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Most Valuable Platforms (MVP) Study Executive Summary & Research Findings May 2017
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Most Valuable Platforms (MVP) StudyExecutive Summary & Research Findings
May 2017
About Most Valuable Platforms (MVP)
Methodology:
The research was both quantitative and qualitative, including an online survey of 300
vice presidents and above (“business decision-makers”) from large (10,000+ employees
or $5 billion+ in revenue) and mid-sized enterprises (1,000 - 9,999 employees or $500
million – $4.9 billion in revenue) and eight in-depth-interviews (IDIs) that delved deeper
into the quantitative findings. The online survey was conducted between June 8 and
June 17, 2016. The IDIs were conducted between October 14 and November 15, 2016.
Burson-Marsteller, in partnership with Penn Schoen Berland (PSB), interviewed business
decision-makers about the value of and challenges associated with executive visibility
platforms—specifically conferences and events, corporate awards and rankings, and digital
and social channels.
Our research sought to identify which executive visibility platforms are most
relevant today, and which emerging platforms companies are gravitating
toward to reach and influence stakeholders in the future.
2
Key Insights Increased choice is driving confusion: Business and communications executives think events, awards and
rankings, and digital platforms are all important, but struggle to
prioritize where to spend time and money. Most do not feel
sufficiently well-informed about the options to make strategic
decisions. In fact, on average, one in four respondents say they only
“kind of understand” the executive visibility platforms available to
them. In the survey results, many tied for the top spots, perhaps
indicating that the sheer volume of options and lack of strategic
approach has led to challenges in prioritization.
Measurement is ad-hoc and under-resourced: Decision-makers and communications professionals want a more
structured and systematic approach to determine Return on
Participation (ROP), but often lack the resources to do this or don’t
know where to begin. Respondents believe measuring success is as
much art as science; what is important to one person or department
may not be important to another.
Sales leads are default success metrics:
In the absence of better and more relevant indicators, sales activity is
the default metric used by business leaders to gauge the value of
different platforms. Decision-makers and communicators recognize
there are other, less tangible benefits, but need assistance to identify
specific objectives and measures of success.
Future most valuable platforms differ from today’s: Respondents see CEO summits and councils as important
conferences and events today, but think technology, women’s and
ideas-focused conferences are gaining importance. Corporate
reputation, workplace and CEO awards and rankings are seen as
important now; however, opportunities related to innovation,
diversity and sustainability are expected to increase in importance in
the coming years.
Increasing focus on digital platforms and “owned” events: Moving forward, decision-makers and communicators want to be
more active on digital platforms. Also, recognizing the opportunities
in creating their own branded channels, many want to host their own
events rather than participate in third-party conferences.
CEOs have markedly different priorities: When it comes to choosing platforms, CEOs are more concerned
about visibility, thought leadership and connecting with multiple
stakeholders, while decision-makers and communicators are more
focused on clients or customers and new commercial opportunities.
In measuring ROP, CEOs value impact on reputation over sales
generated, whereas other decision-makers prioritize sales and
number of new business leads generated.
3
Choosing the Right Engagements
What sources do you use to determine if a conference/event is valuable before attending? Please choose all that apply.
What sources do you use to determine if a corporate reputation award/ranking is valuable or influential? Please select all that apply.
53
43
45
53
45
53
56
64
0 20 40 60
Competitor participation
Word of mouth
Peer recommendation
Executive’s mention or
recommendation
41
38
35
38
37
41
43
43
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Competitor participation
Past experience
Prestige of sponsor/host
Executive's mention or
recommendation
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
Executive recommendations carry significant
weight in determining the value of attending a
conference or event, especially for large
enterprises. Mid-size enterprises place equal
weight on their executive’s recommendation
and the participation of their competitors.
Other factors are almost equally
important, suggesting that those
responsible for consulting with
executives need to be prepared with a
great deal of information about these
opportunities.
