The Importance of Brand Karma Continues To Grow
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by: menteithty12
Brand karma is a concept of growing importance in today’s MNC flooded world. With the rise of corporations, globalization and mass production it is critical to empower civil society insofar as they can influence the discourse and actions of multinationals. The very impact of corporations reaches far and wide, and as such it is crucial that they be held accountable for their actions and similarly praised for acting with an eco-conscience and ethical alignment. The increasing prominence of environmentally friendly production and practices means that corporations are under pressure to comply with a socially-designed code of conduct in regards to their effect on the environment, resources and populations.
As such brand karma has become a force to be reckoned with. Gone are the days of complicit consumerism and green oblivion. Civil society and activists across the globe have ushered in a new era of corporate responsibility with which has come a growing awareness of the importance of a social and environmental conscience in the business and economic domain. The phenomenon of multinationals and the magnitude of their impact would not have occurred without their expansive consumer market. Society, population and consumerism have enabled these multinationals to prosper and grow.
Brand reputation is of the utmost importance to corporations, and today brand reputation is shaped by brand karma – the ethics or lack thereof that influence a corporations actions. Consumers have the ability to hold corporations and brands accountable for their actions and encourage them to abide by a certain ethical code that ensures ethical behaviour in the entire spectrum of environment, employees, investors and customers.
The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has resulted in BP’s brand karma being in free fall. Their lack of concern for the environment, their employees and socially accepted attitudes has resulted in an on-going oil spill causing irreparable damage to the ocean, animals and ocean-dependent industries. A fierce reaction from social activists and civil society has sent a strong message to BP and other oil corporations in the industry. Despite being one of the major oil corporations in the world, it is unlikely the BP will recover their brand reputation - they have an uphill battel to overcome the bad brand karma associated with their name.
Brand reputation is the be all and end all for corporations, so where does this brand reputation begin and end? It lies with the consumer. There is an unmatched force in civil society. Given the commitment and numbers consumers can make a huge difference to how the world and corporations are currently being run. Brand karma is a concept that is designing a future that incorporates a social and environmental conscience in the global interaction between society, governments, environment and multinationals. Building good brand karma should be the number one priority of those multinationals whose actions can significantly impact our world. With the shifting paradigm moving towards a cooperative and eco-aware lifestyle, consumers have the ability to influence and encourage this shift to move beyond the individual and onto the international stage. Because MNCs have such a foothold in the global society they possess the potential to become conductive agents for the endorsing and utilization of environmentally sound technology. If society cares about brand karma MNCs will have no option but to act on these shared beliefs and values and take care of the world environment and its people.
About the Author
Brand Karma - help everyone make better brand choices and influence brand behavior for good. Visit us: http://www.BrandKarma.com
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