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<ul><li>Investment in marketing and brand-building critical for business recovery post-COVID-19.</li><li>Innovation and creativity key drivers of growth as <keyword id="1063314" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="BrandZ">BrandZ</keyword> Top 100’s total worth hits $5 trillion and delivers US$277bn in additional brand value growth.</li><li>Amazon maintains no. 1 spot and accounts for a third of the Top 100 total growth.</li><li><keyword id="6762469" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="TikTok">TikTok</keyword> enters the ranking for the first time at no. 79.</li></ul> The world’s most valuable brands have seen their total brand value increase by 5.9% despite the economic, social and personal impacts of COVID-19, according to the 2020 BrandZTM Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands ranking released today by <keyword id="168456" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WPP">WPP</keyword> and <keyword id="1199021" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kantar">Kantar</keyword>. The total brand value of the Top 100 global brands reached US$5 trillion, equivalent to the annual GDP of Japan. It has increased by 245% since 2006, when the total brand value first reached US$1 trillion. The Top 100 most valuable brands have shown they are more resilient and less volatile in the current crisis than they were during the global economic crisis of 2008-9, adding an additional US $277bn of brand value growth over the past year. The BrandZ strong brands portfolios continued to outperform the market, including the S&amp;P 500 and MSCI World Index, and even in the current crisis dipped less than the global average. The ranking uses valuations data incorporating stock price performance from April 2020 to reflect the impact of COVID-19. Against a backdrop of uncertainty, those companies that have consistently invested in longer-term marketing and in building strong brands have managed to stave off the worst of the crisis. Prior to the global pandemic, total brand value of the Top 100 brands was set to increase by 9%. Amazon maintained its position as the world’s most valuable brand, growing 32% to US$415.9bn. Having first entered the BrandZ Global Top 100 Most Valuable Brands ranking in 2006, Amazon’s value grew by almost $100bn this year and accounts for a third of the Top 100’s total growth. Technology brands continued to dominate the top of the ranking, representing over a third (37%) of brand value in the Top 100 and growing overall by 10%. Apple maintained its position as the second most valuable global brand (+14%, $352.2bn) while Microsoft regained the no. 3 position (+30%, $326.5bn) ahead of Google (+5%, $323.6bn) at no. 4, due to the growth of its cloud-enabled workplace ecosystem that incorporates Office365 and Microsoft Teams, allowing people to maintain ‘business as usual’ during the lockdown. Asian brands represented a quarter of the Top 100 brands, including 17 Chinese brands. Alibaba (+16%, no. 6, $152.5bn) was the most valuable Chinese brand with Internet services giant, Tencent (+15%, no. 7, $151bn) one place behind. This year’s BrandZ Top 100 showed that innovation and creativity are key drivers of growth as people spend more time online. One of the most exciting new brands, short video-sharing social network TikTok (no. 79, $16.9bn) was the highest new entry this year, offering light-hearted, entertaining user-generated content. <keyword id="317398" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="David-Roth">David Roth</keyword>, CEO of The Store WPP EMEA and Asia and Chairman of BrandZ, says: “The continued growth in value of the BrandZ Top 100 shows that strong brands are in a much better place than they were in the global economic crisis of 2008-9. We see a significant improvement in brand equity now compared to 10 years ago because businesses understand the importance of investing in brand-building and are stronger and more resilient as a result. While the impact of COVID-19 has impacted every business regardless of size or geography, consistent investment in marketing can and will help carry you through a crisis.” The retail sector showed strong performance, growing the fastest (21%) in brand value driven by the major e-commerce players. Over half of brands in the media and entertainment category appeared in the top 20 risers, including Netflix (+34%, $45.9bn), up eight places to no. 26, Instagram (+47%, $41.5bn) up 15 places to no. 29, LinkedIn (+31%, $29.9bn, no.43), and Xbox (+18%, $19.6bn), up 22 places to no. 65. Retail e-commerce brands Amazon, Alibaba and JD (+24%, no. 52, $25.5bn) demonstrated innovation and agility during difficult times, along with more traditional retailers like Walmart (+24%, no. 27, $45.8bn), which has invested in its e-commerce capabilities. Brands have also found new and creative ways to engage with consumers, build trust and create a level of intimacy, particularly in health and wellness. Athleisure brand Lululemon (+40%, $9.7bn) was one of the fastest risers, having shifted its focus from yoga-inspired wear to work-appropriate clothing, as well as offering online classes for people at home. <keyword id="2701300" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Doreen-Wang">Doreen Wang</keyword>, Global Head of BrandZ at Kantar, comments: “Innovation has proven to be a key driver for growth in this year’s Top 100, and a way to prevent decline. Creativity is also an important trait for the world’s most valuable brands. Companies like Amazon, Apple and Google – the tech giants that keep on innovating – successfully combine both to continue being relevant to consumers’ lives and making it easier for them to choose a brand.” Key trends highlighted in this year’s BrandZ Global Top 100 study include: <ul><li>MasterCard entered the Top 10 for the first time this year, due to strong financial performance, supported by growing brand equity especially in engaging consumers: successfully fitting into the ‘ecosystem’ of their everyday lives and gaining a close emotional connection through its purposeful positioning.