havas worldwide prosumer report: communities and citizenship

Winter 2013

Communities and Citizenship:

Redesigned for a New World

Winter 2013

Disaffection with modern life is a hallmark of our times

Image: http://anna3101.wordpress.com/tag/what-i-hate-about-modern-life/

And yet overriding our multitude of complaints is an enduring sense of optimism and purpose

In this study, we look at the emergence of a new approach to citizenship—one that makes more sense in the era of social media and personal empowerment

This new approach:

• Is linked not so much to voting as to doing

• Relies less on political parties and elected leaders and more on individuals and businesses

• Is centered on communities bound by common interests and goals rather than by heritage, blood lines, or locality

• Is fueled by social media

Extensive online survey created by Havas Worldwide and fielded by Market Probe

International

Communities and Citizenship

Who are Prosumers?

The roughly 15–20% of leading-edge consumers who are influencing trends and shaping markets around the globe

Key characteristics:

* Embrace innovation

* Constantly seek out information and new experiences

* Enthusiastic adopters of new media and technologies

* “Human media” who transport attitudes and ideas

* Marketing savvy and demanding of brand partners

* Highly influential and sought-after for opinions and recommendations

In this study, 21% of the sample qualified as Prosumers

What we’ll cover

• The Decline of Politics

• New Communities & Drivers of Change

• Consumers, Business & State: New Roles & Relationships

• Unprecedented Opportunities for Businesses & Brands

The Decline of Politics

We don’t trust our political leaders to do their jobs

Indicate the degree to which you have faith in the following institutions:(showing % having moderate/a lot of faith)

Only around 4 in 10 have even moderate faith in government

In the last 12 months, which of these have you done?(showing % that selected each statement)

This lack of faith is causing many to pull back from political activity and to look instead for other ways to effect change

Rethinking Our Civic Responsibilities

Which three of these factors do you think are most important in determining whether someone is a “good citizen”?(showing % making each choice)

Political participation is no longer a mainstay of good citizenship

and

“I consider myself a better-than-average citizen”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Most satisfied with their good citizenship: Prosumers and millennials

“I have a responsibility to make the world a better place”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Among Prosumers, especially, a strong sense of duty—and purpose

New Communities and Drivers of ChangeModern citizens have unprecedented power to create change

“A person who recycles regularly but never votes is a better citizen than a person who votes in every election but doesn’t make an effort to reduce his/her waste”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Day-to-day behaviors are now considered more important than political ones

Harnessing the Power of Consumption

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Heightened awareness of the impact of our consumption choices

Building Communities of Social Media Users

“Social media gives ordinary people an extraordinary ability to influence others and create change”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

A powerful new way to learn, share, and drive change

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

An avenue for those who might never otherwise have gotten involved

Which of the following do you believe will be the greatest agent of change?

As drivers of change, social mediaempowered citizens trump government and corporations

The New “Local”

“I’m not just a citizen of my country; I’m also a citizen of the world–and I am obligated to support global interests”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

In digitally connected world, geography becomes less important

How strongly connected do you feel to each of the following?(showing % feeling strongly/somewhat connected)

Neighbors and local communities take backseat to social networks and co-workers

“I have more in common with people in my social networks than I do with my neighbors”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Our notion of “local” is now based less on geography and political ties than on friendship and common interests

“I relate best to citizens within my own country who are…”(showing % that chose each response)

The ties that bind most tightly are socioeconomic, not based on age, religion, race, or sexual orientation

Consumers, Business & StateNew roles and relationships

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

An expanded role for business

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Picking up the slack for ineffective government

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

Looking for more from business—but with government oversight

Unprecedented Opportunity for Businesses and BrandsSix insights into how to do it right

1. Go Local

“I would like my favorite brands/companies to play a biggerrole in my local community”(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

McDonald’s Australia sponsors community cleanups

Image via ImagineCup/Microsoft

Microsoft’s Imagine Cup supports an app that helps excess food go to community groups that feed the hungry

Reckitt Benckiser’s Harpic is building and repairing toilet facilities in parts of India that are most in need

Dos Equis, CamelBak, and others sponsor Tough Mudder, building community and camaraderie

2. Find the Right Partners

On Procter & Gamble’s relationship with USAID:

“[It’s] like getting a Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. They bring a lot of legitimacy to our initiatives, particularly when we are entering new markets.”

Forming smart partnerships can speed progress and stakeholder buy-in

The Sierra Club’s “seal of approval” added legitimacy to Clorox’s Green Works line of natural cleaning products

A number of leading companies have joined with the World Business Council for Sustainable Development to make environmentally friendly patents available for widespread use

3. Make It Easy to Do Good

Please rate your agreement or disagreement with the following statements:(showing % agreeing strongly/somewhat)

People are looking to consume more mindfully and appreciate nudges/assistance in that area

Unilever’s “Five Levers for Change” plan aims to make mindful behaviors an ingrained habit

Volkswagen’s “Blue Mobility” in-car app helps Chinese drivers track and reduce their fuel use

4. Empower

In the “Mad Men” era, marketing was all about making people feel inadequate in order to get them to buy things. Now, companies are reaping profits and building relationships by helping people feel better about themselves and their impact on the world.

The “buy one, give one” model helps us feel good about our purchases

Making charitable giving automatic

Contributing to the greater good doesn’t have to involve shopping, of course. As the MP expense scandal unfolded in the U.K., The Guardian recruited a citizens’ brigade of 20,000+ volunteers to pore over hundreds of thousands of documents in search of financial irregularities.

5. Help Bridge the Gap

Concerns over the growing wealth gaps (within and between nations) are mounting

Giving the talented a leg up

A way out for kids in crime-ridden communities

Whole Foods tracks workers’ salaries and bonuses to ensure no executive makes more than 19x the average worker’s compensation

6. Sow the Seeds of Social

In whatever way a brand chooses to address social ills, the impact will be exponentially magnified by letting citizen-consumers take part and spread the word through social media

Smart use of social media to extend reach

Concluding Thoughts

Maximizing profits through purpose

"We’re entering the age of damage, where social media has empowered people to hold businesses accountable. As corporations have grown in size and power, people are expecting more from them. They want big business in general—and their brand partners in particular—to play a role in driving positive change and to work toward the greater good rather than acting solely on the basis of their own agendas. Consumers are rewarding those businesses that take the lead and punishing those that don’t.”—David Jones, global CEO of Havas

and author of Who Cares Wins

For more insights from Havas Worldwide research—and to download the “Communities and Citizenship” white paper—visit http://www.prosumer-report.com/blog/

And follow us on Twitter (@prosumer_report)