Marketers focus on long-term brand building and storytelling amid pressure for quick wins

New Delhi: CNN International Commercial (CNNIC), along with data and insights consultancy MTM, have conducted a new research study and released an in-depth white paper based on the views of 1,090 senior marketing leaders across 12 global markets exploring the key ingredients for successful, long term brand building and creating meaningful connections with consumers and customers. 

While contending with modern challenges such as evolving technology, uncertain economic conditions, and shortening attention spans, the brand should be a consistent and persuasive element. 

Brand Power: Strategies for Instant Impact and Future Growth reveals marketing plans, decision-making drivers, and key elements that global marketers believe are essential for success in marketing today. 

The research deep dives into marketers' thoughts, strategies, and priorities, and a clear message emerged: marketers are prioritising long-term brand investment and compelling storytelling—despite significant pressure to invest in short-term wins. 

The CNNIC Audiences and Data team spoke to leaders across both media agencies and advertisers in various industries to evaluate the most effective nuances and strategies for executing brand marketing. This included CMOs, VPs, Heads of Marketing and Media Directors. The research uncovered distinct trends, including:  

·       Brand-building is the number one marketing goal; 78% of marketers say “improving brand awareness and reputation” is their top marketing goal this year. 

·       Brand-building ensures lasting brand value and long-term growth—9 in 10 marketers are planning a brand campaign over the next 12 months. 

·       ‘Always-on’ approaches put brands top of mind; 65% of brands often rely on ‘always-on’ advertising to strengthen brand equity and achieve long-term growth. 

·       Purpose-driven and storytelling campaigns take centre stage; 81% of marketers plan to incorporate community building and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) themes into their marketing efforts. 

·       News providers are still vital; 91% of marketers agree that news providers are essential for brand building, with 83% indicating that advertising during major world events or breaking news doesn’t harm their brand image.  

Jo Tenzer, Director of Audience Insight at CNNIC, who commissioned and produced the report, said, “Marketers often hold one of the most innovative and challenging roles in business today and this study navigates some of the complexities of the industry. The findings from this study reveal that brand-building is recognized as an essential long-term goal for companies worldwide, with leaders increasingly aware of the need to embrace continuous, purpose-driven storytelling that genuinely engages consumers.  It’s also clear that international news providers continue to play a crucial role in building trust and credibility for brands in today’s information-saturated landscape.” 

Regional and country-specific data:

• Despite the pressure to focusing on short-term gains, marketers are placing brand-building at the top of their agendas.  81% of marketers say “improving brand awareness and reputation” is their top marketing goal in 2024.
• Marketers invest in brand-building for lasting brand value and long-term growth. 84% of marketers plan to start running or increasing their marketing efforts on brand campaigns in the next 12 months.
• Always-on approaches put brands top of mind—70% of brands often rely on “always-on” advertising to strengthen brand equity and achieve long-term growth.
• Brands are making efforts to effectively resonate with their audiences. 1 in 2 marketers plan to build their brand through story-telling or purpose-driven campaigns. Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) and community building are the top themes (86%) as part of their brand marketing effort, followed by digital transformation/new tech adoption (70%) and Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) (66%).
• During big international events and breaking news, it is a good opportunity for marketers to tell their stories that matter to their audiences. 94% of marketers agree that news providers are essential for brand building. 91% also indicate that the news events don’t harm their brand image

The survey includes participants from the US, UK, France, Germany, United Arab Emirates, South Africa, Australia, Japan, India, Singapore, South Korea, and Hong Kong.