</li><li>Five new entrants appear in the Top 100, led by Chinese entertainment brand TikTok, followed by UnitedHealthcare (no. 86, $15.8bn), Bank of China (no. 97, $13.7bn), Lancôme (no. 98, $13.6bn) and Pepsi (no. 99, $13.3bn).</li><li>Building ecology has become a trend in the global business community. Haier (no. 68, $18.7bn) is the leading IoT ecosystem brand for the second year running.</li><li>US brands represented more than half of the Top 100 brands. Asian brands represented a quarter of the Top 100 brands, with 17 from China (including Alibaba and Tencent in the Top 10) and two from Japan (Toyota and NTT).</li><li>Sustainability is the new luxury – younger consumers expect the qualities associated with luxury, but with sustainable materials and less packaging. Four luxury brands made the Top 100 this year, led by Louis Vuitton (+10%, no. 19, $51.8bn).</li></ul>The BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Brands report and rankings are available to download <a href="https://www.kantar.com/campaigns/brandz">here</a> and via Brandz.com. The Global report, rankings, charts, articles and more can also be found via the BrandZ app. The app also contains the same features and functionality for all BrandZ regional reports and is free to download for Apple IOS and all Android devices from www.brandz.com/mobile or search for BrandZ in the respective iTunes or Google Play app stores.

As the world’s most valuable brands see their total brand value increase by 5.9% despite COVID-19 impacts, Amazon takes the top spot: BrandZ Top 100 Most Valuable Global Ranking

<ul><li><keyword id="168456" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="WPP">WPP</keyword> and <keyword id="1199021" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kantar">Kantar</keyword> released the <keyword id="9955763" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="2020-brandz">2020 BrandZ</keyword> <keyword id="6889719" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Top-75-Most-Valuable-Indian-Brands">Top 75 Most Valuable Indian Brands</keyword> ranking today.</li><li><keyword id="3636384" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Preeti-Reddy">Preeti Reddy</keyword>, CEO - South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar talks to us about some of the major highlights from the reports while telling us what brands need to do to future-proof themselves.</li><li>She also told us what will help brands become a more important part of their consumer's lives and some factors that have helped the top few brands grow in an otherwise difficult year.</li></ul>The 2020 BrandZ Top 75 Most Valuable Indian Brands ranking, released today by WPP and Kantar revealed that brands that were quick to adapt, were not scared to innovate and were agile were able to grow, despite adverse market conditions. <div type="image" title="Top 10 BrandZ" msid="78170413" hostid="261"></div> To understand some of the larger trends that ruled the markets, we spoke to Preeti Reddy, CEO - South Asia, Insights Division, Kantar. The report revealed that this year’s ranking was worth $216 billion in brand value which was a 6% dip over last year and was caused due to a slowdown in the brand value of companies in the banking and automotive sectors. However, despite this overall decline in brand value of the Top 75, 26 brands increased in value and five were new entrants. Speaking about the factors that could have possibly led to this increase in brand value, Reddy said, “The 26 brands that have gained value are largely in the food , retail, telecom and digital services and the pandemic actually helped these brands. Food was an obvious one but even in food retail saw good growth. These are brands that have adapted very well to the new reality. They have gone digital, created safe shopping environments but most importantly they have connected with consumers and satisfied the new consumer needs very well. For instance brands like Zomato, Airtel, Jio are among the top 10 brand. It’s a whole ecosystem that has come together to help consumers when they were at their most vulnerable. They have been creative, agile and innovative in how they catered to consumer needs.” It is also interesting to note that India’s top brands performed well against other countries where declines in total brand value were much greater. Explaining the reason for this, Reddy said, “The Indian brands that have gained have done that by improving on all pillars of equity. They have remained meaningful, have differentiated themselves, and have been salient. Global brands have acted more upon salience which means they’ve been around and visible but the efforts on meaningful differentiation have been lower in them than Indian brands.Also in India, all brands have headroom for growth because of factors like penetration levels. So the multiplier on anything that you do in India is always higher and if you do it right, you’re rewarded more.” Rural v/s urban Over the years, brands have realized the importance of the rural market which is slowly having more money in hand. This presents a huge opportunity for most brands, and