Dubbed the 4th industrial revolution, Artificial Intelligence (AI) is here to stay. But the speed and intensity with which AI has invaded our lives in recent years has been a source of terror and excitement for people around the world. Uncertainty abounds as employers leap to explore the benefits of widespread automation, while employees anxiously stress about job security. So, the question remains: how do we take advantage of AI tools effectively, efficiently, and ethically? Below, we highlight the transformative ways AI has impacted market research and brand strategy, its dangers and shortcomings, and its role in the future of branding. 

5 Ways AI is Impacting Market Research 

AI is more than just the next step in market research – it is the dawn of a radical frontier. Its potential to increase productivity, amplify our ability to predict consumer behaviour, and enhance targeted marketing capabilities is immeasurable.  

 1.  Automation of Data Collection and Management 

With the support of AI, companies can automate data collection and management to streamline the research process. Gone are the days of manually gathering and cleaning endless oodles of data. Adaptable conversational chatbots like ChatGPT can help design and administer surveys tailored to targeted segments of the population. Parameters can be set to automatically catalogue the responses by demographic, psychographic, or behavioural qualifications, making it quick and cost effective to extract meaningful insights down the line.  

AI algorithms can also monitor data quality by cleaning up irrelevant, incomplete, or duplicated responses. Companies like Synthesized and Private AI are trained to remove Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from survey results, effectively preserving data integrity, usability, and ensuring the information complies with privacy regulations.  

 2. Optimisation of Data Analysis, Visualisation and Reporting 

Analysing consumer data from the internet has morphed from a mere Herculean task to an epic Sisyphean nightmare. An estimated 149 zettabytes of data were created in 2024. That’s 400 million terabytes of data generated every, single day! 

Luckily, generative AI software is well-equipped to extract key insights from mountains of information. Researchers no longer need to dredge through the digital slog of social media posts, product reviews, and public forums. Natural Language Processing AIs (NLPs) analyse qualitative data online to uncover important market trends and sentiments towards a brand. They can also find patterns in survey responses and focus group interviews to increase our understanding of target markets and consumer behaviour. 

 3.  The Rise of Predictive Analytics 

Accurate and efficient predictive modeling is the holy grail of corporate strategy. Imagine the ability to anticipate what consumers want, when they want it, and producing the exact amount needed to maximise profit, while minimising costs.  

Today, AI can analyse industry patterns and real-time information to create models that forecast market trends. Machine learning algorithms like Pecan use historical data on consumer behaviour, preference, and spending habits to stay ahead of demand. These predictive models can determine which customers are most likely to be swayed by targeted marketing, to be repeat customers, or to switch to a competing product. As a result, brands will know which sectors of the population they should focus on. 

 4.  The Wonders of Synthetic Data 

AI’s generate synthetic data by mimicking existing consumer profiles. The potential here is limitless, offering valuable opportunities to enhance market research and brand strategy. Researchers use the artificial data as a supplement to real data when they conduct market studies or form predictive models because it increases sample size and diversity, leading to stronger findings. It can also extrapolate results from hard-to-reach segments of the population to draw more robust conclusions.  

Practically speaking, firms can use this technology to test the performance of new brand campaigns on artificial markets without fear of leaking intellectual property. Finally, synthetic data is far more efficient than collecting and managing real data, requiring less time and fewer resources because market profiles can be generated automatically.  

Read more about synthetic data from this Qualtrics article 

 5.   Personalisation and Market Segmentation 

Market research will become highly targeted in the years to come. Traditionally, market segmentation relied on surface level demographic qualities like age, gender, income and location. Now, browsing histories, political views, social media posts, and past purchases can be used to create tailored marketing strategies and product recommendations fit to each person’s behaviour profile.  

Such a degree of personalisation allows brands to elevate the customer experience. For example, Netflix uses AI to recommend shows based on accumulated user’s tastes and preferences. Personalised market research optimises a firm’s resources and strengthens their customers’ engagement with, and loyalty to, the brand.  

