MAR036-6 Brand Communication and Reputation Management Assignment Sample
MAR036-6 Brand Communication and Reputation Management Assignment Sample
Introduction
Successful brand communication and reputation management usually please a significant role in terms of extending the accountability of a brand or product in the competitive market. With regards to this concern, the present report has paid attention to highlight valuable insights by considering the prospects of climate change on potential activities of respective brands. The UK ad agencies probable responses would also be enlightened in this case with regards to their communication approach to comply with global climate and ecological emergency. Two specific brands are also chosen for this report including Dove and Zara for highlighting customer and stakeholder expectations with regards to address climate change.
1. Hope of the extinction rebellions
With reference to the provided later of the extinction rebellion in the UK, a profound focus can be highlighted from their perspective in terms of addressing the consequences of climate change in a successful manner. As per my concern, the extinction rebellions have looked forward to ensure the consequences of sustainability to a large extent as an integral part of tackling the global climate and ecological emergency. In this regard, the consideration of an open letter to respective advertisers as well as agencies eventually reflects their focus to generate awareness regarding the toxic impact of climate change disaster (McCarthy, 2019).
The members of the extinction rebellion eventually paid attention to obtain distinctive sustainable efforts from the perspective of marketers as well as potential stakeholders associated within the advertising industry. The prime reason behind this awareness as well as efforts of the extinction rebellion members reflect the warning announced by the United Nations to have only 12 years left in terms of limiting the climate change disaster (McCarthy, 2019). They are eventually looking forward to generate subsequent awareness among common people to force the marketers to eliminate environmental impact. The adoption of a civil resistance model is also highlighted in this article from the perspective of the extinction rebellions as an integral part of supporting their focus on sustainability as well as climate change actions.
Three subsequent demands are also placed by the extinction rebellion in this case that can also be signified as an integral focus of the year achievement. According to their demands, subsequent government intervention is also required with the declaration of a climate emergency. The conceptualisation of legally binding policies is eventually highlighted by the extinction rebellion members from the governmental perspective in terms of cutting down the amount of carbon emissions to net zero by the end of 2025 (McCarthy, 2019). Adequate citizen awareness has been also confronted by them by building a citizen’s assembly to effectively monitor the changes. According to their focus, the advertising industry has been on target in terms of inspiring valuable changes required for dealing with climate change.
2. Response of the UK ad agencies and their clients
With reference to the mentioned problems and issues regarding climate change, the UK advertisement agencies and clients should consider a sustainable approach to communication. The topmost concern in this context highlights the consideration of green marketing strategies that could be highly beneficial for the UK ad agencies to respond to climate change (Lam and Li, 2019). Distinctive focus on digitalisation of marketing activities can also be highlighted in this case, which would ensure elimination of paper waste and others. For example, the context of a renowned global brand Starbucks can be highlighted that has extensively promoted green marketing practices as an integral part of ensuring environmental protection (Tsai et al. 2020). The UK ad agencies are eventually recommended to cut down greenhouse gas emissions from their overall advertising as well as promotional activities with reference to deal with the toxic impact of climate change.
Figure 1: Components of triple bottom line theory
(Source: Walker et al. 2020)
The context of the triple bottom line theory can be highlighted in this regard. The theoretical understanding defines the sustainability framework with reference to three valuable areas including people, profit and planet for measuring the success of a business (Walker et al. 2020). The prospects of the planet are highly preferred in this context with due regards to ensure environmental welfare by eliminating the detrimental effect of climate change disaster. Along with green marketing and digital promotion, the conceptualisation of eco-friendliness should also be assured by the UK advertising agencies with the help of eco-friendly products as well as recycled materials. As an example, the case of a renowned global brand Apple can be highlighted that has profoundly focused on eco-friendly features within their communication approach. Along with considering the attributes of sustainable and green marketing, Apple has been looking to demolish the usage of carbon materials in their products (Apple world, 2020). The green policies of Apple eventually include renewable energy as well as recyclable materials. In this manner, Apple is also fighting against climate change where the prospects of single use plastic packaging have been eliminated by the organisation while ensuring investments for carbon removal. These initiatives should be followed by the UK ad agencies in terms of ensuring sustainable and green communication.
3. Two brands and their approach to climate change
Exceeding customer and stakeholder’s expectations
In terms of highlighting the effectiveness of a brand in terms of managing to exceed customer as well as stakeholder expectations with reference to its activity for addressing climate change, Dove has been considered that operates under Unilever.