“If it’s important to the
executive, we’ll find a way
to do it.” - CCO
Top Sources for Determining Value of a
Conference/Event (Overall %)Top Sources for Determining Value of a
Corporate Award/Ranking (Overall %)
4
Choosing the Right Engagements
5
When deciding on conferences and events for your C-suite executives to attend, how important is each of the following to your decision?
When deciding on which awards/rankings you would consider applying for, how important is each of the following to your decision?
Which of the following are the most important reasons for your company to engage on digital platforms?
“Very Important” Decision-Making Factors Reasons to Engage on Digital Platforms
CONFERENCES AND EVENTS
Top 7 - Ranked by Overall (%) Overall
Networking opportunities with
customers/clients60
Relevant agenda 59
Networking opportunities with
influencers58
Audience attending conference/event 55
Aligns with our company’s aspirations 53
Ability to create and distribute thought
leadership related to the event51
Provides practical guidance for our
business50
CORPORATE AWARDS/RANKINGS
Top 7 - Ranked by Overall (%) Overall
Is relevant to our clients/customers 54
Important within our competitive set/ our
competitors are ranked47
Reaches multiple important
audiences/stakeholders46
Helps with recruitment and retention 46
Issued by a top tier publication or
organization45
Leads to additional opportunities 45
Typically awarded to prestigious companies 44
ALL CHOICES SHOWN
Ranked by Overall (%) Overall
Raising profile of your company 44
Networking with customers/clients 41
Positioning CEO as a leader/influencer 41
Being relevant in the industry 39
Networking with influencers 38
Attracting and/or retaining talent 36
Ability to demonstrate thought leadership 30
Learning 27
There is not a single key decision-making factor when it comes to choosing the most valuable opportunities. There are a number of important boxes that need to be checked, making choosing the right engagements challenging.
“I can’t say it’s a really great process. It’s one of these
things that we always want to do better at.”
– VP, Leadership Communications
Current System for Measuring Return
6
Would you say you and/or your company has a formal or informal method of measuring return on executive participation in conferences and events, awards/rankings or engagement with digital platforms? (“Very formal”
is top box)
In your opinion, would it be valuable to have a formal method of measuring return on investment following participation in conferences and events, awards/rankings or engagement with digital platforms?
Which of the following represent key challenges when measuring return on investment associated with participation in conferences and events, awards/rankings or engagement with digital platforms?
78
22
Yes No
“Would it be valuable
to have a formal
ROP process?”
29%
“very formal”say they have a
process for measuring
Return On Participation
78% be valuable
say it would
to have a formal system.
69
55 55
43
5258
47 50
0
20
40
60
80
100
Digital platforms Conferences/events Awards/rankings Virtual events
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
Where to Engage Now and in the Future
Generally speaking, how important is it for your company and your company’s C-suite executives to engage with each of the following?
Thinking about the future, how important will it be for your company to actively engage with each of the following in the next 2 years?
77 7567
77 73
61
0
20
40
60
80
100
Conferences/events Digital platforms Awards/rankings
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
A majority of respondents think engaging with all three
types of platforms is very important. CEOs, however, are
more likely than other business decision-makers to view
them as very important, both now and in the future.
According to respondents, it will still be important to engage with
these platforms in the next two years, along with virtual events.
Company-sponsored events are also expected to gain in
importance.
Importance of engaging with now:(showing “very important” %)
Importance of engaging within next
two years:(showing “very important” %)
7
49
41
Events sponsored by
your company
Change in importance in next
two years:(showing “much more important” %)
CEOs: 90%
Others: 70%
CEOs: 75%
Others: 60%
CEOs: 89%
Others: 67%
CEOs: 69%
Others: 56%
CEOs: 63%
Others: 46%
CEOs: 62%
Others: 55%
Key Challenges: Conferences & Events
Coordinating executives’ schedules proves to be the key challenge for all business decision-makers, making choosing the right engagements critical to make the most of their limited time.
Which of the following, if any, is most challenging about your C-suite executives attending conferences and events?