For more insights on how AI is affecting market research, check out TGM Research’s article. 

How does AI Improve Brand Strategy and Decision Making? 

 A.  Make More Informed Decisions 

The effect of AI on brand strategy is akin to the impact radio and radar had on military tactics a hundred years prior. Accurate, real-time information is the most important ingredient in smart decision making. Corporate leaders can leverage AI’s automated data analysis and predictive analytics to reveal important correlations in real-time, transforming a trove of trivial information into deep insights on market trends. In doing so, companies can develop long-term, data-driven brand strategies that position themselves uniquely within their markets.  

Consider mergers and acquisitions. This report from the Harvard Business Review found the failure rate of mergers and acquisitions to be around 70-90%! AI’s powerful data analysis capabilities can boost success rates by efficiently identifying risks, synergies and acquisition targets that most align with each firm’s strategic goals. It streamlines the due diligence process, leading to smarter choices.  

 B.  Mitigate Risk 

In terms of risk mitigation, AI can identify vulnerabilities in a company’s operations or branding strategies with predictive analytics and automated data management.  

Real-time sentiment analysis informs branding decisions. By understanding the choices their customers are making, firms can take preventative action and pivot the company in the right direction. For example, social media posts and customer reviews can be compiled to determine whether a firm’s current campaigns are working or if they should consider investing in a rebrand to better align with their values.   

C. Optimise Operations 

Automated data collection, management, and analysis paired with the use of synthetic data can free up human capital traditionally used for overseeing research. Furthermore, AI can optimise operational tasks such as inventory management, logistics, and customer support to lower costs and increase efficiency. With these advantages, employees will have more opportunities to explore innovative brand strategies.  

D. Capitalise on New Business Models 

Complete understanding of real-time consumer preferences coupled with predictive models allows companies to develop proactive brand campaigns and product strategies. They can also use predictive analytics and synthetic data to anticipate market trends, informing the development of brand messaging that can tap into the cultural and industry zeitgeist.  

Read more about AI’s impact on brand strategy and decision making from Mckinsey. 

AI is a Tool, Not a Replacement (Don’t Worry, Humans are Still Required!) 

Shortcomings of AI 

Despite its advantages, AI has 3 major blind spots: data quality assurance, information bias, and ethics and legality.   

First, AI programmes are highly dependent on the data they are trained with. Poor information and inaccurate data inputs will result in flawed outputs, and ultimately, unreliable conclusions. 

 Second, AI algorithms, like any code, can inherit bias from their programmers or from the data sets they were trained from. Any such biases or limitations in contextualisation could lead to discriminatory outcomes against minority populations or an overvaluation of certain groups. Any potential for discriminatory practices could cause irreparable damage to a firm’s brand image.  

Finally, training AI programmes raises important legal and ethical considerations. Their heavy reliance on large swathes of data indiscriminately scrubbed from the internet has the potential to violate numerous data privacy, ownership, and security laws. Already, writers and artists are banding together to file lawsuits against AI companies to protect their work from unfair use.  

To combat these risks, companies must be vigilant in their practices. AI must be trained on diverse data sets and given comprehensive inputs with relevant contextual frameworks. And most importantly, the work must be overseen by a trained human. Firms must also be prepared to collect data in ways that respect the law and store the information responsibly. This means they must ask people for their consent and adhere to data privacy laws with the utmost sincerity.  

Learn more about the challenges with AI from Forbes.  

Humans are Irreplaceable 

The future of market research and brand strategy lies not in complete automation. At least, not yet. Blindly accepting an AI’s conclusions can be dangerous, leading to superficial insights at best, and harmful biases at worst. While AI excels at analysing  information to create predictive models and synthetic data, they still lack the deep contextual understanding, flexibility, and critical thinking abilities of a human mind. Indeed, AI cannot empathise with our stakeholders. And it cannot match our creativity for pioneering visionary solutions. 