Figure 2: Dove a successful brand of Unilever
(Source: Dove, 2023)
Dove has paid extensive attention to deal with the toxic consequences of climate change disaster. Distinctive sustainable practices are eventually undertaken by the brand as an integral part of increasing their focus towards reduction of carbon footprint. Due to this reason, dove has been attentive to create a low-carbon economy with a clear focus on the usage of renewable energy in manufacturing process (Dove, 2023). The brand is eventually looking forward to ensure subsequent carbon footprint reduction with a science-based target.
While operating under Unilever, Dove has been providing an extended commitment to referring to the green practices under the shape of green shipping methods as possible. This aspect has been reducing carbon emissions on behalf of the brand throughout the global market. In order to cut down the environmental impact, Dove has switched their focus in terms of preferring lower emission fuels as well as innovative technology that has been helping them to create more sustainable production (Dove, 2023). The consequences of addressing climate change attributes can also be highlighted from the brand perspective through their focus on using renewable energy sources for manufacturing and production. However, the parent organisation of Dove, Unilever has also been attentive to ensure zero non-hazardous waste to landfill. The company has also been collecting and purifying rainwater to address 60% of their entire factory needs and demands (Dove, 2023). This impressive progress has been helping the brand to ensure sustainable development. Along with green transport facilities, Dove has also focused on the consideration of liquid nitrogen gas as a lower emission fuel. In order to support this initiative, Unilever has focused on creating 5 emerging LNG stations near the dove factories in Germany as an integral part of supporting the environment and friendliness (Dove, 2023). The focus of the company in this case can be enlightened on ensuring lower carbon and climate footprint for the production and manufacturing of their beauty bars like Dove.
As a responsible brand, Dove has also been attentive to disclose their commitment for cutting down the preference of virgin plastic by more than 20,500 tonnes in a year (Dove, 2023). 100% recycled plastic bottles are highly focused by the brand as an integral part of ensuring plastic free beauty bar packaging along with refillable deodorants (Dove, 2023). The brand has also been focusing on cutting down their entire carbon footprint within every stage and operations of their supply chain. Apart from that, Dove has been observed to consider another commitment of reducing plastic by 2025 (Dove, 2023). The refillable deodorants of Dove have been playing a significant role in terms of radically cutting down the usage of plastics. This initiative undertaken by Dove is likely to play an extended beneficial role in terms of saving virgin plastic usage to a large extent. Long-term initiatives are taken in this manner by the brand instead of one-off limited editions to ensure a sustained impact. The prospects of using alternative materials as well as packaging innovations are highly considered by the brand as an integral part of addressing climate change aspects. Across all ranges of the brand, 100% recycled plastic bottles are launched by them with reference to transversely maintain their commitment to reduce environmental impact with adequate technical feasibility especially in Europe and North America (Dove, 2023).
On the other hand, Dove has also focused on fighting against climate change with adequate financial support. For evidence, the brand has been identified to announce 8.5 million Euros support with conservation international for the Forest Restoration Project (PR Newswire, 2021). This initiative highlights their focus to accelerate the fight against climate change by protecting and restoring around 20,000 hectares of forest in Indonesia (PR Newswire, 2021). The Dove Forest Restoration project is also expected to play a leading role in terms of capturing over 300,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the air that may also eliminate the release of over 200,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions (PR Newswire, 2021).
Figure 3: Dove brand value
(Source: Petruzzi, 2022)
The mentioned strategic interventions as well as initiatives of Dove have been extremely supportive to address both customer and stakeholder expectations with regards to ensure distinct sustainability by addressing the aspects of climate change. Concise focus on sustainability and reduction of environmental impact has eventually enhanced the brand accountability and acceptability throughout the wider consumer market. For example, Dove has been able to ensure the number 1 spot as a personal cleansing product across the globe (Adbrands, 2023). According to Kantar brand rankings, Dove has undertaken the 8th spot as the most valuable personal care brand during 2014 with a projected value of around $4.8 billion (Adbrands, 2023). Efficient mitigation of consumer expectations can also be highlighted from the brand perspective based on which the brand has obtained around 24% market share across the US bar and liquid soap brands (Adbrands, 2023). By the end of 2022, Dove has obtained a brand value of USD 5.1 billion approximately that has come up from USD 4.9 billion in 2020 (Petruzzi, 2022). The graphical presentation regarding the brand value of Dove eventually reflects the effectiveness of the brand to ensure stakeholder and customer expectations that help them to ensure consistent maintenance of reputation and value across the globe.
