FOCUS - 2001 PREVIEW: Consumers adopt more global attitude

<p>I am told that if you drop a frog in boiling water, it will jump </p><p>out immediately, but that it stays in the water and dies if you put it </p><p>in cold water and gradually heat it up. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This is known as the frog's paradox, and is the title of a "how to cope </p><p>with change" business book recently published in France. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>I am of the opinion that 2001 will witness sharp changes in consumers' </p><p>areas of interest and expectations. Globalisation is no longer a </p><p>business circles buzzword; it is becoming part of everyone's daily </p><p>experience in increasingly varying and visible ways. It is now </p><p>established that environmental phenomena such as global warming are a </p><p>direct consequence of human economic activities. The Maldives and parts </p><p>of Bangladesh are high on the list of places that could disappear with </p><p>rising sea levels, largely due to fossil fuels being burnt elsewhere. We </p><p>are already seeing some major brands adapting their communications (and </p><p>hopefully their behaviour), most notably Shell and BP. This is only the </p><p>beginning, as consumers become more aware of the issues, and more </p><p>inclined to adopt those socially and environmentally responsible </p><p>brands. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Globalisation can also, too often, mean uniformity. We at Publicis </p><p>prefer a globalisation process, which leverages and respects diversity. </p><p>This is what our network is about, and, therefore, our positioning - La </p><p>Difference. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>Differentiation is what we offer advertisers, our partners, it is what </p><p>they are looking for in order to make their brands win and last. The </p><p>other ingredient of course, is passion - where else do we get the energy </p><p>to jump out of boiling water? </p><p><BR><BR> </p>