Just what is
Civil Branding?

Civil branding is about harnessing
the power of branded
communications for social
influence and brand difference.

Think about Dove’s ‘Campaign for
Real Beauty’

Think about Citibank’s ‘Live Richly’
long running campaign

Think about Honda’s ‘Power of
Dreams’ positioning

Think about other brands you know
and their messages

Socially influential brands promote
progressive ideas that have the
potential to create dialogue and
advance society’s
current agenda.

Valuing different perspectives
Celebrating creativity as a force for human development
Encouraging egalitarianism and liberty
Raising women’s self esteem
Active pursuit of happiness, Carpe Diem

Why should you care as a
marketer?

We feel this is the next avenue
to drive customer preference
and that consumers are ready
for it now.

Why now? Scarcity of attention increases consumer
demand for depth in brand meaning –
especially non-functional relevancy.
Brands have more of a social role to play as
evidenced by efforts like CSR and the
increasing devotion to hero brands.

How much freedom should companies
have in promoting messages to
society?
100%
90%
80%
70% Required to tailor messages
accoding to effect on society
60%
Should consider how
50%
messages influence public
attitudes
40%
Free to promote any kind of
30%
message
20%
10%
0%
<25 26 to 35 36 to 45 46 to 55 >55
Source: Civil Branding UK survey

People who think civil branding qualities
are important are much more likely to
reject
uncivil brands (automotive e.g.)
12% Land Rover
R² = 0.90
Porsche
% MOST NEGATIVE IMPACT ON SOCIETY
10%
Skoda
8%
BMW
6%
Mercedes-Benz
4% Mini
Volvo
Audi Renault
2%
Toyota
Ford
VW Honda
0%
15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% 55% 60%
% REJECTION
Source: Civil Branding UK survey

Which brands are
performing?

Civil Branding Heroes
Civil Branding Advocates

Our goal is to learn from the best
performing brands in order to help
other companies create more civil
brands.

www.civilbranding.com