YouGov-品牌的社交声音（英文版）-2019.7-25页_1mb

Summary of "The Social Voice of Brands" Report

Core Content

This report explores how British and American consumers perceive brands expressing opinions on social and political issues. It uses YouGov data to compare consumer attitudes across both countries, focusing on the importance of brand involvement, the risk of backlash, and the effectiveness of communication strategies.

Main Points

General Consumer Attitudes

• Importance of Brand Opinions: Over half of consumers in both the US (58%) and Britain (57%) believe that brands should have a clear point of view on social issues. A smaller percentage (12% US, 10% GB) think it is not important at all.
• Liking Brands with Social Involvement: About 48% of Americans and 42% of Brits like brands that are willing to get involved in social issues.
• Dislike of Brand Opinions: Almost six in ten (59%) people in both countries don't think brands should express views on social or political issues, but this varies by industry and issue.

Reasons for Supporting Brand Involvement

• The most common reason for supporting brand involvement in social issues is the desire to trust the brand and the belief that brands should behave responsibly.
• In Britain, more people (54%) see brands as having a greater responsibility to society compared to the US (41%).

Exploitation of Issues

• A significant portion of consumers in both countries (54% US, 57% GB) believe brands are exploiting social issues.
• In the US, 21% definitely agree that brands are exploiting issues, compared to 17% in Britain.
• Only 6% of Americans and 2% of Brits definitely disagree with the idea that brands are exploiting social issues.

Generational Differences

• Millennials in both countries are less likely to agree that brands are exploiting issues compared to older generations.
• The US has a more receptive audience for brands taking a stand on social issues, with a higher percentage of consumers agreeing that they would buy from brands with views they agree with.

Risk vs. Reward Framework

• US Consumers:
  • 39% are reactive (likely to boycott or buy more depending on brand stance).
  • 24% are loyal (likely to buy more if they agree with the brand's views).
  • 25% are indifferent (purchase behavior is unlikely to change).
  • 12% are in the high-risk, low-reward group (likely to boycott regardless of alignment).
• GB Consumers:
  • 31% are reactive.
  • 20% are loyal.
  • 25% are indifferent.
  • 17% are in the high-risk, low-reward group.

Communication Strategies

• Consumers value honesty, trustworthiness, and authenticity from brands more than cleverness or seriousness.
• Brands should align their opinions with their image and audience values to avoid backlash.

Brand Purpose

• In the US, 18% of consumers strongly believe brands should reflect their personal views and stand for something.
• In Britain, this number is lower (10%).
• The most acceptable issues for brands to comment on include human rights, education, and animal cruelty.

Case Studies

• Nike and Colin Kaepernick: American consumers are more receptive to brands taking a stand on social issues.
• New Balance: A political tweet led to a drop in positive buzz among liberals, highlighting the risks of misaligned messaging.
• Lush and #SpyCops: The campaign faced backlash but did not significantly impact purchase intent.

Key Information

• Brand Receptivity: US consumers are more likely to support brands with clear social stances than their British counterparts.
• Audience Segmentation: Brands need to understand their audience's values and opinions to effectively communicate on social issues.
• Authenticity and Trust: Consumers prioritize honesty and authenticity over other attributes when it comes to brand messaging.
• Boycotting Risk: Both countries have a notable percentage of consumers who may boycott brands based on their stance, but this is more pronounced in Britain.

Conclusion

Brands engaging in social issues should be strategic and consider their audience's values and potential reactions. While there is general support for brand involvement in social issues, the risk of backlash remains significant. Authentic communication and alignment with brand identity are crucial to maintaining consumer trust and engagement.