The essence of a strong positively enforced brand image can be derived from the actions and affiliations a firm decides to partake in. A prospering business (with strong moral backing) always takes into account two key concepts that play a part in decision and production processes throughout each stage of their commodities production and sales. These are, ‘CSR’ and ‘Competitive advantage’. The link between these two is none other than the company’s ability to ‘create shared value’.

Creating shared value is both highly admirable and often at times may arise in the form of some sort of social/moral donation.

Addidas had partnered with Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus’s micro-finance organization based India to manufacture shoes at a low cost for the poor in Bangladesh.

Similarly, the popular household name Heinz also initiated a ‘micronutrient campaign’ to both raise awareness and combat child / infant iron deficiency and malnutrition.

These acts do not benefit the company financially, with businesses many a time shelling out extra (otherwise non-distributed income) to create more values’ worth for their clients and social groups around them.

These are but two examples of how companies create shared value for their consumers and the community both regionally (Addidas) or Globally (Heinz).

In the long run, these kind acts will circulate through word of mouth and prove very effective in the way clients and observers view the brand and thus build up it’s brand image.