Cracking Brand Success
Context reigns supreme
In 2024, context is no longer a mere backdrop for brands; it's the very stage on which success is built. The crucial role of context has been a major topic of discussion, notably in the marketing world at Cannes Lions 2024.
Yet, harnessing context requires curiosity. In the business world, curiosity about people, consumers, citizens, patients, and the world around them offers a competitive edge to marketers and business owners.
Our annual Global Trends survey provides a holistic understanding of the macro context by delving into the evolving attitudes and values of individuals across the globe.
In the brand sphere, Ipsos R&D consistently shows how leveraging context can empower brands to resonate with audiences and achieve their objectives. Alongside this, successful brands must also act with genuine empathy and shape unique expectations. Yet reaching Brand Success all starts with a thorough understanding of the context.
Among the many shades of context in 2024, we’ve identified four which provide a roadmap for Brand Success in today's dynamic landscape: the context of the world, the context of technology, the context of people, the context of diversity.
The context of the world: navigating the polycrisis
The backdrop of 2024, marked by half the world’s population having elections and ongoing uncertainty, presented a unique challenge for brands. The polycrisis – that confluence of global challenges – created a credibility vacuum, underpinned by an ongoing lack of trust in politicians and the media.
This uncertain context has presented an opportunity for brands to step up and fill the void, acting responsibly and addressing societal concerns. An unprecedented 77% of people in our survey have a favourable opinion of brands vs 50% who say the same of politicians and the press.
An ongoing lack of trust in politicians and the media presents an opportunity for brands to step up and fill the void.
Q. Do you have a favourable or unfavourable opinion of...
(% favourable)
Source: Ipsos polling 2023-2024
Brands
Personalities
Politicians and press
Moreover, 69% of consumers say they are more likely to buy brands that align with their personal values, up from 53% a decade ago.
Examples such as AXA's 'Three Words' and Renault's 'Cars to Work' campaign demonstrate how brands can actively support people amidst global challenges and earn trust and loyalty in the process.
The message is clear.
Be curious! Brands that harness context, align with people's values and offer tangible solutions are better positioned to thrive in a fragmented world.
The context of tech: AI as a co-pilot
The rise of AI dominated conversations at the Cannes Lions 2024 International Festival of Creativity, with industry leaders like Elon Musk (X, Tesla, Space X) and Alex Schultz (Meta) offering contrasting perspectives on its potential impact.
While concerns about AI replacing human creativity persisted, a consensus emerged around the idea of AI as a 'co-pilot', augmenting human ingenuity rather than supplanting it. Microsoft, Google, and other tech giants emphasised the importance of human-centred creativity, even in an AI-driven world. At Ipsos, we’ve been exploring how to get the right blend of Human Intelligence (HI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Technological cognitive polyphasia
But our awe of technology is accompanied also by worry – a tension identified by the Technowonder trend in our 2024 Ipsos Global Trends report.
Seven in ten people (71%) in our global survey agree we need modern technology to solve future problems – but eight in ten (78%) think new technology will lead to further loss of privacy and over half (57%) think technological progress is destroying our lives.
Optimism
Worry
Fatalism
Harnessing the 2024 unique context around gen AI, Deutsche Telekom confronted the topic of online safety for children with a moving creative featuring young Ella as the hero character. Ella alerts her parents to the danger of posting pictures of their kids on the web. The ad shows how with AI it is now possible to create a fake grown up digital version of your child, where their identity could be stolen or used maliciously. The campaign resulted in a Gold PR Lions for Deutsche Telekom and a guarantee of goosebumps for viewers.
What it means for brands.
The rising use of generative AI as a co-pilot will increasingly impact how brands ideate, innovate and communicate. While the use of generative AI alone doesn’t guarantee success, it's likely that brands that do nothing will lose ground.
The context of people: empathy as the North Star
In the gen AI era, it’s more important than ever to focus on people. Empathetic marketing involves understanding and addressing customer needs – but it is more than that. It is about connecting emotionally, by acknowledging people’s beliefs, perspectives and motivations, and genuinely caring about making their lives better.
Empathy is more than a hug, it is about offering products and solutions that add to people's lives. And Ipsos meta-analysis confirms that empathy not only drives Brand Choice but can also be a driving force for effective creativity.
IKEA's Bronze Lions winning campaign 'Life is Not a Catalogue' illustrates this point. Building on the insight that many people don’t relate to how homes are portrayed in the media, IKEA demonstrated that their products are not made just for ads but for real life. Through a series of brutally honest print ads depicting how homes are really lived in, IKEA proved that their furniture and products stand up to everyday situations.
By demonstrating empathy in a bold way, IKEA shifted its brand image from aspirational to relatable, proving again the power of empathy in connecting with audiences on a deeper level.
Insight alert for brand owners and advertisers.
Empathy can create bonding connections, guiding consumers to choose your brand more often.
The context of diversity: positive representation matters
In 2024, Dove celebrated the 20th anniversary of its 'Real Beauty' campaign. Meanwhile, French tech company Orange received record views on social media and Cannes Lions recognition for their 'Les Bleues' campaign, which challenges gender stereotypes in women’s football.
Authentic and positive representation of gender in advertising works. Ipsos R&D shows that when a creative depicts women in a genuine and authentic way, they are 20% more likely to score highly on Brand Choice and 35% more likely to score highly on Brand Relationship.
In today's dynamic and fragmented world.
Brands that build on a cultural understanding of their markets will be better equipped to represent people in an authentic way, ensuring better success.
Further reading
