Some 87% of marketers feel there’s more pressure on brands to behave more ethically, according to a report released by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM).
Marketers feel this pressure due to social media giving consumers more power to urge brands to become more ethical, the survey found. The poll of 255 marketers carried out by YouGov found 89% of respondents felt this was the case. But despite the influence social media gives consumers, only 18% of marketers were confident they can handle anything social media throws at them.
In addition, 13% said the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will be a top concern for the year ahead. Only 11% already have systems in place to ensure compliance with GDPR, with 31% admitting they don’t know whether their business has taken any steps to ensure they are compliant.
Chris Daly, CEO of the CIM, said: “It’s concerning to see that GDPR has not been fully considered, given the wide-reaching impact this will have on business areas which deal with data – marketers’ natural habitat. By staying on the right side of the incoming legislation, marketers are best placed to safeguard not only their business’ reputation, but also its finances.”
Further data from a separate survey of 112 CIM members revealed 70% of marketers are concerned about factors outside of their control, such as data breaches, tax scandals, and workers’ rights problems, having an impact on the brand.
