It was just a month ago that we launched this year’s FutureBrand Index.
I wrote about the Index in my latest monthly newsletter, click the link below for another look. In that newsletter, I shared how you can play with the interactive tools. You can compare the top 100. You can dive into detailed dashboards for all top 100 brands. You can explore the key drivers by sector. Or, you can build a brand perception chart for your own brand.
Welcome to a webinar
Now if that’s not enough, we’re also hosting a webinar on Thursday 9 November at 8am AEDT. Everyone’s welcome to join – it’s open to all, marketers and non-marketers alike – so that you can take a deep dive into the FutureBrand Index and gain some practical insights and ideas for growing your own brand and business.
A little bit of background
Now in its tenth year, the FutureBrand Index is a global study which researches the Global Top 100 Companies by market capitalisation and reorders them based on the strength of brand perceptions.
Regardless of sector, the FutureBrand Index demonstrates that companies which enjoy long-term competitive advantage are those which are best able to consistently balance their brand’s purpose with the everyday experience. Importantly, our rankings also show that financial strength does not necessarily translate into brand perception strength – making future growth less certain.
It’s also worth highlighting that he FutureBrand Index priorities research with 'informed professionals' – business leaders, decision makers and market watchers, as well as skilled professionals and junior managers – and this gives us an insight into the minds of those with their fingers already on the pulse.
A global study: four local perspectives
We’ve been reflecting on the big themes to surface in this year’s study and sharing our perspectives on the importance of a brand’s purpose, the tangible nature of everyday experiences, and of course the all-important connection that comes with a combination of the two.
I’m happy to be joined by some guest writers in this mid-month edition of the newsletter, namely Emma Waterman, Sam Hughes and Victoria Berry.
Firstly, Strategy Director Emma writes about the ‘purpose void’ looming in the corporate world, as published by Mumbrella. In particular, she highlights the importance of consistency – in her own words:
“Showing up with consistency, time and again, helps create a more distinctive brand. Forget about brands that ‘wear out’, the ones with the strongest perceptions ‘wear in’ and their ability to deliver a consistent experience for customers has been one of the driving forces that’s seen consumer brands, for example, make an impressive comeback in this year’s FutureBrand Index.”
Secondly, Brand Experience Director Sam reflects on the role of brand experience – or BX – in closing the gap and building consistency between what a brand ‘says’ and ‘does’. From his perspective, some of the biggest opportunities start small, as he explains here:
“One of the easiest places to start looking for small moments with a big impact is in and around hand-off moments. These might be transition points between related services or natural endings of a phase or stage that usually involve switching between platforms or channels. In these situations, it’s easy for there to be a noticeable disconnect in everything from visual assets and tone of voice to ease-of-use and more.”
Thirdly, Head of Strategy Victoria Berry encourages business leaders and brand managers to look inside their own organisation in response to the growing emphasis on corporate conscience and governance. It’s a critical consideration for all organisations of all shapes and sizes, not least of all this particular point:
“It’s one thing to build comprehension and understanding, but quite another to build belief. When you can get brand & marketing teams to empower non-marketers, every single person is working to grow and leverage the brand as a strategic asset, inside and out.”
Lastly, I added my own perspective – as published by SmartCompany – on how the brand experience can provide the x-factor if you want to grow your brand.
Now more than ever, your brand is not some abstract, intangible, almost ethereal concept. On the contrary, it is very tangible and real: you can buy it, sell it, eat it, work for it, even walk inside of it and experience it, each and every day. And, it thrives when you put it in the hands of every one of your people.
I hope you enjoyed reading this deep dive into from this year’s FutureBrand Index. Please do free to join me for the webinar on Thursday 9 November – you’ll not only hear from me but also our Head of Strategy Victoria Berry and Strategy Director Emma Waterman. Together, we’ll be reviewing the big themes, diving into the details, and answering all your questions.