most of them have realized that for them to succeed in India, they cannot be a metro-only brand. Elaborating on this, Reddy added, “For most brands, rural has been a growth driver. Last few years, rural growth had slowed down but its picking up again now, thanks to good monsoons and also because there is more money going into rural. Marketers have realized you can no longer remain metro-only. India’s rural and small town are a hub for workers because now with the migrant movement, people have gone back home. Data has shown us that by the end of this decade, the residence in thousands of small towns will actually mirror profiles and aspirations of their big city counterparts. So, rural can no longer be one more thing they’re doing. Marketers have realized that and are already acting upon it.” The role of communication Communication also took on a much larger role in the last few months and purpose, trust and sustainability became very important. Brands that were able to communicate with their consumers, telling them about their brand purpose, and taking a strong moral stand, stood out for consumers. “Consumers today want to know that a brand cares not only for its shareholders but other stakeholders like its consumers, the community and the environment. Brands that demonstrate that will find favor with today’s and tomorrow’s consumers. Consumers will prefer a brand that they feel has those attributes. They are also looking for brands that clearly say that they are a <keyword id="9955762" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="responsible-corporate-entity">responsible corporate entity</keyword>. Brands like <keyword id="6447142" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Castrol">Castrol</keyword> which talks about environmental responsibility and Tata Salt and Tata Tea are all prime examples of brands that have taken a moral stand on various issues and have benefited from it,” shared Reddy. Meanwhile, brands that have shown a strong sense of responsibility towards its employees, like Maruti and the Tata’s have also been viewed very favorably by today’ consumers, added Reddy. When asked what are a few things that brands should definitely not do during adverse times, Reddy said that brands needed to ensure they did not stop communicating with their consumers. “We saw a lot of brands become completely silent during the lockdown. There could have been various reasons for that, there were supply chain disruptions, and certain brands perhaps did not fall under the essential category. However, it was the brands’ responsibility to tell consumers why they were silent. Bad communication is bad, but being completely silent isn’t good either. These brands will now find that it will take them some time to actually reconnect with consumers because they forget,” explained Reddy. The importance of investing on brand-building Over the years, we have come across many examples where we have seen brands that have actively invested on brand-building succeed. Reddy said that BrandZ has been able to demonstrate just this over the years. “What BrandZ year after year has demonstrated is that companies that invest in brand-building and see it as an investment rather than a cost actually reap the rewards and benefits because consumers reward them for it. They stay close to their consumers, continue to be meaningful and continue to be visible. They build equity with consumers which holds them in good stead when times are bad. Brand building is a continuous, constant effort, not something you should simplyswitch on and off,” she added. Lessons on future-proofing businesses The lockdown experience has been a good teacher and the lessons learnt during these past few months can help brands be better prepared for what lies in the future. So what are a few things that brands can do to future-proof their organizations? “During these past few months, we have seen marketing and the consumer playbook undergo a complete change. We’re unlearning and re-learning the principles of marketing because something like this had never hit us before and we still don’t know what else the future will bring. In such a scenario, the most important thing is agility. It’s the ability to do things fast and to seek opportunities that new environments and scenarios are throwing up and respond to those new consumer needs that will help a brand succeed,” said Reddy. On a brand that did this well during the pandemic, Reddy spoke about <keyword id="1824587" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wildcraft">Wildcraft</keyword>, which is a brand that was primarily known for its outdoor clothing, footwear and bags. However, looking at the opportunity that the lockdown brought with it, Wildcraft started manufacturing masks and has been increasing its production for the offering, and doing well. “Their core offering was backpacks and outdoor clothing. But since people weren’t going out, the brand would have been hit hard. However, they seized the opportunity. That’s the kind of agility you need. They also showed a lot of creativity and innovation in the way in which they responded to the crisis. Another brand that did well was Center Fresh. They came up with a campaign that asked people to stay fresh behind the mask. In today’s scenario it’s a real need and they’ve used the situation to their advantage and done it creatively, while keeping their messaging completely aligned to the brand. That’s the kind of agility that will be needed in the future.” Reddy also noted that the brands that were constantly in touch with their consumers and responded to their needs fast were the ones that gained.