Fallen short of expectations
In terms of highlighting the context of a brand that has fallen short of expectations, the context of a renowned global clothing retail service provider Zara can be undertaken. The brand has not been so effective in terms of dealing with the consequences of climate change. Considerable challenges are also experienced by the brand with regards to harm the environment with the toxic impact of climate change (Walt, 2022). Increasing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from the production and manufacturing operations of the brand eventually added a greater value to enhance greenhouse gas emission.
The fashion industry is recognised as the second most polluting sector followed by the gas and oil industry. Around 17 million terms of textile waste are utilised for landfilling every year (Avaaz, 2023). The first fashion industry eventually produces 10% of the entire carbon emissions throughout the globe (Avaaz, 2023). However, this carbon emission might be enhanced to 60% in case of considering no subsequent action to reduce this (Avaaz, 2023).
Due to this reason, the brand has negatively impacted their reputation over the competitive market that has also been implicated with their financial performance in the recent times. For example, Zara has reported a loss of INR 41 Crore in India that is also equivalent to $5.6 billion during the financial year 2020 to 2021 (Martins, 2021). The company has also not been able to properly fulfil the customer demands as well as expectations during COVID-19 pandemic. This aspect has also narrowed down their financial performance to some extent. For evidence, the brand has also been observed to witness a 20% decline to their revenue for this same physical year amounted to INR 1126 Crore only (Martins, 2021). It has come down from INR 1571 Crore as reported during the last fiscal year (Martins, 2021). However, Zara has been notified to consider a standard of sustainability with regards to deal with the toxic impact of climate change. The brand is also looking forward to cut down their carbon footprint as well as textile waste by the end of 2025 as an integral part of obtaining sustainability goals (Avaaz, 2023). This attribute might add a fair value to the acceptability as well as accountability of the brand among consumers based on which day might experience increasing sales and profitability in the near future.
The context of the stakeholder theory can be intercepted in this case. The theoretical understanding reflects subsequent focus on organisation management as well as business ethics that are accounted for multiple constituencies influenced by respective entities within a business including suppliers and employees, local communities and others (Freeman et al. 2021). In the case of Zara, the brand has not been able to maintain their business profitability due to their inadequate focus on climate change aspects that have heavily affected their financial performance in the market.
Comparison
In the case of maintaining sustainability in operations as well as focus on dealing with climate change, Dove has been active as compared to Zara with regards to their initiative of tackling the consequences of climate change. Zara has been falling short of expectations in this case where an inadequate focus has been kept by the brand management towards the maintenance of sustainability (Walt, 2022). However, the brand has been disclosing their intention to move towards the preference of eco-friendly products in their offerings and services.
The context of the horizon scanning framework can be highlighted in this case. This framework reveals subsequent techniques in terms of detecting early signs of significant developments under the lights of a systematic examination of potential opportunities and threats (Hines et al. 2019). Greater emphasis is also kept on technology and its impact on the issues at hand as per this framework. The implications of this framework can be critically notified in the case of Dove and Zara. Dove had been able to efficiently identify the areas of potential development with regards to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, reduction of carbon footprint, and maintenance of sustainability with recycled materials and eco-friendly products and others (Dove, 2023). In comparison to these, Zara has not been able to systematically examine potential threats associated with the prospects of climate change issues. Apart from that, the ongoing pandemic situation did not provide to be effective in terms of experiencing increasing sales growth for Zara.
On the other hand, effective horizon scanning can be signified in the context of Dove due to which the brand has been able to identify potential areas of developments with regards to deal with the threats associated with climate change. This early detection of the issue helped the brand to raise adequate awareness through subsequent initiatives that have been extremely helpful for them to obtain a positive brand reputation in the market and thereby ensure consistent growth of profitability (Dove, 2023). The context of the business continuity plan framework can also be applicable in this case to compare the ability of addressing consumer demand successfully in the case of Dove and Zara. The framework highlights a procedural guidance in terms of creating effective plans to prevent, respond and recover businesses from any kind of disruption (Fani and Subriadi, 2019). In the case of Dove, this aspect has been properly maintained that can be certified through their strategic interventions established for dealing with climate change as mentioned previously. On the other hand, Zara has not been able to successfully manage and prepare them for dealing with the climate change issues. Despite looking for sustainability initiatives, the brand is likely to look for aligning their products and services under the shape of sustainability and zero carbon emission.