Instead, the future of branding rests in the harmonious integration of artificial and human intelligence. Human analysts and engineers are still vital to the research and decision-making process. They must verify and validate results to ensure the data is accurate, complete, and unbiased. AI is nothing more than an incredible tool to augment human capabilities. But when used correctly, it can help extract truly meaningful conclusions from previously inaccessible information, paving the way for humans to develop innovative, well-informed brand strategies. Only by combining AI efficiency with human decision-making can we realise AI’s full potential. 

To return to our earlier analogy, radar and radio can tell us where our problems are, but they lack the complexity and empathy to formulate a plan and execute a solution.   

Photos taken from Unsplash, Freepik and Adobe Stock.

The post Issue 51: Q1 2025 appeared first on Tangible.

Kodak 1971: Some logos don’t need to change. This 1971 version was resurrected in 2016. If you look hard enough you can nearly see the original ‘Eastman Kodak Company’.

Lego 1972: For a block-based business to have a soft logotype says a lot about the vision and imagination behind it. This is the logo everyone knows as Lego.

Sony 1973: If you like slab serifs, this sets the benchmark for its classic simplicity.

Led Zeppelin 1973: There are too many great band logos (Rolling Stone, Iron Maiden, Kiss, Queen, ABBA, Pearl Jam, The Who, The Clash, The Beatles, Buzzcocks) but for craft, Led Zeppelin takes it.

NASA 1975: Even though the ‘worm’ logo was retired in 1992, it’s the one people remember and it’s the granddaddy of squiggly logos.

Apple 1976: Brilliant name, brilliant logo, and there is no going back after the first byte – sorry, not sorry.

Sex Pistols: This logo says everything about 1976, and Jamie Reid’s ‘hostage’ lettering was genius.

I love NY 1977: A classic logo from a classic designer – Milton Glaser

Zildjian late 1970s: I always loved the cursive, slightly mystical script and when I discovered the Turkish heritage of the business, I simply loved it more.

Absolut Vodka 1979: I was surprised to discover this iconic brand identity was developed in 1979 as it went on to define spirit chic in the 80s and 90s.

1980’s: Print technology was maturing but creativity was still largely expressed through drawing.

Stussy (early 80s): Created in the early 1980s by Shawn Stussy, the founder of the streetwear brand (and surfboard shaper). It defined a lasting graffiti spirit.

MTV 1981: This appeared to be the first logo that opened the idea of consistency through flexibility.

Channel 4 1982: For decades there were only three channels in the UK, so when the channel 4 logo came along, you knew the content was going to be different.

La Caixa 1982: What a brilliant idea for a Basque Bank to leverage Juan Miro – just brilliant!

Espana 1982: Twice in one year for Juan Miro – that’s just greedy.

Jones 1985: Seeing the carrier bags around Covent Garden was everything about cool.

WWF 1986: WWF had been using a panda since 1961 but the 1986 design by Jenny Leibundgut at Landor is considered one of the best logos of all time – I agree.

Air Jordan 1988: Under the design direction of Tinker Hatfield. This is arguably the silhouette that made Nike.

First Direct Launched in 1989 by HSBC. first direct promised simplicity through a beautifully understated name and logo.

V&A Museum 1989: Alan Fletcher crafted this piece of elegance.

1990’s: The decade that allowed personal computers to open everything up. This was the decade where technology unleashed creative hands

The Pixies 1991: Vaughan Oliver was a cult hero and everything he did was full of an ethereal craft that came from another world.

BT 1991: The BT piper heralded in a new wave of figurative logos.

The National Lottery 1994: It’s everyone’s logo

Orange 1994: ‘The future’s bright, the future’s orange’. So ambiguous, so clever. Now that was a teaser campaign.

FedEx 1994: from abbreviating the name to FedEx, to the iconic logo, just brilliant. Lindon Leader who was a senior design director at Landor Associates is attributed to this piece of genius.

RAC 1997: It seemed like the first in a futuristic genre of logotypes – it copied nothing – sorry Jaguar

National Geographic 1997: Who knew that a simple rectangular yellow frame could travel so far?

