CSR is an acceptable marketing tool: Lowe Lintas Survey

Recognizing the importance of CSR not only for social development but also as an effective communication tool to strengthen the perception of brands, one of the leading international advertising agencies, Lowe Lintas India conducted a CSR survey. The survey, which is the first survey on consumer attitudes towards CSR in India, was conducted on India's preferred online destination MSN India (www.msnindia.com) and internationally reputed research agency Cross-Tab Pvt. Ltd.

The study, which had over 2000 respondents primarily from Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata, was the first step towards effectively understanding the role that a CSR initiative can employ to benefit both society and the company.

Sabyasachi Mishra, Chief Growth Officer, Lowe Lintas India, stated, "CSR can be a real force as a strategic and competitive branding tool among consumers ' and it offers great leverage in building authentic communication platforms for brands. As an agency we have explored this opportunity quite successfully for some of our clients and we continue to improve our domain understanding and know-how in order to advise clients better. This piece has been a unique collaboration between Microsoft, Cross-Tab and Lowe Lintas in that journey."

Kartikeya Kompella, Vice President, Lowe Lintas India, said, "The survey shows that many consumers want a change in the way people in society behave. Hence they see a huge role for CSR that works towards changing attitudes / behaviour. This points a clear direction for marketers to focus their CSR efforts. The finding that consumers consider it acceptable for brands to use social initiatives for marketing gives marketers the license to do CSR to promote their brands, thereby making it a win-win for business and society."

Commenting on the survey, Sanjay Trehan, Head - MSN India, Microsoft India Pvt. Ltd. said, "MSN India is one of the leading online destinations for rich content and a socially integrated experience, thereby making it a very powerful medium for brands to connect with their audiences. This survey has thrown up interesting insights into how people's view of CSR is evolving and it is being viewed as a must-do for corporates as well as the larger economy. I am sure that companies will see immense value in these findings as they plan and prioritize their CSR efforts."

Kumar Mehta, CEO, Cross-Tab Marketing Services Pvt. Ltd. said, "Online Research is increasingly gaining popularity as a quick and efficient medium to collect people's views on varied subjects and are widely used by large corporates worldwide. This survey is a good example of how useful information can be gathered easily and used for public good. I sincerely hope that these insightful and robust survey findings will encourage more companies to look at CSR positively and give them direction in their efforts."