MARQUES: How brands adapt in a changing world

Brands are having to adapt to changing social norms and beliefs in order to stay relevant. Marion Heathcote of Marques explains how brands can stay in touch with what consumers want.

Marques is the European association representing brand owners’ interests. Its strategic goals include identifying and focusing on key issues affecting brand owners in Europe, while at all times ensuring Marques remains forward-thinking.

Marques has several teams that form an inherent part of its intellectual assets and are integral to achieving these goals. One of these is the Emerging Issues Team. Tasked with evaluating social and cultural trends, this team explores them in the context of their impact on registered signs, brands and related IP rights as well as considering changing perceptions towards brands and their societal role.

An overarching theme through much of the Emerging Issues Team’s work has been the rise of the “brand role” and the kind of relationship that consumers want to have with brands. This is a relationship in which expectations are created, and brands are continually assessed. In particular, sustainability has emerged as an increasingly important concept for brands to consider.