a fight for the rights
âOne of the trends earmarked for 2015 is not only a growing sense of power in the hands of consumers, but also a genuine readiness to use this power. We live in an age of diminishing trust; anyone with half an eye on Edelman's trust barometer knows that people are getting more and more cynical. What's fascinating, is that consumers are now more ready than ever to make a stand. Throughout 2014 brands were systematically held to account for their misdemeanours; 24% of UK adults for example were put off Starbucks because of negative press surrounding their UK tax affairs. Other consumer campaigns mean that Coca-Cola have removed the controversial ingredient brominated vegetable oil from drinks, while Cheerios, over in the US, have had to stop using GMOs altogether. The old-school boycott might've been the preserve of an esoteric few in the past, but in 2015, emboldened consumers present a risk capable of packing a punch on the bottom line in rapid time, and effecting long-term brand damage. And governments, themselves besieged with trust issues, are having to respond to people-pressure too. In Britain, referendums seem to have become the new norm. In Germany, the government has responded to huge demands for minimum 30% female boards at public companies by 2016. And consumers in the UK will soon benefit from a Consumer Rights Bill which is set to reinforce consumers' rights to reject goods, expect deliveries within 30 days, and force greater transparency up front for T&Cs. And of course, at the heart of the newly powerful consumer, are digital platforms. They have given people a powerful, organised voice, which seems to be getting ever louder. Take recent introduction of Resolver in the UK, for example. It's a digital platform backed by the powerful independent consumer champion Martin Lewis, and promises to make complaining about brands quick and simple. It semi-automates complaint processes, removing the apathy and isolation many consumers feel when hard done by, replacing it with an immediate set of steps to find genuine resolution from a base of significant group power. Elsewhere, apps like GLIA are encouraging people to discover brands with a similar ethos to themselves, making every consumer decision a de facto vote for their social values. For brands, powerful consumers represent an opportunity. Beyond just 'doing the right thing', apps like GLIA show an opportunity to capitalise in this new environment. That's provided brands have a strategy to be on the front foot, rather than picking up the pieces...â
Source: M&C Saatchi Intelligence
