NGOs have kept a watchful eye over corporations and consumer brands for many years. Occasionally, they have launched targeted issues campaigns against companies and industries, which can damage a company's reputation and even hindered its ability to operate. These days – aided by digital media -- NGO-driven issues tend to escalate faster than ever before and often have lasting consequences.
To help companies and brands measure, track, and mitigate their exposure to such issues, Burson-Marsteller has created a new Evidence-Based tool called the Brand Vulnerability Index. The Brand Vulnerability Index (BVI) is a tool for companies looking to better understand and quantify the risks that face their brands and assess their position relative to their competitors. The BVI will enable companies to monitor their risk and also help them to understand when engagement and changes in corporate behavior may be necessary.
Developed in conjunction with strategic partner SIGWatch, a global network group specializing in issue monitoring and NGO analysis, the BVI is calculated by assessing brand risk, examining NGO force, and evaluating NGO pressure.
There are currently three types of BVI applications for risk assessment:
- A simple comparative rating which offers competitor analysis in a single sector.
- An in-depth 360° brand diagnosis of the entire value chain of a brand.
- A Geographic Risk Scoping evaluation of the differences in the NGO and issues landscape relative to geographic location using SIGWatch's Satellite Technology.
To learn more about the BVI see the presentation below.