Brands that demonstrate they care for consumers, communities and the environment will find favor with today’s and tomorrow’s consumers: Preeti Reddy, Kantar

Kantar’s Managing Directors tell us why ‘Purpose’ is an important contributor to brand equity in India

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Too many times in recent months, headline writers have had reason to write that "Coke is losing its fizz."<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pepsi-surpasses-diet-coke-in-soda-shift-2015-3">Pepsi-Cola surpassed Diet Coke</a> to become the second biggest soda brand in the US (Coca-Cola's biggest market,) Beverage Digest said last month. Diet Coke had been the second biggest soda brand by volume in the US since 2010, but Pepsi's shift back to No.2 provided evidence of America's growing dislike for diet sodas - and that is at a time when <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-surprising-news-about-soda-sales/">Americans are drinking less soda overall than in the 1980s.</a>Before that report was published, Coca-Cola reported that net earnings attributable to shareholders plunged 55% in its fourth quarter to $770 million. <a href="http://assets.coca-colacompany.com/71/d8/cdb028f142de98572dd5a1a65e31/2014-q4-and-full-year-results.pdf">Net operating revenue dropped 2% in the quarter to $10.9 billion</a> (but global sales did increase slightly over the full year). North America, its biggest market, saw a modest sales rise for the first time in four quarters.The long-term picture is worse. In 2014, global revenue was $46 billion, down 4% ($2 billion less) from 2012.This downward trajectory isn't due to a sudden, major catalyst. <a href="http://www.beverage-digest.com/pdf/top-10_2015.pdf">As Beverage Digest's report explains</a> (emphasis added): "Brand Coke's volume was up (0.1%), but just barely. However, the brand was up, after multiple years of decline. The last time brand Coke grew was 2000." Globally, Coca-Cola has been missing its own 3% to 4% annual volume growth target for two years, as this chart - <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/coke-posts-flat-soda-volumes-1413891855">drawn from data compiled by the Wall Street Journal</a> - indicates.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>It's not just Coke experiencing this issue, <a href="http://fortune.com/2015/03/26/soda-sales-drop-2014/">the entire soda market in the US, picking out one region as an example, is in decline</a>. The attention is on Coke because it is the leader of the sector. It may yet be decades before people start referring to Coke in the same way they do Kodak, and its terminal decline may not even happen at all. But if the company does not make a big strategic move soon, a massively mature market could be coming to an end.Right now, Coke is on the way out. Not with a bang, but a long, slow whimper.<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/11/business/coca-cola-q4-earnings.html?_r=0">Coca-Cola's CEO Muhtar Kent said 2015 would be a "transition year,</a>" and that it would like time for the benefits of the <a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/coke-posts-flat-soda-volumes-1413891855">$3 billion cost-cutting plan it announced in October</a> to materialize "amidst an uncertain and volatile macroeconomic environment."The "transition" Kent is looking for is already evident in some of its most recent actions: It has invited 10 agencies to pitch ideas for its next global marketing campaign. In Europe it has redesigned the packaging across all its different flavors to look the same, and it is dropping its marketing for individual brands like Diet Coke and Coke Zero. All marketing will instead be consolidated under the Coca-Cola brand in the region (you will still see other products from the portfolio in ads, but there will be no more individual ads like the famous <a href="http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/about-us/heritage/diet-coke-advert-hunk.html">"Diet Coke hunk"</a> campaign.)But as sales continue to fall from previous heights as consumers change their drinking habits, opting for healthier beverages (its portfolio of sugary drinks is another reason Coke often hits the headlines for negative reasons,) are the big marketing changes coming all too late, or can they really save the company from falling into a terminal decline?<h3>"The days of Coke being the world's biggest brand are over forever"</h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>No matter which stat you look at, Coke's value as a business appears to be eroding.In recent years, Coca-Cola has been edged out of the top five in BrandZ's annual "Top 100 most valuable brands" rankings by tech companies, and even McDonald's. Coca-Cola does fare better in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/apple-most-valuable-brand-on-interbrand-2014-rankings-2014-10">Interbrand's annual rankings</a> - coming third last year, behind Google (2) and Apple (1.)But Coke is unlikely to dominate those lists again, according to Melbourne Business School associate professor of marketing, branding consultant, and Marketing Week columnist Mark Ritson.He told Business Insider: "Coke will always be the leading brand of cola until the end of time. But the value of that cola category is set to plummet over the next 20 years. It's no good being a big fish in an ever smaller pond. The days of Coke being the world's biggest brand are over forever."And that's down to nuanced drinking habits becoming more widespread, Ritson added: "Natural products, organic ingredients, incredibly fresh origin, local provenance - these were initially the watchwords of small groups of maven consumers, but this movement has become more and more pronounced in the developed world in recent years. And it will only get stronger in the years to come. The very success and former dominance of Coca-Cola during the 20th century blinded them to the very different market conditions that the 21st century ushered in and left them suddenly vulnerable to change."