11
12
13
14
19
31
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35
Getting the support/buy-in from leadership
Preparation time
Coordinating and working with internal stakeholders
Cost (resources and fees)
Measuring return on participation (ROP)
Executive availability
Overall
Top Challenges in Attending Conferences and Events (%)
8
Large: 13%
Mid-Size: 9%
Large: 9%
Mid-Size: 15%
I think it’s the time factor,
more than anything else.”
– VP, Leadership
Communications
Key Challenges: Awards & Rankings
11
19
13
13
25
13
13
17
18
27
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Coordinating and working with internal stakeholders
Preparation time
Getting the support/buy-in from leadership
Cost (resources and fees)
Measuring return on participation (ROP)
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
Which of the following, if any, is most challenging about applying to corporate awards/rankings?
Determining a way to measure the return on applying for
corporate awards and rankings would help both those at
large and mid-size enterprises.
While not the most challenging part of the process, the
preparation time for those at mid-size enterprises
proves difficult as well.
Top Challenges in Applying for Corporate Awards/Rankings (%)
9
11
13
21
8
16
10
12
14
16
23
0 10 20 30
Coordinating and working with internal stakeholders
Getting the support/buy in from leadership
Preparation time
Taking a point of view puts us in a difficult position as some
topics are sensitive
Measuring return on participation (ROP)
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
Key Challenges: Digital Platforms
Which of the following, if any, is most challenging about your C-suite executives being regularly active on digital platforms?
Similar to the challenges they face with awards and rankings, measuring the return on participation on digital platforms
is the most difficult task for large enterprises, while for mid-size enterprises, it is preparation time.
Top Challenges in Engaging on Digital Platforms (%)
10
“Metrics are really hard,
especially in the social space. I
definitely think we have to, as a
company, establish the majority of
those. I wish we could get more
help. I mean, I’ll be honest. I’m
always open and happy for any
suggestions that we can get on
metrics.”
- MD, Marketing
Measuring ROP - Conferences & Events
42
33 3331 31
20
27
31 31
36
26 27
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Sales
generated*
Number of
new business
leads
generated
Informal
feedback
Executive’s
satisfaction
from
participation
Impact on
CEO’s
reputation
Number of
business
connections
formed
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
39
3330 29
27 26 2524
39
29
19
29 3127 27 27
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
Sales
generated*
Number of
new ideas
generated
Number of
business
connections
formed
Impact on
CEO’s
reputation
Number of
new
business
leads
generated
Attracting or
retaining
talent
Impact on
company's
reputation
Ability to
stay ahead
of trends in
the industry
Large Enterprise Mid-Size
How do you currently measure return on investment from the participation of C-suite executives from your company in conferences and events? Please choose all that apply.
Looking ahead, how would you prefer to measure return on investment from the participation of C-suite executives from your company in conferences and events? Please choose all that apply.
“Everything ties back to whether or not
you’re generating revenue or generating
awareness that leads to revenue.”
– CCO
Sales generation is the default metric currently considered for measuring ROP, but business decision-makers are open to using additional metrics moving forward. When examined more closely, CEOs tend to value impact on reputation over sales, more so than other decision-makers who favor commercial measures.
Top Current Metrics for Measuring ROP (%) Preferred Metrics for Measuring ROP in Future (%)
11
CEOs: 40%
Others: 22%
CEOs: 37%
Others: 39%CEOs: 33%
Others: 35% CEOs: 44%
Others: 29%CEOs: 42%
Others: 23% CEOs: 32%
Others: 24%
Top Conferences & Events by Stated Importance
Currently Important
How would you categorize each of the following conferences and events? (Showing among Overall)
CEO summits and councils are seen as important today, but respondents believe topic-focused events
particularly technology, women’s and ideas-focused conferences are gaining in importance.
