reputation matters: the mww manifesto

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REPUTATION MATTERS: THE MWW MANIFESTO




Hard to define, easy to lose. Reputation is everything.

It’s the difference between a sale and no sale, the right hire and an empty office. It’s the difference between creating a legacy – or disappearing in a puff of smoke.You either have it or you don’t – and you can lose it in an instant. At a time when information is moving at light speed, the importance of reputation is second only to the importance of understanding how to gain it, maintain it, manage it, and protect it.

But with the right building blocks in place, you’ll have a reputation strong enough to stand head and shoulders above the competition.



“CHARACTER IS THE TREE,REPUTATION

IS THE SHADOW”

ABRAHAM LINCOLN



WARREN BUFFETT

“IT TAKES 20 YEARS TO BUILD A REPUTATION AND

FIVE MINUTES TO RUIN IT.”



THE REPUTATION PREMIUM: WHY IT MATTERSThe reasons to avoid a negative reputation are going clear and easy to define. They are ripped straight from the headlines … market leaders out of business, CEOs disgraced before Congress, millions in shareholder equity wiped out overnight. But the value of a strong reputation is more than the absence of negativity. And it’s even more than protection against future negative events. It’s about real return:

• Between 2004 and 2009, companies with leading reputations achieved shareholder returns that were 100% higher than competitors’.1

• Global business influencers estimate that 63% of a company’s market value is attributable to reputation.3

A great reputation enablescompanies to weather thestorms and rise to thetop, no matter what thebusiness cycle brings.

• A 5% enhancement of strength in existing reputation would yield a $600 million ROI for the average S&P500 company.4

• 85% of consumers would buy a product from a company with a strong reputation; only 9% would purchase from a company with a weak reputation.2



BUILDING REPUTATION: OUR POV

YOU HAVE TO MATTER MORE

When it comes to building, preserving and enhancing reputation, the stakes are high, and the environment is ever-changing. It can be hard to determine what really makes a difference, and what is just “noise”— versus the reputation makers (or breakers) du jour.

But one thing remains constant:

TRUST + RELEVANCE = ACTION.This simple formula guides our strategy for every reputation-building assignment.

Trust is the greens fee. Without it, your reputation can only be one thing – negative. But trust alone doesn’t assure apositive reputation. Trust provides the opportunity to build your reputation…every day.

Relevance is the difference between a neutral reputation and positive impact. It’s the bridge between consideration andpurchase. It’s what makes you matter to your key stakeholders, and matter enough to drive them to action.

Action & Engagement - Building reputation is a worthy endeavor. But toward what end? Ultimately, the benefit of apositive reputation is measured in the engagement and action of key stakeholders. Is your company the place where thebest want to be? Do regulators and legislators give you the benefit of the doubt? Does demand for shares in your companysustain an upward share price trajectory? Are your products and services leading in market share?

That’s positive reputation in action. Because a great reputation isn’t just about knowing how to matter.



WHEN IT COMES TO BUILDING, PRESERVING AND ENHANCING

REPUTATION, THE STAKES ARE HIGH,

AND THE ENVIRONMENT IS EVER-CHANGING.



REPUTATION BEGINS WITH A GREAT STORY

The best leaders have the best stories – stories that convey who you are as a company,what you stand for, where you come from, and where you’re headed. The world lovesa good story. MWW’s master narrative process helps you craft the best version ofyours. Your story begins in the same place that your business did: with a big idea, agrand vision, and a promise to add value. Once this origin story has been established,we focus on how you’re living up to that value promise, with an eye to the future. Weexamine what elements are ownable and ring true to your business and mission, andthen tease out the anecdotes that compel your various stakeholders to take action.

BUILD TEST REFINE

SOCIALIZEPROGRAMLEAD



THE COMPANY YOU KEEP

INFLUENCING THE INFLUENCERS

It isn’t called “leader ofthe pack” for nothing.Companies, executives andindividuals are all judgedby the company they keep.How you define your peerset, the groups you choosefor partnerships, theorganizations you support,even the places you chooseto speak, all contribute toyour reputation.

It used to be about advertising your story – now it’s about others telling it for you.Your best brand ambassadors aren’t the highest paid, but rather those who have social currency among their friends, their fans, and their followers. MWW helps you matter to the people who matter most.

Are your executives leadersof their industry? Or ofbusiness and industry ingeneral? Is your companya resource for leaders inthe community? Do leadersin government seek yourcounsel when they considerimportant issues of theday? Are you recognized byyour peers for leadershipthrough awards, lists andrankings?

Are you sharing ortransferring trust andrelevance from third partiesto your reputation?Or are you sitting on thesidelines?