<h3>The move to the master brand</h3>Coke's move across Europe to advertise its entire range, rather than each brand separately, has some clear advantages: It eases confusion around its ever-increasing portfolio of brand extensions; it shifts focus away from its unhealthier products to low or no calorie variants; and it has the potential to cut costs.Coca-Cola tells us that the move is not about cutting marketing investment (on the contrary, it plans to increase investment in the Coca-Cola trademark in Great Britain, for example), but there will no doubt be savings in areas where there are now crossovers.We asked what would happen to the brand managers and marketing managers who worked on specific brands like Diet Coke or Coke Zero. A Coca-Cola spokeswoman told us that the company is currently going through a global reorganization that will affect 1,600 to 1,800 roles across corporate, Coca-Cola North America, and Coca-Cola International - but it's too soon to say how many roles will be impacted in Europe.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>The move to the master brand approach could well be adopted in North America and other global markets too. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/coca-cola-global-agency-pitch-2015-3">The result of its recent ad agency pitch</a> will likely see the end of the brand's six-year "Open Happiness" activity and a push into a new creative direction for the flagship red Coca-Cola brand.In a statement the company said: "We have invited a selection of our key agencies from around the world to bring their best thinking to Coca-Cola in order to create the strongest work for our flagship brand. We are always pushing ourselves and our agencies to deliver world class creative with global appeal that engages and entertains our consumers and drives business growth. This process will help us harness thinking from some of the best agency minds from around the world to deliver the best possible work."Elspeth Cheung, global BrandZ valuation director, told Business Insider that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/coca-cola-launches-ad-campaign-to-celebrate-100th-anniversary-of-its-bottle-2015-2">Coca-Cola's recent campaign to celebrate the 100th anniversary of its famous contoured bottle</a>, setting up retro-themed pop-up shops in major cities, and a wider <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> push "starring" icons like Elvis Presley and Marilyn Monroe shows the power of the master brand still exists today.Cheung said: "There are few other brands that could challenge Coke by matching this, and this is all due to the historical cultivation of the Coca-Cola master brand. If anything is going to revive the business, it will be this signature brand - which is the most recognized around the world."However, Cheung adds: "I would advise the brand owner not to concentrate on the cost saving advantage that the use of master brand will bring about. BrandZ research shows that brands in categories such as beer and cars which have shifted the focus to the operational advantages of global economies of scale have caused their brands to become less unique and distinctive."<h3>"Coke should be loved in the same way Princess Diana was loved"</h3>Coke also needs to look beyond advertising alone to usher in its turnaround.Jamal Benmiloud, a former vice president of marketing at Monster Energy (and former UK head of marketing at Red Bull,) who is now the chief creative officer and founder of marketing agency EARN, thinks Coke has the power to change opinion not just by the way it communicates, but a different business approach."I think they have the opportunity to be true to their values and do more in terms of giving back. It may create a negative reaction, but so what, it's about doing the right thing. Coca-Cola should be the most entertaining, anticipated brand in the world, and they should also be loved in the same way someone like Princess Diana was loved by committing to causes and making the difference. They have the power to do amazing things on planet earth," Benmiloud said.A great example of this is Coke's project in partnership with other charities to lend its vast distribution and logistics network <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7AUxTe8q_A">to help deliver essential medicines to remote African villages</a>. "You need to give to get love, and we need to see more giving of love," Benmiloud added, saying Coke has the ability to fund more such initiatives.<h3>Coke's 2020 vision</h3><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>One of the things that has characterized Muhtar Kent's reign at the top of Coca-Cola is his long-term outlook for the company. In 2010 he outlined the company's "2020 Vision," built around six socio-economic trends that it hopes will help it <a href="http://www.marketingweek.com/2011/05/11/coke-details-2020-plans/">double revenue by 2020.</a> Other strategies are also given long-term completion dates, like its ambition to get <a href="http://www.marketingweek.com/2014/05/27/coke-launches-free-fitness-classes-as-part-of-20m-anti-obesity-drive/">1 million people more physically active in Great Britain by 2020.</a>Benmiloud comments: "One thing about Coke that really impresses me is how long in the game they are, they really think long-term. They may be having a difficult time right now, but it has a plan for five, 15, 20 years on how to grow as a company ... I think Coke's at a certain point in its history and we'll see what it does in the next five years, and what it does to embrace people and its partners to get there."Diversification will also be key if Coke is to adapt to ever-changing consumer consumption trends, and the company is already making in-roads in that area. Earlier this year it launched a premium milk called <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/coca-cola-new-fairlife-milk-product-price-2015-2">Fairlife in the US</a>, for example, and last year <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/monster-beverage-coca-cola-stake-2014-8">Coca-Cola paid $2.15 billion for a 16.7% stake in Monster Energy</a> to help expand its reach in the energy drinks market. And in 2013 <a href="http://www.marketingweek.com/2013/02/22/coke-increases-stake-in-innocent-to-near-100/">Coke increased its stake in Innocent Drinks to almost 100%</a> in a bid to grow its share of the European smoothie and juices market.But Coke still has work to do, according to Ritson: "PepsiCo is in a much stronger position versus Coca-Cola because it derives less than half its global profits from soda beverages, compared to 75% of revenues at Coca-Cola. That screams out an obvious and urgent fix. Coca-Cola needs to maintain Coke sales as much as possible and manage the decline as well as they can while urgently looking to diversify and acquire new brands that are fit for the 21st century."The Coke era as we know it is probably over. But a new, more diverse era for Coke is just beginning. <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/what-earth-would-look-like-if-ice-melted-world-map-animation-2015-2">Animated map of what Earth would look like if all the ice melted</a></h3> <div> <div> <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="5xam5iczrSx4Ibx8MvarDsu3zOG88omE" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div> </div> </div> </div>

