Research Partner
A Historic Inflection Point
The last 2 years have been nothing short of extraordinary for businesses, with leaders and teams scrambling to adapt to a litany of changes brought on by a curveball no one saw coming. Industries and their ecosystems pivoted admirably to embrace this rapid change, choosing to shape their futures and be the masters of their destiny rather than merely grinding out an existence. Just as the world was once defined by “pre-war” and “post-war” realities, so too will our world be viewed through a “pre-Covid” and “post-Covid” lens. The next normal is one that will come to be dominated by brands that have their fingers on the pulse of consumer sentiment. And the mood is largely positive for India Inc; a recent McKinsey consumer survey found that countries with younger demographics, such as India and Indonesia, have a conspicuously optimistic outlook. The savviest brands are tapping into this wave of resurgent consumer intent to soar high.Business for the Greater Good
Plato once said that necessity is indeed the mother of invention, and India Inc. has been very ingenious as it charts an upturn in fortunes. There has been tremendous growth in digitization across functions and industries, with disruptors coming to the fore. Within disruption there is always opportunity too, and a few select brands have seized it with both hands to not just reconfigure their operation, but transform them while building on the factors that powered their rise to prominence in the first place. With a deep cache of consumer trust to draw upon, these brands shook off systemic shockwaves as they donned a new avatar and continued to reign supreme in the hearts and minds of consumers. These are the Most Trusted Brands of India 2022. For these brands, it has been anything but business as usual. How can it be anything but, since the pandemic has drawn a sharp line under the interconnectedness of business and society? By demonstrating exemplary stakeholder capitalism, these businesses have acted as corporate ambassadors par excellence, building bridges between industries and the communities that they are an intrinsic part of, and cemented their place among consumers. Most Trusted Brands of India 2022 promises to be an exclusive gathering of the brands we know and love, which celebrates their achievements over the past year and beyond, in addition to shining a light on what they mean for consumers at large, while highlighting insights and takeaways from their journey. We believe that their achievements will serve as beacons guiding peers through this next normal. These are the brands that have lived their values and brought to life the vision of a post-pandemic world in which the greater good is pursued. Their can-do-better spirit and innovative practices have driven their transition in most trying times, setting the stage for a better socio-economic order for all.An Initiative Informed by In-depth Research
This unique industry-led initiative has been shaped by insights drawn from an industrywide consumer study conducted by Allegiant Market Research, with brands appraised on the following parameters- Corporate Citizenship
- Trust Quotient
- Business Resilience
- Innovative Thinking
- Digital Transformation
- Stakeholder Capitalism
- Sustainability Measures
Preliminary Agenda
| 18.00 – 18.25 | Registrations |
| 18.30 – 18.40 | Opening Remarks by Team Marksmen |
| 18.40 – 18.55 | Keynote Address: Insightful, Inspirational, Impact: The 3 I’s of Brand Communication |
| This is a brave, bold new world that we and the brands we love inhabit, and consumers have come to expect from the brands they know, love, and trust. Brands are now expected to keep Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues at the heart of all they offer, with consumers factoring this into purchase intent. ESG is no flash in the pan, and brands that authentically deliver on this front can expect to reap rich dividends. The nature of brand messaging has evolved accordingly, beyond the merely commoditized to the inspirational, highlighting ESG work and much more. We delve into how brands can create deep impact by hitting these 3 pillars of brand communication, and thereby shaping brand perception. | |
| 18.55 – 19.10 | Keynote Address: Pursuing Purpose: Decoding the ‘Why’ of it all |
| It goes without saying that shareholder capitalism has been at the heart of a wave of human progress, but increasingly brands find themselves at the heart of a discussion that sees them move beyond pure capitalistic intent to such wide-ranging issues as addressing climate change, and social inequalities, to name but a few. With today’s consumer having access to a wide array of brands at their fingertips, and dozens more knocking on the door waiting to be let in, your brand must give consumers more if you are to turn them into loyal advocates. This session looks at the roles of purpose and innovation — and why these twin levers are central to creating meaningful differentiation that can ensure growth and while keeping the greater good in mind. | |
| 19.10 – 19.30 | Fireside Chat: Ever-evolving, always surprising: Exploring the consumer mindset |
| A return to normalcy seems so close, yet so far. But even as our social behavior might be irrevocably altered as a result of the pandemic, so too are our consumer behaviors and the mindsets that drive it. How do consumers see their relationship with money? How is buying behavior changing, and what does it mean for the future of brands and industries? There have been some most curious trends to emerge from this pandemic: for instance, baking exploded in popularity among millennials, and homeowners adopted pets en masse as they ended up being sequestered at home. Many companies that were desperately searching for growth formulas 18 months ago now have the opposite problem: their supply chains can’t keep up! But the bottomline is, which of these consumer behaviors are truly going to be “sticky”? Stay tuned to this session as we unravel the answers to this conundrum. | |
| 19.30 – 19.45 | Special Address: Five-stars ascendant: What customer reviews & ratings mean for businesses |
| “Modern marketing” is a marvelous beast with many faces. We can all probably think of a clever digital campaign, an innovative app, or some inspired creative work that has stuck in our mind. And yet, brands are not always in control of the narrative when it comes to brand stories. The long-held idea that a marketer shapes the story around the brand, and pushes it out into the universe for all to immerse themselves in is becoming an increasingly antiquated concept. Today, as brands navigate a digital multiverse like few others before it, consumers are as much custodians of the brand as brand owners themselves, and the immediacy of online reviews means it is a double-edged sword that can make or break a business. This is because increasingly, buyers are basing purchase decisions on inputs from peers rather than information from companies. How can brands channel this new outlet to leapfrog to novel growth trajectories, and stay guarded against its pitfalls? Stay tuned to find out. | |
| 19.45 – 20.30 | Panel Discussion: Resetting belief systems: How great brands are driving a new wave of brand loyalty |
| The pandemic that has roiled the world has forced many behavioral changes upon us, with new experiences causing them to change dearly held beliefs about a plethora of mundane daily activities, ranging from grocery shopping to exercising to socializing. However, in adversity lies opportunity. A few brands that have surprised and delighted consumers in these trying times with entirely new experiences have managed to reshape long-held beliefs that might have seen untouchable at one time. In fact, this almost imperceptible shift could most likely be triggered by these brands long after the reverberations of the pandemic are beyond us. This is a unique moment in history, with brands holding the potential to reinforce, reset, and reshape behavioral shifts to position their products and brands better for the next normal. We shine the spotlight on brands that are leading this change. | |
| 20.30 – 20.50 | Unveiling of the Logo of The Most Trusted Brands of India 2022 & Felicitation Ceremony of Brands |
| 20.50 | Closing Remarks followed by Cocktail and Dinner |