The Association of National Advertisers announced yesterday the launch an index to scrutinize how brands\u2019 actions have environmental, social and governance (ESG) impacts. The news comes as agencies have stepped up, at least in word, their own efforts to be better global players.<\/p>\n
The ANA\u2019s Center for Brand Purpose is partnering with Swayable, a tech platform that gathers consumer insights, to launch the ANA\/Swayable ESG Brand Perception Index, which tracks consumer opinions on ESG matters for 430 brands across seven categories: retail, finance, travel, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), insurance, media\/entertainment and healthcare.<\/p>\n
The index will tap a 15,000-consumer database to offer its members monthly rankings of the top 20 brands in each category. According to the ANA, consumers are queried on brand familiarity, purchase intent, environmental and social impact, and level of trust in brand governance, as well as a range of demographic, attitudinal, and behavioral segmentation questions.<\/p>\n
Several of the holding company media agency groups have already publicized their own efforts to guide clients toward more socially responsible investments. WPP\u2019s GroupM recently outlined its Responsible Investing framework that declared five areas of focus to \u201cprovide a comprehensive roadmap for reducing brand risk and creating a more sustainable media ecosystem,\u201d as it spelled out in a report co-authored by global CEO Christian Juhl and global president of business intelligence Brian Wieser.<\/p>\n
And almost exactly a year ago, IPG\u2019s Mediabrands unit declared its 10-point Media Responsibility Principles, and earlier this spring, announced a Responsibility Index.<\/p>\n
Notably, ANA\u2019s index will not question advertisers on whether they\u2019re holding themselves accountable with their media investments, unlike Mediabrands\u2019 survey, said Joshua Lowcock, chief digital officer, UM and global brand safety officer with Mediabrands.<\/p>\n