The end of the Coke era

<ul><li>As per WPP and Kantar’s latest <keyword id="3755038" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="BrandZ-Report">BrandZ report</keyword>, economic impact of COVID-19 led to a 6% drop in total value of ranking. </li><li>In challenging economic and social conditions created by the global pandemic and a pre-COVID-19 slowdown in the Indian economy, brands had to adapt quickly, with innovation and agility helping to fuel growth.</li><li>We caught up with brands like TCS, <keyword id="106317" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asian-Paints">Asian Paints</keyword> and Bharti <keyword id="15491" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Airtel">Airtel</keyword> to understand how they won their consumers’ trust even during gloomy times. </li></ul>Last week, WPP &amp; Kantar’s launched its BrandZ report featuring Top 75 Most Valuable Indian Brands 2020 report. This year’s ranking was worth $216 billion in brand value, a decline of 6% over last year, driven largely by a slowdown in the brand value of companies in the banking and automotive sectors. Despite the overall decline in brand value of the Top 75, 26 brands increased in value and five were new entrants. India’s top brands also performed well against other countries where declines in total brand value were much greater. For millions of Indians who stayed at home during the crisis, telecom providers have supplied a much-needed lifeline and fulfilled a growing demand for data-driven services like online gaming and media streaming. This helped Airtel (no.4, +36%, $13.9 billion) become the top telecom brand, while Jio saw its value increase 26%. Trusted brands have weathered the crisis better than brands with a low trust index. In a category where it is difficult to gain <keyword id="787639" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="consumer-trust">consumer trust</keyword>, Airtel bet on its brand strategy of being open and transparent. It is now one of India’s <keyword id="418681" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="Most-Trusted-Brands">most trusted brands</keyword> and grew by 36% in its brand value over last year. On what has helped Airtel float in an unstable market, Shashwat Sharma, CMO, Bharti Airtel, said, “As a brand we believe differentiation is critical, especially when it comes to delivering a brilliant customer experience and bringing unique services and solutions to customers. Through these uncertain times, we have been grateful for the opportunity to be able to deliver this differentiation and be the backbone that helped people to stay connected. From children having to take their classes online, to increased digital payments, to businesses finding new ways to keep their employees working, to enabling customers to have a few moments of entertainment in an otherwise dreary time, we have played a critical role in all their lives. Sharma added, “We see a silver lining to this disruption and we took a lead to help our customers in reducing disruptions in this unprecedented situation. We introduced several innovations within a matter of days so our customers can stay connected at all times – from online acquisition to simplifying payments journeys to the launch of Work from Home solutions to educating customers to recharge online, to having others do it for them enabling customers to easily access a varied range of services digitally.” Despite the paints industry struggling in India, top 5 brand Asian Paints (no. 5, $8.0 billion), grew its brand value by 14%, by focusing on meaningful difference, communications and innovation. The market leader, it has successfully brought out new products, while building a strong distribution network and raising its profile among key influencers like architects and professional painters. Addressing your consumers’ concerns tactfully plays an important role in improving brand value. Amit Syngle, MD and CEO, Asian Paints, said, “Asian Paints has always had a deep emotional connection with homes and as a legacy, owns ‘beautiful homes’ in a strong way. We have been able to nestle in the hearts of the consumers by being part of their journey, helping them design their dream home for years. In 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, our driving principle was to support the Government and the country and we pivoted our initiatives and communication towards the happiness and well-being of our consumers and partners. We have always invested in taking care of all our stakeholders and providing support during trying times. At Asian Paints, our core dictates us to care for our customers, the only way we know to earn their trust.” <keyword id="6357585" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="tata-consultancy-services">Tata Consultancy Services</keyword> was valued at 14,582M USD and placed at number 3. Rajashree R, CMO, TCS, said, “We are honoured to be amongst the top 3 brands in India. This is a recognition of the defining role TCS has played in transforming and globalizing India and its people. As part of the Digital India movement, we have played a key role in transforming industries, institutions and public services, thus becoming part of every Indian. With our thought leadership framework like Business.4.0 powered by the technology and innovation prowess, we have been crafting and enabling growth and transformation journeys for leading businesses all over the world as well as India. We would like to thank Kantar for recognizing the power of the TCS Brand and the achievements of the 450,000 employees behind it.”

