57% of US consumers say that they’re increasingly checking product labels to see what company is behind the product they’re buying, and the same proportion say they get annoyed when it’s not obvious what company is behind a product, according the study The Company Behind the Brand: In Reputation We Trust by Weber Shandwick (@WeberShandwick). Roughly 2 in 5 US consumers also say they hesitate to buy products when it’s not clear what company makes them, and that they do research to learn about the companies that make the products they buy.
Our study identified 6 New Realities of Corporate Reputation. Each reality serves as a reminder to business leaders that they cannot view their company’s reputation and their product brands as separately as they once did. Aligning and integrating both optimizes their respective strengths to achieve strong business results.
1. Corporate brand is as important as the product brand(s).
2. Corporate reputation provides product quality assurance.
3. Any disconnect between corporate and product reputation triggers sharp consumer reaction.
4. Products drive discussion, with reputation close behind.
5. Consumers shape reputation instantly.
6. Corporate reputation contributes to company market value.
“In this fast-moving information age, consumers can now readily connect the dots between the brand they buy and the company behind the brand,” says Leslie Gaines-Ross, Chief Reputation Strategist, Weber Shandwick. “Whereas it has long been known that a strong brand shines a light on a company’s reputation, it is now clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that a strong company reputation adds an undeniable brilliance to the brand.”
What impacts consumers’ opinion of a company?
· Word of mouth (88%)
· Online reviews (83%)
· Online search results (81%)
· News sources (79%)
· Company websites (74%)
· Awards and rankings (63%)
· Leadership communications (59%)
· Advertising (56%)
· Social networks (49%) (are companies not embracing social media in a way that fully resonates with the public?)
Contact Somersault (@smrsault) to help you identify blue ocean strategy for your brand.
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