TION’ALL THIS PUTS SELF VERSUS SOCIETY: TION INFLA A BRAND LEADERS A BALANCING ACT THAT T IN A TOUGH SPOT. ESCAPES MOST. Focus too much on serving the individual To date, few brands are getting the balance right, a and you risk alienating audiences that sentiment strongly echoed by investors. And consumers value the societal. are experiencing the consequences. Focus too much on the societal and you risk being accused of ‘woke marketing’, Only 27% of brand leaders and or, worse still, forgetting your shareholder responsibilities. 40% of investors think brands CHAPTER 01: WE’RE LIVING IN THE ERA OF ‘EXPEC get the balance about right.” IF FOCUS TOO MUCH ON SELF IF FOCUS TOO MUCH ON SOCIETY 71% of consumers say they are often forced to choose between % % quality/price and sustainability.” 94 87 To cap it off, there’s a strong feeling that these pressures are here to stay. concerned about not being seen to be concerned about being perceived as A combination of consumer sentiment, shareholder pressure, doing enough in response to key societal too ‘woke’ by focusing on societal and legislative environment and wider societal expectations have and environmental issues environmental issues combined to create a set of compelling macro forces. It’s little surprise that 80% of brand leaders and 71% of investors believe that the pressure to balance shareholder value with positively contributing to the world will only grow. 4 And getting that balancing act right won’t become easier. Some 202 65% of brand leaders and 69% of investors feel that balancing % shareholder value with ‘people and planet’ considerations will 90 become more difficult in the future. concerned about investors and CITIZEN BRANDS REPORT shareholders thinking they are focused too much on societal and environmental issues over profit and shareholder value 10