Here is how Airtel, TCS and Asian Paints continue to win consumer trust despite challenging times

<ul><li>After the global pandemic, <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> and health seem to have become important factors for consumers.</li><li>According to Capgemini’s recent report, consumers engage more readily with brands and retailers that they perceive to be sustainable and genuinely committed to green practices.</li><li>The report found that 48% of consumers share an emotional connection with products or organizations that demonstrate eco-friendly qualities.</li><li>As we move forward this year and health concerns and sustainability continue influencing consumer decisions, we speak to brands, research and design agencies about how brands can integrate sustainability into their core values and move beyond mere lip-service.</li></ul>It might be a new year but the world continues to grapple with familiar challenges and threats: we are on the verge of entering the third wave of COVID-19, the country’s capital, New Delhi is currently facing alarmingly high levels of indoor air pollution and Uttarakhand's forest fires emitted nearly 0.2 megatonnes of carbon in the past one month, a record since 2003 (CAMS report). So 2022 will clearly be a busy year for brands as consumers get more serious about climate change and expect brands to increase their focus on living sustainably in harmony with nature. While businesses exist to make money, Manish Chowdhary, Co-CEO, Body Cupid Pvt Limited says that there are two ways to do that. He explained, “One is sustainable, by keeping other living and non-living things in mind. The other one is inspired by greed. So no matter how small a brand’s effort may be, it has to be aligned with sustainability if the brand wants to continue in the long run. Brands exist for consumers and it is important that we listen to what they want.” From driving workforce diversity to taking a stand on climate change, there’s a definite change that has taken place in consumer expectations. In the last few years, sustainability has become one of the biggest decision-making factors for consumers, and more so after the pandemic. They have realised that mother earth has suffered enough. In this digital world, consumers are demanding more transparency and are quick to call out greenwashing. They are expecting to see concrete actions. And as Chowdhary said, it has become imperative for brands to listen to what consumers want because they exist to serve consumers. Today’s consumers are not only pivoting towards more sustainable products but are also willing to pay a premium for them. Gen Z and Millennials lead all other age groups in this respect. When shopping for groceries, 72% of Gen Z and 66% of Millennials say they are willing to pay more for organic foods and in fact, did so the last time they were grocery shopping, compared to 56% of Boomers, found Capgemini. Its recent report said that 80% of consumers want to contribute to the fight to save the planet for future generations. And it is not just a phase. 70% of consumers agreed that post-pandemic, they will be more careful in terms of maintaining and protecting their personal health. Covid has only reminded us that there is a long way to go on sustainability. On how the pandemic has altered consumer behaviour, Lulu Raghavan, Managing Director, Landor and Fitch said, “The pandemic has fundamentally shifted consumer behaviour. An IBM study shows that 93% of consumers have changed their views on sustainability after the pandemic. This is totally understandable. The horrid virus which came out of nowhere has ravaged lives, ruined livelihoods. The only silver lining is that it has woken us up to the paramount importance of our own health and wellbeing and that of our Mother Earth. Sustainability is now a definitive transformative force that will upend existing industries and create new ones. If digital transformation was the buzzword in corporate boardrooms, ECG will take centre stage in the coming decade.” But what exactly is a sustainable brand? Ashwini Deshpande, Co-Founder and Director, Elephant Design defines it as, “A brand that values ethical sourcing and supply chains, is inclusive, and follows environment-friendly processes and materials while staying viable for its stakeholders is qualified to be labelled as a sustainable brand.” Kartik Johari, VP, Marketing &amp; Commerce, Nobel Hygiene believes that in the coming months, people will start to question what is sustainable and what is not along with how we can continue to reduce our carbon footprint across all aspects of our lives. He said, “Consumers at the end of it are people and they expect what is good. The ‘brand promise’ is essential to them. Now, alongside they are also making space for the environment due to excellent work by activists and journalists around the world. You will remember, for example, that riveting photo of a straw stuck in a turtle's nose. How many millions of turtles have we lost to this? Yet it took just that one photo to break through the global psyche. Now straws are the Number One environmental enemy. But this does not mean the onus should be entirely on people to choose better! Companies have to improve their offering. And that is correct for consumers to expect. Moreover, important to note, there are some 50 or 60 companies in the world, which are responsible for majority of emissions. Strong regulations on them can solve what collectively 500 million people may have to do. But who’s going to bell the cat? As Mr Musk rightly has been saying that, give the solar industry the same amount of subsidies, for a year, that you give to oil and gas, and see the amount of transformative change it brings! The onus cannot be on that one little end consumer and their war to save their environment.” During the pandemic, brands like WOW Skin Science, Diageo and Dettol launched eco-friendly packaging to test the waters, indicating that more brands in India have started reevaluating their packaging strategy to put the environment first. Big FMCG companies such as Marico, HUL, Nestle India, Future Consumer, Coca-Cola, Pepsi-co, Parle Agro also announced in 2020 that they will move