BBC 1997: it’s … definitive words and pictures in a logo.

Pathe 1999: Irreverently French – love it!

100% Pure New Zealand 1999: I was working in Wellington at the time, and this logo was just awesome aye.

2000’s: A brave new world of platforms and tools.

Dopod 2003: The definitive ‘round lettered logo’. not immediately obvious but so cool for one of the first convergent mobile / PDA devices.

Uniquely Singapore 2004: A beautifully crafted destination logo that reflects the sophistication of its multicultural blend.

Rapha 2004 another era-defining logo, that made MAMILs smarten up!

Unilever 2004: Paul Polman’s dream in a symbol that ‘adds vitality to life’.

Tiger Beer 2005: A beautiful illustration from Chris Mitchell for Design Bridge.

Aboitiz 2006: An entrepreneurial conglomerate, whose logo illustrates there are always alternatives.

Visit Australia 2006(ish). Captures the earthy spirit of a nation.

Globe Telecom 2007: There are lots of Telecoms Globes but this is the best Globe Telecom.

Jin Air 2008: The budget airline from Korean Airlines has the fuselage of a butterfly beautifully crafted into the negative space.

Dulux 2009: The ‘Let’s colour’ logo, tagline and activation campaign was a step change for Dulux.

2010 to present: As creativity became commoditized, gems are still everywhere.

Instagram 2011: Didn’t we all love the original? And, it’s great when a co-founder designs the logo. It’s a shame that it got dumbed down again and again.

San Diego Zoo 2010: Makes me want to visit the zoo just because of the logo.

Pinterest 2011: Such a great name that translates in a lovely ‘Favicon’ and logotype – another regrettable move to a simpler typeface.

Owl Coffee 2011: Can you see the coffee bean? A beautifully updated heritage brand that drove a dramatic shift in sales.

Cancer Research UK 2012: Interbrand designed this original logo. It confidently captures the collective struggle.

American Airlines 2013: Redesigning an Icon is tough, but the designer crafted a beautiful solution for American Airlines.

Premier League 2016: One of the best interpretations of the big cat and superbly implemented.

Cadburys 2020: I always loved the Cadburys logo and was pleasantly surprised to see such an elegant historic evolution.

F1 2017: Wieden+Kennedy designed the new ‘F1’ logo. It’s great to see an iconic logo get even more iconic.

Kia 2021: Appropriate to finish on one of my favourites. I love the craft in every letter – it completely changed my view of the brand and looks great on every vehicle.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this stroll through logo memory lane and I hope they illustrate that craft is alive and kicking.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and let’s look forward to a creative 2025

The post Issue 50: Q4 2024 appeared first on Tangible.

Effective internal branding should take into consideration how each generation thrives best in the workplace. We should caveat all this by saying that workplace culture is often shaped by its industry. We are acutely aware that the Shipping industry has a very different working environment compared to the Fashion industry. Some industries require periods of reflection or craftsmanship (where working from home is perfect) while other sectors require employees to have on-site, hands-on skills. When creating internal branding strategies, it’s worthwhile considering the demographic of your workforce, and typically how that demographic prefers to interact.

Looking at the difference in Generations:

Exploring generational perspectives reveal a fascinating interplay of values and expectations among different generations in the workplace. Let’s delve into how each generation is defined and explore their distinct perspectives From Baby Boomers, the eldest generation, to the newest entrants, Gen Z, understanding these definitions provides valuable insights into the dynamics of the workplace.

Baby Boomers (Born mid-1940s to early 1960s):

Born in the post-World War II era, Baby Boomers were named after the significant increase in birth rates during this period. They grew up during a time of economic prosperity and witnessed major cultural and social shifts, including the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution. Baby Boomers prefer to communicate in person or through traditional channels such as phone calls and printed letters. They want Work Life Consistency where they value loyalty and reliability in both their life and the companies they work for. They see hard work and dedication as the way to gain respect & recognition and the drive to continue their legacy.