4. Practical and measurable guidelines
With regards to the overall issues and aspects highlighted previously considering respective brands and their implications towards sustainability and climate change, a set of miserable guidelines are provided below-
Climate change
In terms of effectively encountering the issues raised through climate change, brands are suggested to empower their focus on sustainability. In this regard, the increment of eco-friendliness is likely to be supported by the brands as an integral part of eliminating the impact of climate change on their business (Islam et al. 2022). Apart from that, the brands should also be attentive to ensure zero carbon emission from their operations and business activities. The consequences of corporate social responsibility should also be highly preferred by the brands in this regard. Through subsequent CSR policies, the brands might obtain successive opportunities of contributing to environmental welfare. As notified in the case of Dove, their contribution to Forest Restoration Project has been effective in terms of reducing the toxic impact of carbon dioxide emissions (PR Newswire, 2021). Similar strategies are likely to be considered by responsible global brands as an influential parameter to deal with the negative implications of climate change.
Communications
With regards to the emergence of increasing climate change prospects and issues, brands should also look forward to deploy the consequences of the green communication approach. Green communications would be extremely supportive for the brands in terms of ensuring minimum waste generation along with promoting the prospects of sustainability (Srivastava et al. 2019). The consequences of green marketing should also be referred to by the brands in this case. Extensive focus on digitalisation should also be empowered by the brands through green communication approach that may also help to ensure sustainability as well as clear focus on addressing the toxic consequences of climate change issues associated with the business. The attributes of cost and time optimisation would also be beneficial from the perspective of the brands to ensure green communications as an integral part of promoting enhanced profitability and financial performance in the market (do Paço et al. 2019).
Reputation
In terms of managing subsequent reputation in the market, the brands are suggested to undertake an advanced analytical approach. Analytics would be extremely supportive in terms of identifying the current market preferences as well as consumer trends according to which the brands would be able to arrange their offerings for potential consumers and target audience. Moreover, the brands should also be attentive to ensure a concise focus on sustainability along with promoting eco-friendly products and recyclable materials within their operations (Thyavihalli Girijappa et al. 2019). This attribute would also be beneficial for empowering brand reputation in the market with increasing consumer attraction and positive intention of purchasing. The entire business value chain of the brands is likely to be cross-examined to help them get rid of carbon emissions in respective activities including supply chain, production and manufacturing and others. The consideration of green supply chain and green manufacturing would be beneficial for the brands to enhance their market reputation with subsequent future growth opportunities.
Marketing and brand
In terms of ensuring effective marketing and branding, the attributes of digital marketing are suggested for the brands. Digital marketing strategy would be helpful for the brands to effectively reach towards a wider consumer market to promote their services and products along with empowering their brand communication (Saura et al. 2019). Through this measure, the brands would be able to generate valuable leads by efficiently addressing market demands and consumer requirements. Digital interaction is highly suggested as a significant measurable guideline for the brands in terms of replying to the customer queries and generate positive influence over their purchasing decisions.
Going forward
In terms of going forward, the brands are recommended to consider a customer-oriented approach. This attribute can be helpful for the brands to effectively promote and launch products and services in accordance with the consumer requirements and preferences. Based on this instinct, respective brands would be able to establish strong market presence by depending on adequate consumer base as well as financial feasibility.
Consideration of the mentioned guidelines and approaches should be preferred by the brands as a subsequent parameter of enhancing their focus towards sustainability as well as positive market reputation.
Conclusion
Based on the overall report, a clear understanding can be generated regarding extended significance of maintaining sustainability to empower reputation management. The case of the extinction rebellions in the UK has efficiently looked forward to deal with climate change disasters by generating subsequent awareness as well as policy interventions from the governmental perspective. The UK advertising agencies are also recommended to ensure sustainability by eliminating carbon emission as well as increasing eco-friendliness for eliminating climate change issues. The case of Dove highlights extensive focus on sustainability where Zara has not been effective in this case due to which their reputation is declining. However, the brands are recommended to ensure sustainable approach in marketing and communication.
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