Dentsu Inc. PR's Corporate Communications Strategy Institute announced the results of its second 'Corporate Appeal Survey.'

Dentsu Inc. Public Relations (Dentsu PR) Corporate Communications Strategy Research Institute announced the results of its second 'Corporate Appeal Survey' on June 19.

The survey aimed to understand what corporate activities (facts) consumers find appealing and how that appeal is communicated. It analyzed corporate appeal based on three elements: "Human Appeal," "Corporate Appeal," and "Product Appeal." The survey targeted 10,000 men and women aged 20 to 60, covering 150 companies across 10 industries. This survey was first conducted in March last year, with March this year marking the second iteration.

This report covers the survey results, including the "Industry Rankings of Corporate Attractiveness," "Rankings of Attractive Features," and "Year-on-Year Changes in Attractiveness Points."

<Graph 1> 2017 Industry Rankings for Corporate Appeal

The industry rankings placed "Food" in 1st place, "Pharmaceuticals & Daily Necessities" in 2nd, and "Automobiles" in 3rd. Last year's 1st place, "Electrical Appliances," fell to 4th.

When totaling the points for items that 10,000 general consumers found "attractive" by industry, the Food industry (34,223 points) ranked first. It significantly improved from last year's 6th place (25,105 points). Its total points were 1,463 points higher than last year's top industry, Electrical Equipment (32,760 points last year) (Graph 1).

The food industry's significant increase in appeal came from "Product Appeal," particularly in "Reliable after-sales service and customer inquiries," which rose by 245 points (last year: 314 points → this year: 559 points). In the open-ended question asking about the trigger for feeling appeal, comments like "When I had concerns about a product, they handled it carefully" (female, 30s) were seen, suggesting that companies' responses when issues arise significantly influence evaluations.

Additionally, "Providing innovative and advanced products/services" increased by 167.8% year-on-year (404 points → 678 points), becoming another factor boosting the food industry's appeal. Comments included: "They develop unprecedented products and always seem to be ahead of the curve" (male, 60s), "Their new products are simply novel, fun, and delightful. I feel their effort to do things that make consumers happy" (male, 30s), "They offer products that are health-conscious yet also delicious" (female, 20s), and "They sell highly health-conscious foods and seem to be making efforts to improve health issues like lifestyle-related diseases" (female, 20s). These responses show consumers appreciate companies' agile product development and initiatives that respond to the latest trends and needs. Since the introduction of the "Functional Claims Food" system in April 2015, the successive development and introduction of health-related products, including those in this category, are thought to have had a positive impact.

Meanwhile, the electrical equipment industry, which dropped from 1st to 4th place, lost points in all three appeal categories. Notably, its "corporate appeal"—related to growth strategies and investment/financial strategies—saw a decline of over 20%. This appears to be the primary factor significantly lowering the industry's overall appeal.

Consumers increasingly prioritize "Human Appeal" (approx. 106% compared to last year)

<Graph 2> 2017 Attractiveness Item Ranking

Ranking the facts about companies that consumers find attractive, "Setting a vision and leading the industry" ranked first for the second consecutive year (51.6%). Compared to last year, the fourth and fifth positions switched places, but the ranking showed no major changes. As in the previous year, three of the top five items (1st, 3rd, 4th) fall under "Human Appeal" (Graph 2).

Furthermore, the total number of appeal points across all industries was 103.5% of the previous year (Graph 3). The breakdown shows that the total for "Human Appeal" increased by 5,459 points, reaching 106.0% of the previous year. "Corporate Appeal" increased by 1,938 points to 102.9%, and "Product Appeal" increased by 1,202 points to 101.4%.

<Graph 3> Total Attractiveness Points Across All Industries: Year-on-Year Change

As shown above, consumers place significant emphasis on "Human Appeal" when judging corporate appeal, and this trend has strengthened further compared to last year. Looking at the 18 companies that rose 20 or more places in the appeal ranking since last year, while "Product Appeal" holds the highest proportion among the three appeals, "Human Appeal" showed the highest growth rate, increasing 147.1% year-on-year. This further indicates the growing importance of "Human Appeal" for consumers (Graphs 4 and 5).

<Graph 4> Composition of the "Three Attractiveness Factors" for Companies (18 Companies) That Increased Their Attractiveness Ranking by 20 Places or More

<Graph 5> Year-on-Year Changes in the "Three Attractiveness Factors" for Companies (18 Companies) That Increased Their Attractiveness Ranking by 20 Places or More

　

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■Survey Overview
Survey Target: Men and women aged 20-69 nationwide, 1,000 respondents per industry, totaling 10,000
Survey Method: Online survey
Survey Period: March 24–29, 2017
Surveyed Companies: 150 companies across 10 industries (See detailed report on website for specific companies)
Survey Questions: Industries perceived as attractive, companies perceived as attractive, factors contributing to perceived attractiveness, etc.
Survey Sponsor: Corporate Public Relations Strategy Institute (within Dentsu Inc. PR)
Detailed Survey Report:http://www.dentsu-pr.co.jp/csi/csi-outline/20170619.html

　

■What is the Corporate Attractiveness Model (Attractiveness Marketing Model)?
An analytical model that examines which corporate activities or facts (facts) consumers and investors find "attractive" through three elements: "Personal Appeal," "Corporate Appeal," and "Product Appeal." Developed by the Corporate PR Strategy Research Institute in 2016.

　

■Definition of the "Three Elements of Attractiveness"
● "Human Appeal": The appeal conveyed by the "individuals" comprising the company and by the "corporate entity" through its business activities, such as leadership, workplace culture, and responsiveness to social issues.
● "Corporate Appeal": The appeal related to excellent financial performance and the systems and initiatives supporting it, such as growth strategy, stability, (mid- to long-term) profitability, and risk & governance management.
● "Product Appeal": The appeal conveyed through products and services, encompassing cost performance, safety, after-sales service capabilities, complaint handling, originality, and innovation.