Gen X (Born early 1960s to early 1980s):

Generation X, which emerged during a period of social change and technological advancements, is often referred as the ‘independent generation’ because many grew up with both parents working, fostering a strong sense of independence. Having experienced the traditional workday they prefer to communicate in person using email and phone calls. They are drawn to companies that value stability and personal development. Generation X wants work-life integration, actively seeking ways to harmonise their professional and personal lives. They want to work for companies that are committed to creating an action-driven workplace.

Millennials (Born early 1980s to mid-1990s):

Millennials, also known as Gen Y, came of age during the rapid rise of the internet, which shaped their tech-savvy, collaborative nature. They prefer to communicate via email, video conferencing, instant messaging, and collaborative apps. Millennials prioritise work-life balance and personal development in multiple areas of life. They want to work for ethical companies that provide opportunities for personal development. They seek belonging & support through collaboration with others in the workplace.

Gen Z (Born mid-1990s to early 2010s):

This is the first generation to grow up entirely in the digital age. They witnessed the rise of social media and are characterised by their strong sense of social responsibility. They are also a very socially conscious generation, appreciating communication channels that allow them to connect with others and share their ideas globally. Gen Z seeks work-life harmony, integrating personal life purpose into their careers. They value open and honest communication and align with company values that emphasise authenticity and social responsibility in their actions and values.

In navigating generational dynamics within the workplace, it is worth considering how each generation is defined and recognise the distinct well-being needs and preferences of different generations. For a quick overview, we present a summarised table for swift comprehension of the differences among generations:

Understanding the nuances between generations is essential for creating a workplace that meets the diverse needs and expectations of employees. As we explore the different generational attitudes toward workplace culture and branding, it becomes clear that a one-size-fits-all approach is no longer effective. (Read previous Conversations @Tangible Issue 43: Internal Branding – More than just the Office Pantry)

Should we label generations at all?

Going beyond the generational stereotypes:

While Tangible wouldn’t want to endorse perpetuating stereotypes, we have to start somewhere. Tangible’s Market Research uses the lenses of demographics and psychographics to understand perceptions and preference drivers of your brand. Through modeling and testing both visual and verbal stimuli, we identify solutions that are most appealing to the different stakeholder groups.

How Tangible Approach Internal Branding:

At Tangible, we understand that a brand’s impact extends both internally and externally, reaching diverse audiences and demographics.

This is why we adopt a comprehensive cross-company approach, ensuring effective communication and engagement on all fronts. We have developed  frameworks and a structured process for contextualising and curating questionnaires within our research methodology.

We have a Digital Strategy that helps you define your objectives and roadmaps to reach your target audience with tailored messaging.

Based on your communication objectives and key messages for each target audience, Tangible will develop a plethora of activation ideas for pre-launch, launch, and post-launch activities to bring to our Communication Ideation Workshop to help you effectively navigate generational dynamics in the workplace.

Let’s Talk Internal Branding

Citations:

1. Black, E. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.afr.com/work-and-careers/workplace/gen-z-aren-t-lazy-they-just-don-t-want-to-live-to-work-20230829-p5e09m

2. Ernst & Young Singapore. Retrieved from https://www.ey.com/en_us/consulting/is-gen-z-the-spark-we-need-to-see-the-light-report/gen-z-finding-meaning
3. Helyer, R., & Lee, D. (2012). The twenty‐first-century multiple-generation workforce. Education + Training, 54(7), 565–578. doi:10.1108/00400911211265611
4. Jorgensen, B. (2003). Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y: Policy Implications for Defence Forces in the Modern Era. Foresight, 5(4), 41-49.
5. Lancaster LC, Stillman D. When Generations Collide. New York: HarperCollins; 2002.
6. O’Bannon G. (2001). Managing our future: the generation X factor. Public Personnel Management, 30, 95–109.
7. Reilly, P. (2012). Understanding and teaching Generation Y. English Teaching Forum, 1, 2–10.
8. Shoichet, C. E. (2023). Busting this big myth about baby boomers reveals something about gen Z, too. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/08/us/baby-boomers-gen-z-cec/index.html
9. Sirias, D., Karp, H., & Brotherton, T. (2007). Comparing the Levels of Individualism/Collectivism between Baby Boomers and Generation X: Implications for Teamwork. Management Research News, 30(10), 749-761.
10. Erin, E. (2023). Retrieved from https://www.betterup.com/blog/generations-in-the-workplace

The post Issue 45: Q3 2023 appeared first on Tangible.

