75% of consumers expect brand content to impact personal wellbeing

Brands need to get better at leveraging premium content to engage consumers and support business objectives, according to the latest Meaningful Brands report published by ad and PR enterprise Havas Group. The study found that three-quarters of consumers now expect a brand’s content output to make a positive impact on their personal lives.

Havas’ Meaningful Brands 2017 global report is the largest of its kind, covering 1,500 brands and 300,000 people in 33 countries. It aims to take a closer look at content usage and effectiveness and examine how content marketing endeavours dovetail with a brand’s business performance. The study measured brands’ meaningfulness to end users in 12 different areas of wellbeing, including finance, health and happiness.

Seventy-five per cent of those surveyed said that they rely on brands to make a contribution to their quality in life in some way, and the report also shows that there is a 71 per cent correlation between publishing content that is effective and a brand’s impact on the wellbeing of readers and viewers. Brands will achieve better business returns when they become more personally meaningful.

A list of the top Meaningful Brands across the globe highlights just how the Technology and Electronics industry is ahead of the curve in creating a lasting impact with consumers. Google topped the charts, while YouTube, WhatsApp and Samsung also featured in the top five. The Transport, Retail and Food sectors are also doing well at bringing collective and personal benefits to people and families.

“Understanding the role of content in order to be a Meaningful Brand^® has become more important than ever,” Havas’ Chief Strategy Officer, Imogen Hewitt, said. “Brands need to connect to consumers through their content by fulfilling at least one of six key consumer demands — to be inspired, entertained, educated, informed, supported or rewarded.”

She added: “These expectations from consumers change from industry to industry, but at its core is relevance and authenticity. Does your content align with your brand, and is it having the desired effect for your business? That is the question brands need to answer to continue to engage consumers.”