Good Brands Report 2009

PSFK recently conducted a review of global brands that are doing “good” in regards to innovation, environmental responsibility and social collaboration. From this exploration, we’ve created the Good Brands Report 2009.

We looked at the companies we were writing about on PSFK.com and then asked a panel of cross industry global experts from the Purple List to tell us which of 40 common brands on PSFK were considered ‘Good’. These companies represent businesses from which we should learn. They are not just the well-known brands of the day but also companies that lead by example. Beyond the top 10 Good Brands, the report identifies the most inspirational brands across sectors, geography, and the highest charting brands when it comes to innovation, environmentalism and social good.

We hope this report inspires you to learn from these companies and take those lessons to make things better.

How we ranked the Good Brands:

The Good Brands Report survey consisted of three questions aimed at how well the brands were perceived in given categories—innovation, environment and community. The participants then rated each brand, which were presented in a randomized order, on a scale from 1 to 10. 1 being “Not at all,” 5 “OK” and 10 “Outstanding.”

We asked:

Innovation:
How well does this brand consistently innovate?

Environmental Responsibility:
How well does this brand make environmental considerations around the production and distribution methods it uses to get a product or service to market and the reuse & recycling after consumption?

Social Collaboration:
How well does the brand provide a positive and beneficial experience to all those it touches from production to consumption providing society as a whole with an improved experience?

Key Findings

There are a number of common traits shared by the Good Brands. The list below provides some insight into what makes these brands special.

Utility
• Aim to enhance your usefulness for the consumer. In doing so, look not only at your product or service, but the eco-system that surrounds it.

Experimentation
• Constant innovation is the essential element of growth. Continually push the boundaries of your offering and create ancillary products.

Design
• Premium aesthetics coupled with consistent delivery wins every time. A premium experience can be applied to any product or service, no matter where it sits on the price spectrum. Make your audience feel valued, encouraging them to include you as part of their identity.

Community and listening
• Create a sense of community for your customers. Actively engage them and listen to what they have to say. They are the best source of guidance for improved service.

Change the model
• Look at your consumers’ eco-system of needs and change your business model to suit them.

Beyond the 30 second ad
• Of the top 100 largest advertising spenders in 2008, none of them made it onto this list. Instead of spending money on advertising, leverage the existing community that’s involved with your brand to promote your products and services.

Environmental Priorities
• Brands in the lower half of the list lose points prizing innovation over environmental responsibility. Build in sustainable practices wherever you can in your brand’s eco-system.