Some words about Reputation

Reading an article on The Economist called "Why companies should worry less about their reputation", beyond the curiosity the title instantly casts, it has some very good points about the pursue (almost a hunt) of reputation and brand reputation from companies in general. It argues that if some bad reputation companies still profit a lot, why should companies, in general, worry so much about the subject? Of course it's not so simple, but it has a great deal of truth in that arguments.

But in the overall it highlights the main targets on what companies should focus. Starts to question if companies should not concentrate all the efforts on reputation problems but on core business. Giving some good examples, it states that «If you do your job well, customers will say nice things about you and your products.» And that’s true anywhere, again not so simple, but true.

And combining this article with the recent study from Havas Media, “Meaningful Brands”, about the importance in connecting people with brands, consumers are looking more and more for brands that have relevance and meaning. And that cannot be found only through reputation.

What we can assume with these two different points is that more and more companies have to go beyond reputation and positioning, go beyond marketing standards, go beyond their own environment, their own space. Companies don’t only sell, and clients don’t only buy. Consumers are getting more informed and demanding, and they are not staying too long to see if the company answers to them.

One thing that is more common that it should is companies doing only what’s required, only what’s expected, only complying with standards in general. But that companies will find soon enough that they are on the back of the train.
In the end, how should companies connect with their clients, not only trying to sell them some product or service? That's, perhaps, one of the major questions companies still don't realize...