5
Total Consumers U.S. U.K. China Brazil
% Consumers whose respect for corporate leaders,
such as CEOs, decreased over the past few years
50% 72% 71% 35% 21%
% Consumers whose respect for corporate leaders,
such as CEOs, increased over the past few years
19% 3% 3% 38% 33%
% Consumers who regularly or frequently discuss
company leaders
28% 22% 16% 39% 36%
% Consumers who are very or somewhat influenced
by company leader communications
59% 56% 46% 64% 72%
CEO Reputation Differs
Widely in Developed vs.
Emerging Markets
Across all four markets in our survey, the average
consumer discusses company leaders and uses
executive communications to help them make
judgments about the companies they discuss.
The ways in which consumers perceive company
reputation, however, vary by region.
• CEO reputation has taken an especially large hit
in developed markets: 72% of U.S. and 71% of
U.K. consumers have lost respect for corporate
leaders, including CEOs in recent years. In
emerging markets, Chinese consumers are evenly
split on their changing opinions of corporate
leadership. Brazilian consumers are more likely
to have increased their respect for top executives
than decreased their respect.
• Compared to consumers in developed markets,
those in emerging markets are more likely to
discuss company executives. When presented with
a list of specific business topics, 39% of Chinese
and 36% of Brazilian consumers report they often
have conversations about company leaders. U.K.
consumers are the least likely to discuss company
leaders (16%) and U.S. consumers do so at a rate
slightly below average (22%).
• Company leader communications are important
across the globe, but to a greater extent in
emerging markets. Nearly two-thirds of Chinese
consumers (64%) and nearly three-quarters of
Brazilian consumers (72%) rely on executive
communications when learning more about a
company. When they want to know more about
a company, 56% and 46% of U.S. and U.K.
consumers, respectively, find company leader
communications influential.
The significance of company leaders and their communications in emerging markets suggests an
even greater importance for their firms to keep executives visible and engaged.