to 100% recyclable packaging by 2025 helping towards a sustainable future. Joining the bandwagon, the Indian Government has also started its efforts towards reducing our country’s carbon footprint. Currently, India is the world’s third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after the US and China. According to an Assocham and PwC report, landfills are brimming with so much urban waste that by 2050, India is reportedly going to need a landfill that's the size of its capital, New Delhi. And consumers aren’t ignoring these horrifying numbers anymore. Elysha Young, Trends Manager, Mintel APAC said, "India’s Prime Minister has pledged it will reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2070, backed by aggressive 2030 targets. By laying the groundwork in the form of policies, India is signaling that it is open and willing to support innovation around sustainability, and indeed that carbon-emitting industries will no longer be tolerated. This presents an opportunity for global companies looking to tap into India's vast population but also issues a challenge to foreign and domestic companies to ensure they are cutting emissions throughout their value chain. It's in India's self-interest to stem global warming, with the nation of 1.3 billion people being one of the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. The nature of the short-term targets means that action will need to be taken immediately, which will see a strong focus on renewable energy sources like solar and wind power, as well as the batteries needed to store such energy. Companies would do well to look at the emissions within their own value chains and determine where cuts can be made. Communicating these to consumers will help them to make choices that align with the national strategy; the opportunity exists to ensure consumers feel like they're also doing their bit." In 2022, brands that snooze will definitely lose More and more consumers are becoming aware of their choices and realising that whether it is a worn-out piece of mask they decide to throw or a sanitary napkin or even as simple as a plain t-shirt, never really goes ‘away.’ It all ends up in a landfill. Human activities are clearly harming the global environment and brands have no choice but to migrate to sustainable solutions and work towards building a circular economy. So, in 2022, if brands don’t switch, they lose consumers, investors, and all stakeholders. Chowdhary said, “At the industry level, there is nothing without sustainability. The consumers of today are conscious and aware. They know the choices they are making. So if companies &amp; brands do not opt for sustainable practices, eventually the smart consumers are going to make a switch. We can only expect the awareness to grow and actions to increase, especially with the challenges that our planet is facing today.” Anjali Malthankar, National Strategy Director, Tonic Worldwide sees sustainability as one of the big topics in 2022 – right from fashion, green products, green living to electric vehicles, every category will be touched by sustainability filter. She said, “If the brands have already not made sustainability part of their commitment in any form yet, it’s high time they join the eco-wakening movement. Consumers are already looking for some form of reassurance or the other from brands in terms of conscious behaviour, as consumers are at different stages of adoption – it is a mix of curious, concerned, and advocates. At the very least, they are looking to not feel guilty about consuming the brand. Conscious living, mindful living, Green living, purposeful living are all the buzz words in communications today. For brands it is inevitable to have sustainability as a larger goal.” It is not just the environment and consumers who benefit from eco-friendly practices, businesses with low carbon footprints are more likely to have a better brand image and can easily woo consumers. Deep Bajaj, CEO &amp; Co-Founder, Sirona Hygiene said, “Companies are realizing that being conscious of their environmental impact can benefit them in every manner possible. Consumers desire sustainability owing to the ailing earth. Companies that work to become more environmentally responsible, not only contribute to a better future, but also establish a progressive brand image, happier employees, and a loyal client base. Consumers are real people who are affected by real environmental issues on a daily basis. They are aware that it is no longer limited to textbooks and that industrial activities have a direct impact on their daily lives. As a result, what goes into the making of a product and what goes inside it is extremely important to them. Other than environmental consciousness, they expect transparency from brands.” While brands in India have already started taking baby steps towards converting their business into a sustainable choice for consumers, we will get to witness more demonstrable actions in 2022. And those who fail to prioritise mother earth, will have to face consumers’ wrath. Deshpande said, “The emerging consumer base of millennials &amp; Gen Z is not a forgiving lot when it comes to ethics or ecology being compromised by a brand. But others are not quite as aware and may base their decision only on factors like price or convenience above sustainability. There is no choice. It is a survival mandate for a brand to become sustainable. Otherwise, we will see every resource being depleted in the next few decades.” Kantar BrandZ data shows that brands with weak purpose grow 70% but brands with strong purpose grow 175%. At the same time, India is still a price-sensitive country and consumers stick to the convenience of buying what you are used to. So, on how brands can move beyond mere lip-service and greenwashing this year, Raghvan suggested, “Use innovation to develop products developed against that purpose. Embrace design thinking across the board. Embed a new mindset deeply in the culture and transform from within. Communicate and evangelise with consumers." In 2022, experts are confident that brands will embrace sustainability that will benefit people, planet and profit.

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