Citizen Brands: Putting Society at the Heart of your Business - Softcover

What is the most important issue facing business today? Globalization, the technological revolution, supply chain management, core competencies, staff retention, price competition? Important though all of these are, something else is emerging as an equally critical challenge facing companies in the technological, globalized, knowledge economy ahead. It is the concept of Citizen Brands. Its importance arises because it embodies not just one, but three crucial strategic issues for the business world: aeo Values (what the company stands for); aeo Corporate citizenship (playing an active role in society); aeo Branding (the tangible and intangible attributes that are encompassed in a name or trademark). This book is about how these three elements come together in an integrated way; about how they define a companya s relationship with all the relevant people and institutions it has to deal with -- customers, employees, shareholders, suppliers, government or whoever. Put another way, it is about achieving corporate success through putting society at the heart of the company. Companies through their direct actions (for example employment) and through their intermediaries -- brands -- are an integral part of the social and economic world in which they operate, needing to reflect the values and aspirations that exist; the differences and similarities. This is why corporate managers need to bring society into the company; why they need to turn their brands into citizen brands. In the emerging networked, post--industrial world, managing that relationship is one of the most important challenges that companies face. And companies that understand and embrace this are likely to be the ultimate winners in the future.

In a world where consumers are becoming more fickle and moredemanding the task facing companies and brands is daunting - how tobuild and maintain reputation, trust and loyalty.  Recent highprofile corporate scandals have fuelled consumer cynicism over themotives of companies and their executives - what exactly docompanies stand for and how do they relate to society as awhole?  In order to build competitive and sustainable brands,companies need to understand the mindset, apprehensions andconcerns of the consuming public by engaging in a much moreproactive way with society and its citizens.  They need tobecome Citizen Brands - building up a stock of goodwill and trustto maintain their reputation in the challenging and uncertain timeshead.

Michael Willmott presents a compelling and persuasive argument -based upon an impressive array of supporting evidence - that beinga better corporate citizen is the right business call.  Hespecifically illustrates the crucial role of such behaviour inbranding and the building of brand equity, and demonstrates why awhole range of macro trends will make this an even more importantpart of successful business management in th e future.  Hefinishes with a 'strategy checklist' on how to become a CitizenBrand.

'Citizen Brands should be read by everyone involved in long-termbusiness strategy and marketing.' Marketing

'Michael Willmott has written a crucuial book which will helpanyone with an interest in the corporate sector understand how theissues of branding and corporate responsibility interact.' TomBentley, Director, DEMOS

'If you can only read one book on corporate socialresponsibility, this is the one.' Adrian Hosford, Director of BTGroup Social Policy