A Global Look at Brand Influence Trends
Today, brand influence isn’t just a perk, it’s a necessity for businesses. In fact, 89% of business leaders say brand influence is “extremely” or “very” important to organizational success, according to the results of the Public Relations Global Network’s (PRGN) first-ever PRGN Influence Insights survey.
The global study from our Network partner gathered responses from marketing and business leaders across more than 40 countries to reveal the top factors shaping brand influence today and the most effective strategies to build it.
According to the findings, brand value today revolves around three key elements: trust, reputation, and customer loyalty. For consumers, reputation, trust, and relevance are the top factors driving brand influence. This data is a clear signal that businesses should align their strategies with these priorities to keep up with global brand trends.
It’s important to note that brand influence is about the relationships you create and the stories you tell, not just metrics. The survey demonstrated this, with respondents ranking authenticity, innovation, and emotional connection among the top drivers of brand influence.
Employees are the new brand champions. There should be no better ambassadors for your business or organization than the people within it. Survey respondents agreed, with employees ranked highest in trust among key stakeholder groups at 63%, far surpassing political leaders, who ranked lowest at 15%. This trust gap is not new and remains a hurdle for governments and media seeking to rebuild public trust.
Regarding the most influential brands, Apple, Nike, and Coca-Cola came out on top. According to the survey, influential brands like these are finding success through strategy by leveraging digital platforms (72%) and communicating values to their employees (67%). Both are vital.
A balanced strategy across digital, earned media, and employee engagement is beneficial to shaping brand influence. Respondents say social media (76%) is the most impactful channel, followed by earned media (70%) and thought leadership (69%). Additionally, customers (85%) have the greatest influence, with mainstream media (66%), brand ambassadors (65%), and employees (63%) also playing key roles, according to the survey.
The main message the PRGN Influence Insights survey shares is that how brands interpret and develop brand influence is changing, just as customer expectations continue to shift and the importance of brand influence grows.
Put your brand influence plans into action. Connect with HMA to find out how we can support your efforts.
Download the full PRGN Influence Insights survey here.
