Institute CSA & Havas Media Brand Study in France

In a newly released annual survey from France — created by the Institute CSA on behalf of Havas Media — that identifies the top brands present in the lives of the French, there were a number of major shifts, demonstrating in my mind, how branding has been so radically and quickly transformed.

Top 20 Brands France Havas Media CSA Institute 2012, The Myndset Brand Strategy

Tech brands nearer and dearer

Eight of the 10 best brands are either technology, internet or media brands. {Granted, it is sometimes hard to classify some of these brands; for example, is Facebook a media or an internet company?}  Moreover, other than the top 3 which did not change places, Samsung, YouTube and Apple all made large gains versus the 2011 survey.  Meanwhile, the more classical industrial brands, including three of the more iconic French brand names (specifically L’Oréal, Danone and Renault), all saw rather large declines.

The seeming moral of the story: technology is having a more prominent impact on our lives than the material goods we tend to consume (i.e. shampoo, yogurt and car).  More pertinently, from a brand marketer’s perspective, the consumers tend to have a more personal relationship with these technology brands.  From reliance on access to the internet to the highly personal and personalized mobile or tablet device, consumers are leaning more toward the personal relationship.

Mobile brands on the move

mobile devices and technology, the Myndset digital marketing and brand strategy

On the one hand, you have the power of Apple and Samsung, with their tablets and phones, storing all your highly personal data: phone book, agenda, photos, music and access to Facebook.  In the top 20, there were also three mobile service providers, including Orange, SFR and Free (who, of course, provide both cable and internet services).  There can be no stronger indication that the connected mobile device will be the new frontier for branding and brand marketers.  {Click here to tweet this point out!}

Music and Video capture and enrapture

In another crossover space, there is music (Apple iTunes and M6), TV (TF1, France 2 and 3) and IP video (YouTube).  In short order, one will no longer differentiate between ipTV and regular TV.

Take-aways for brand marketing

So the takeaway?  Brands — especially those in industry — must get more personal, in order to get into the hearts and minds of the consumer.  An example of how to do this is to provide relevant powerful content (in text, image and video).  Clearly, brands need to be more aware of the impact of technology and learn how to bake themselves into the device in the consumer’s hands at the time and in the context that the person wants.  {Click here to tweet out this}

Always happy to hear your perspectives!

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