ARCHITECT THE CONVERSATION

IN PEOPLE WE TRUST

And no one matters more than your investors, your employees, your industry peers,and your customers. This is your network. We know how it’s wired. We know how toarchitect your network to make you matter more.

Is your network working for your reputation? Or against it? Or is it dormant? Are youactively participating in your reputation conversation? Or are you just sitting back andhoping for the best? Because conversation without relevance is just noise.

And if you’re not a part of the conversation, you’re just noise.

In the era of the “company man,” we trusted companies and institutions. We welcomedthem into our communities, and then we chose a company and worked our way up to the gold watch. But in the wake of scandals, crises and bailouts, we no longer trust institutions. We don’t trust government. We don’t trust businesses. But we do trust people. That’s why CEO and executive reputation is so important.

If your stakeholders don’t trust the person in charge, they won’t have confidence in thecompany’s ability to deliver.

A powerful leader can do more than articulate a message . . . a powerful leader canrally an entire organization around a mission, inspire communities to action, and getpeople believing in business again.



A POWERFUL LEADER CAN RALLY AN ENTIRE

ORGANIZATION AROUND A MISSION, INSPIRE

COMMUNITIES TO ACTION, AND GET PEOPLE

BELIEVING IN BUSINESS AGAIN.



A NEWLEADERSHIPPARADIGM



It is about the mission, not the person, not the products, not the ego...the sum of the “moments.”

Remembered for their impact on their company... on an industry ... and on the world.

Leaders are judged by the company they keep... the team they build...and contributions beyond this quarter.


REPUTATION MATTERS: THE MWW MANIFESTOCHARACTER IS DOING THE RIGHT THING

WHEN NOBODY IS LOOKING.



REPUTATION BEGINS AT HOME

Reputations are born and made within the walls of your company. Your employees are the single touch point for all of your constituencies…what they think, and more importantly, how they act, is the most valuable reputation currency. Earning employee trust begins in the C-suite.

What you do matters more than what you say. Employees will wait, and they will watch. Do you walk the talk? Do they believe in you? Do they understand your vision? Do they demonstrate your company’s values every day? Reputation begins at home.

YOUR SOCIAL OBLIGATION

Reputation may begin athome, but it’s reinforcedby the good you do in yourcommunities. Governance,social responsibility,sustainability – all of thesethings contribute to yourimage as a good corporatecitizen – and help youearn the trust of yourconstituents.

Doing good, however, ismore than warm and fuzzytalk in a CSR report. It isn’tjust a box to check – thoughtoo many companies thinkit is. And it certainly isn’ta full-coverage insurancepolicy against crisis.Doing good is one of thereputation “intangibles”that make others feel good

about spending $5 for a cupof coffee or making a riskierinvestment. In short, doinggood is simply the rightthing to do.



THE BUILDING BLOCKS OF REPUTATION

Reputations are earned over time, methodically and strategically. And that goes for ours too. MWW has more than 25 years’ experience helping companies and brands assemble the building blocks for effective and sustainable returns on reputation. How have we earned our reputation as a leading independent, midsize agency? By following the principles that have made us successful: superior client service, senior level commitment, and a deep understanding and appreciation for what matters to your business. No client has ever had higher expectations for us than we have for ourselves. We aim high, but most importantly, we deliver. Because at MWW, nothing matters more to us than our clients. And we will stop at nothing to ensure you matter more – to your customers, to your employees, to the communities where you work every day.

We’ve built our reputation, one client at a time. The MWW difference makes youmatter more, so we matter more. We don’t just stake our reputation on it. We stake our business on it.

REPUTATIONTRUST DRIVERS RELEVANCE DRIVERS

PRODUCTS/SERVICES EXCELLENCEFINANCIALS

CITIZENSHIP

CONSISTENCY

WORKPLACE COMMUNITY SUSTAINABILITY

LEADERSHIP

PHILANTHROPY

CAREERS PARTNERSHIPS

INTEGRITY INNOVATION VISION



SOURCES

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:

1. Prophet Study: Reputation Winners, Losers (2010)

2. 2014 Global RepTrak® 100

3. KRC Research

4. The Impact of Reputation on Stock Market Value,” Simon Cole, World Economics, February 2013

Carreen Winters

MWW

Executive Vice President, Corporate Communications Reputation Management201.964.2410 | [email protected]

304 Park Avenue South, 8th FloorNew York, NY 10010212.704.9727

CHICAGO / DALLAS / EAST RUTHERFORD / LONDON / LOS ANGELES /NEW YORK / SAN FRANCISCO / TRENTON / WASHINGTON D.C.

reputation matters: the mww manifesto

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