If these are phrases that you’ve found yourself worrying about recently – you’re not alone. With the pandemic, inflation, and other trends that we have all had to navigate in recent years, it’s clear that change is happening. And it’s happening globally.

Manpower has been a key issue across many industries, and we have seen a significant shift over the past decade in what makes a workplace attractive. In order to keep up with the changing landscape, companies are starting to recognise the importance of not only external brand equity but strong internal branding as well.

But first, what exactly is internal branding? 

When we bring up strong internal branding, some might think of the extensive, well-stocked pantry in an office designed to attract young talent or even the company polo shirt that they were given a year ago (which they might secretly wear as pyjamas!). But it goes so much deeper than that.

Internal branding is connecting your employees to the company’s external brand promise and values so that they know how they fit into the company and their roles in working towards achieving the company’s goal together. In other words, it’s aligning employees with your external brand, so that everyone is working towards the same goal. Really, the benefits of internal branding are multifold.

Ever heard of the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’? While that might be true, another proverb of wisdom should be ‘happy staff, happy business’. It may come as no surprise that when your staff are engaged and happy, they are more likely to be productive, which contributes to a better and stronger product offer. They are also more likely to stay in the company and be strong ambassadors for your brand, which works to attract top talent and contribute to a positive company culture.

Think of it like push-starting a car – the more you can rally your employees behind a shared vision so that they know where the company is headed, the faster and further your car is going to go. On the flip side, if they are dissatisfied with what the company stands for and how it operates, the opposite occurs. They will either act as deadweight for that car or jump to another company to help push their car instead.

A common question that gets asked is: Who should take responsibility for internal branding? 

Should it be HR? Corporate communications? Or the CEO? Well, the answer is – everyone. For internal branding to be successful, it will not just take hanging a shiny new banner on the office wall. The decision makers and management of the company have to be invested in making it work, and if HR believes that their role is simply administrative, then your company culture is missing a big opportunity. In essence, internal branding is a team effort that involves aligning everyone from the doormen to the C-suite executives, and rallying the team behind a clear and unified purpose.

However, even though many companies know the importance of internal branding, there are some common mistakes they make. Let’s look at some of them:

Mistake #1: Too common 

When it comes to creating employee values for internal branding, chances are that when left to our own devices, the management or HR teams will start creating some sort of acronym from values which include: teamwork, excellence, integrity, and innovation. While these are not bad values, the issue is that every other company, school and organisation are using the exact same values. 

Without differentiation (which is the main point of branding), there is no way for your brand to stand out and attract a steady stream of top talent. In other words, we need to stop saying the same thing as everyone else or our words will get tuned out.

Mistake #2: Too removed from reality

The success of a company’s internal (and external!) branding is highly dependent on how committed it is to deliver on its promise. For instance, if you promise to be a company with an innovative spirit, what are the ways in which you are encouraging your employees to think innovatively in their work? And are they actually effective and sustainable? A good indicator of how effectively you’re living out your values will be to see if your employees can actually remember your employees’ values and articulate them.

The landscape of work is changing to one where workplace satisfaction and happiness have been more important to employees than ever before. This means that you can’t just slap on the shiny buzzwords as your brand values and hope that people will be inspired by it, but you’ll have to actually commit to tangibly delivering on what you promise your employees. Your people will either be your biggest advocate or biggest detractor and how successful you are at delivering on your internal brand promise will greatly influence what your employees say about you. 

