world agree that they would like their favorite brands or companies to play a bigger role in their local community, suggesting that consumers are looking for businesses to be more integrated into societal interests, according to survey results from Havas Worldwide. Across the survey sample, 64% of 18-34-year-olds, 61% of 35-54-year-olds, and 51% of the 55+ group would like to see a stronger commitment from brands to their local communities.

The study divides the more than 10,000 respondents into prosumers (leading-edge consumers who are an indicator of what the mainstream will soon be doing and thinking) and mainstream consumers (79% of the sample), finding that 76% of the former and 57% of the latter would like to see an increased role in the community for brands.

The researchers indicate that consumers want “businesses to act as a sort of super-citizen” and believe that businesses have a responsibility to influence positive change. 73% feel that the more powerful corporations become, the more obligated they are to behave ethically, and a similar proportion agree that businesses have a responsibility to make the world a better place.

Consumers feel they’re ready to act to influence corporate behavior. Roughly half of the survey sample believe it’s easier for them to influence the behavior of businesses than government, and a similar figure believe that they can change how businesses operate through their purchasing power.

The researchers recommend that brands “make it easy [for consumers] to do good,” empower them to make an impact on the world around them, and let “citizen-consumers take part and spread the word through social media.”

About the Data: The Havas data is based on responses to an online survey of 10,219 citizens in 31 countries: Argentina; Australia; Belgium; Brazil; Canada; Chile; China; Colombia; the Czech Republic; the Dominican Republic; Finland; France; Germany; India; Italy; Japan; Kazakhstan; Kuwait; Malaysia; Mexico; Russia; Saudi Arabia; Singapore; South Africa; Spain; Taiwan; Turkey; Ukraine; the United Arab Emirates; the United Kingdom; and the United States. The survey was fielded by Market Probe International in summer 2012.

Chart-Library-Ad-1

Explore More Articles.

Which Skills Are Important in RevOps?

Which Skills Are Important in RevOps?

9 in 10 RevOps professionals view data analysis skills as being important, a high percentage also don’t believe they need this skill for their job.

Marketing Charts Logo

Stay on the cutting edge of marketing.

Sign up for our free newsletter.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This