Brand Valued How socially valued brands hold the key to a sustainable future and business success

As experts in the communications field, the idea for this book has been born from the authors' research about the role of brands in society in general, but especially in the area of sustainability. They have discovered that the root cause of the problems we face in terms of the CSR/sustainability agenda is a collapse in Social Capital. If Social Capital can be improved and grown (ie: if more sustainable lifestyles can be created via large-scale behaviour change) we all stand to benefit in the long term. Brand New is based on a relatively simple and self-fulfilling model. The authors present new techniques that will assist brand managers, marketers, corporate communications specialists, account handlers, agency-side communication strategists to create better dialogue and communication with their audiences (eg: by becoming involved in shared thinking). The bond that is created through this connection creates deeper trust, which in turn has a net increase in Social Capital. Not only does society benefit from the messages promoted by the brand, but the brand forms strong and lasting connections - and trust - with customers. The key elements of this book are: Thought leadership for the development of a new brand strategy that reduce costs, and is of huge durable benefit to the organization through innovative and lasting solutions to problems, as well as the tools to put the thinking into action. Tools to stimulate and nurture dialogue creating trust between an audience and a brand and, in a wider sense, amongst the audience itself. Methods for extending the brand message to wider audiences (eg: rather than the brand being the traditional 'bond' with the audience, it becomes a 'bridge'. The authors use the analogy of bonds being the bolts in an engine (connecting specific parts), where bridges are the oil that make the whole engine work). Make brands become the engines of Social Capital banish unsustainable practices and create more sustainable behaviour patterns amongst consumers Case examples of what good looks like (although few organizations are getting this right)

Fernando Rodés Vilà is the Vice-Chairman of Havas, Co-Founder of the ARA newspaper, Catalonia, Chairman of the Sustainability Committee of Acciona and a member of the Board of Trustees of Fundació Natura. Previously, Fernando was CEO of Havas.

Guy Champniss is brand strategy and communications consultant, focusing on strategy in the context of sustainability, pro-social behaviour and brand community. Guy holds an MBA from IE (Madrid) and is carrying out doctoral research at Cranfield School of Management (UK).