Mistake #3: Too broad and vague

When we end up with the same set of positive values mentioned above, another issue is that it is too broad and might not address specific issues that your company faces. When done well, your brand should be able to garner positive brand associations and mitigate the negative associations and perceptions. For that to happen, it requires in-depth research and conversations with your stakeholders, customers, and potential hires so that your internal brand can work strategically for your business. (Note: This is also why Tangible’s process involves utilising market research and insights to inform our strategic planning for your brand!) 

Your employee value proposition should also be contextualised within the industry you are in. For example, if there are certain issues that are prevalent within your industry, this is a good time for your brand to strategically mitigate that with your employee value proposition.

Having the same broad set of values also means that there is a high chance that it has no relation to your external brand. This means that your brand will be perceived very differently externally and internally, forming a very incohesive picture. The implications of an inconsistent brand are more pervasive than you might think – it can cause confusion amongst customers and stakeholders, a lack of trust, as well as difficulty in building brand equity. 

This is why Tangible’s approach is to create a strong, consistent brand by aligning your internal branding with your external brand (think: your vision, mission and values). 

Most companies you see around would have their vision, mission and values already crafted and displayed for all to see on their website. However, many do not know the power that these seemingly common or normal “corporate phrases” have. When done well, a company’s vision, mission and values can be leveraged as strategic management tools for their business. And this is exactly what we endeavour to achieve with every single company we work with.

In other words, successful internal branding involves aligning your internal branding with your vision, mission and values so that you are able to deliver a strong and consistent brand throughout. And we help you accomplish this through our process, which also involves our proprietary Brand Pillars Framework.

Conclusion

Although it may seem like it sometimes, there is no ‘one size fits all’ solution when it comes to internal branding. Every brand, every company, and every industry has different needs – which is why Tangible believes in working with you to create data-driven, tailored strategies for a powerful and cohesive brand that yields results, internally and externally.

In a nutshell, when it comes to internal branding, it goes beyond having a brand that speaks for itself; it’s equally important to pay attention to what your people are saying about you. 

The post Issue 43: Q1 2023 appeared first on Tangible.

Today, more than 90% of CEOs state that sustainability is important to their company’s profits and success. In the report ‘The Next Phase of Business Sustainability’, Andrew Hoffman cites that “Companies have developed sustainability strategies, market sustainable products and services, create positions such as chief sustainability officer, and publish sustainability reports for consumers, investors, activists, and the public at large.”

Although no one person or company can take credit for the current state of sustainability, there are individuals who played an integral role in building the momentum. We will be shining the spotlight on some of these sustainability pioneers and 4 key insights that have changed their organisations, resulting in others following their lead. 

Insight 1: The cost of inaction is higher than the cost of action

In a 2017 interview, Paul Polman, the CEO of Unilever, said “The cost of not investing, is more expensive than the cost of investing in sustainable practices.”

Polman continues “Today, the cost of climate change on the world is over five trillion dollars. The cost of wars is 8-10% of our global GDP, which is equal to about eight trillion dollars. If we solve these problems, not only will we not lose seven trillion dollars every year, but we will also create 26 trillion-worth of new market opportunities.” Polman challenges anybody to find another market opportunity that offers a 15-times payout — it doesn’t exist on a scale this big.

The Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP) was launched in 2010 with its triple goals of 

1. Improving health and well-being
2. Reducing environmental impact 
3. Enhancing livelihoods

The Results of Investing in Sustainable Efforts

Since the launch of USLP, Unilever has grown from strength to strength. “Meeting evolving customer expectations for responsible behaviour, creates benefits for a company’s brand. Brands that have a stronger purpose are brands that are more profitable.” Polman asserted, “It is cheaper to attack the issues and invest in solving them than to deal with the costs”

Polman explains that beyond saving lives (which should be reason enough) if businesses invest in the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) they will be more profitable, employees will be more engaged, and the employer brand will be stronger.

Businesses must dedicate resources – their people, profits, products, and processes towards the SDGs.

Read More: Yale Insights- Paul Polman: Should Companies Lead on Sustainability?

