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Lester Manley speaks about ethical branding at local BiTC event

Local entrepreneur and branding expert, Lester Manley gave his take on "ethical the new green" as part of the "Knowledge networks series" events being ran by Business in the Community.

Speaking to a packed house at the BT Ireland's Belfast headquarters, Lester gave a spirited presentation on the importance and positive impact that ethical branding can have on and within a business. Lester went on to say,

"People remember brands and services much better if they feel emotional towards them and companies can build this relationship through excellent behaviours".

Communicating ethics through your brand was the theme of the event and Lester was also joined by John Simmons, formerly of Interbrand and now bestselling author on corporate branding to guide the delegates on the art of responsible communications. Gillian McKee, Marketing and Communications Director with Business in the Community commented,

"Many local companies understand the importance of responsibility in all aspects of how they run their business. Access to acknowledged experts and chances for sharing examples of good practice can be harder to come by. At this event, representatives heard directly how best to pitch company values and how setting the right tone through communications can spark the imagination of customers".

The Knowledge Networks series is sponsored by BT Ireland and has been developed to help companies address practical concerns around managing their responsibilities to society and the environment. Lester highlighted the value of creating 'emotions' between companies and customers and related how company culture can provide a powerful method of interaction.

Lester went on to claim that 'ethics is the new green' and should be communicated by companies as part of their core values,

"It is well known that three factors influence buying behaviour - convenience, price and brand loyalty - and building brand loyalty is something businesses can really work at. Ethics should be regarded as a core brand value, in the same way that environmental protection has recently become an essential aspect of corporate activity. Companies which set themselves apart and create that emotional pull through ethical behaviour will help to build loyalty and improve business success."

He finished by emphasising how brand loyalty is where 'Corporate Responsibility' and 'Corporate Significance' can make a difference to your companies bottom line.