Insight 2: Big change has to begin from the top 

In sustainability circles, Walmart is perhaps best known for its environmental efforts. In 2005, the company announced 3 goals:

1. To be supplied with 100% renewable energy
2. To create zero waste
3. To sell products that sustain people and the environment

However, arriving at this stage did not come without challenges. Lee Scott, the former CEO of Walmart, faced disapproval from the inside and outside the company. Although many stakeholders approached Scott, telling him that he was wrong to be spending time and money on environmental efforts, Scott was steadfast in his vision.

“The great thing about a business is, it’s not a democracy. People can have a say but they don’t necessarily get a vote. The Board gets a vote.”

This courage and guts to create change from the top led Walmart to a 12.7% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, preventing 80% of waste from going into landfills, and over 180 renewable energy projects. CEOs have to take the lead for real change to happen.

Insight 3: Harness your uniqueness and tell the world about it

Michael Porter,  co-creator of “Creating Shared Value”, outlines sustainability from a competitive strategy perspective.

Any business can claim to be sustainable and it might be just another buzzword being thrown about. But what can your business do to make your sustainability efforts stand out from other companies?

Michael Porter, Harvard Business School Professor and co-creator of “Creating Shared Value” comments “becoming successful in sustainability relies on similar philosophies of competitiveness. What does your company do uniquely well and how can you capitalise off of it? If a company is going to be really effective on sustainability,” he explained, “it’s got to pick its spots. It’s got to figure out where it has the greatest leverage in the business.”

In addition, companies are often either too humble or too fearful to communicate their success. Porter said, “I would say there are still companies who seem embarrassed by talking about the fact that sustainability approaches produce profits. There still is this sense that if it’s profitable, that’s somehow bad. If it’s profitable, ‘that makes us seem greedy.’ I think we’ve got to get over that. I think if we can align societal interest and economic interest, then we will make dramatically more rapid progress.”

If your company’s sustainability policies have resulted in positive change, celebrate it.

Read: Creating Shared Value

Insight 4: Predict The Future

To ensure your business continues to be sustainable tomorrow and many years to come, you need to predict the future. Peter Senge, Founder of the Society of Organizational Learning, believes that the future of sustainability lies in the hands of the younger generations of businesses and people.

“We need the big companies to get things moving in the short term because they have the clout,” Senge said. “They have the market clout, they have the brand clout. But if you look over 10 to 30 years, the big story will be the companies that are relatively smaller today, but who will grow up with this DNA embedded in them. They’re growing it from the inside and these are exactly the companies who will matter over 10 to 30 years.”

Senge also spoke of the role of new technology in the future: “The Internet firms to me are the perfect example of an opportunity that people still haven’t quite seized. The new industries are where the real changes could be.”

Setting an example for tech companies

Sundar Pichai, Google CEO, said the company will be eliminating its entire carbon legacy, by 2030. In a blog post outlining the company’s sustainability plans, Pichai wrote: “We were the first major company to match our energy use with 100% renewable energy in 2017. We operate the cleanest global cloud in the industry, and we’re the world’s largest corporate purchaser of renewable energy. “

“In our third decade of climate action, we are going even further to help build a carbon-free future for everyone.” He estimated that the commitments Google announced on carbon neutrality and sustainable energy will directly generate more than 20,000 new jobs in clean energy and associated industries, in the US and around the world, by 2025.

“Our data centres are large power consumers, and if we can achieve 24/7 carbon-free energy for our entire fleet, economically, we can demonstrate that a carbon-free economy is possible.” comments Urs Hölzle, Google senior vice-president for technical infrastructure.

Watch: Google’s Third Decade Of Climate Action

To conclude, changing the way your business operates for the betterment of all stakeholders, including shareholders, is what sustainability is all about. Real change has to begin within the company, right from the top and it requires boldness, visionary thinking, passion and courage.

Read More: Pioneers of Sustainability

Banner Image: Unilever Headquarters, Jakarta

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