12
Rank Currently Important % Gaining Importance %
1 Bloomberg LIVE Events, hosted by Bloomberg
Consumer Electronics Show, hosted by Consumer Technology
Association
42 Aspen Ideas Festival, hosted by The Atlantic and The Aspen Institute
Bloomberg Technology Conference, hosted by Bloomberg
Milken Institute Global Conference, hosted by Milken Institute
Events hosted by YouTube
28
2 AWS re:Invent, hosted by Amazon
CEO Council events, hosted by The Wall Street Journal
Microsoft CEO Summit, hosted by Microsoft
41 Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, hosted by Fortune
Events hosted by The New York Times
Women in the World Annual Conference, hosted by Women in the
World and The New York Times
27
3 Forbes Global CEO Conference, hosted by Forbes
Events hosted by The New York Times
WSJ ECO:nomics, hosted by The Wall Street Journal
40 Brainstorm E, hosted by Fortune
Conference of the Parties (COP), hosted by United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change
Corporate Conference, hosted by Council on Foreign Relations
Dreamforce, hosted by Salesforce
Events hosted by LinkedIn
Zeitgeist events, hosted by Google
26
Top Conferences & Events by Stated Importance, cont’d
Currently Important
How would you categorize each of the following conferences and events? (Showing among Overall)13
Rank Currently Important % Gaining Importance %
4 CEO Summit, hosted by Yale School of Management
World Business Forum, hosted by World of Business Ideas
39 Annual Meeting at Davos, hosted by World Economic Forum
AWS reInvent, hosted by Amazon
Buttonwood, hosted by The Economist
CERAWeek, hosted by IHS Markit
FT Innovate, hosted by The Financial Times
Sustainable Brands’ Annual Conference, hosted by Sustainable Brands
Events hosted by Politico
TEDGlobal, hosted by TED
The Future Of: events, hosted by The Wall Street Journal (formerly
known as Viewpoints Executive Breakfast Series)
World Innovation Forum, hosted by World of Business Ideas
25
5 Annual Meeting at Davos, hosted by World Economic Forum
APEC CEO Summit, hosted by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
Forbes Healthcare Summit, hosted by Forbes
WSJ D.Live, hosted by The Wall Street Journal
38 APEC CEO Summit, hosted by Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation
BSR Conference, hosted by Business for Social Responsibility
Forbes Healthcare Summit, hosted by Forbes
GreenBiz Annual Conference, hosted by GreenBiz
SXSW Conference, hosted by South By Southwest
Techonomy Annual Conference, hosted by Techonomy Media Inc.
World Retail Congress, hosted by Ascential
World Water Week, hosted by Stockholm International Water Institute
24
Top Conferences & Events: Importance vs. Attendance
How would you categorize each of the following conferences and events? (Showing among Overall)
Which of the following conferences and events have you or other executives at your company attended, and which are you considering attending in the next year? (Showing among Overall)
Currently Important
% Have Neither Attended in
the Past or Are Not Planning
on Attending Next Year
Gaining Importance
% Have Neither Attended in
the Past or Are Not Planning
on Attending Next Year
AWS re:Invent, hosted by Amazon 43Aspen Ideas Festival, hosted by The Atlantic and
The Aspen Institute48
Bloomberg LIVE events, hosted by Bloomberg 38Bloomberg Technology Conference, hosted by
Bloomberg39
Consumer Electronics Show, hosted by the
Consumer Technology Association41
Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit, hosted
by Fortune46
CEO Council events, hosted by The Wall Street
Journal36
Milken Institute Global Conference, hosted by
the Milken Institute47
Forbes Global CEO Conference, hosted by
Forbes39 Events hosted by The New York Times 41
Microsoft CEO Summit, hosted by Microsoft 33Women in the World Annual Conference, hosted
by Women in the World and The New York
Times
44
Events hosted by The New York Times 41
WSJ ECO:nomics, hosted by The Wall Street
Journal40 Events hosted by YouTube 45
There is a disparity between which conferences and events business decision-makers say are currently important, which
are gaining importance and which they have attended or plan to attend. This indicates a lack of strategy for getting
where they want to be. A snapshot of how this is playing out among the stated top platforms:
14
Top Awards & Rankings by Stated Importance
Currently Important
How would you categorize each of the following conferences and events? (Showing among Overall)
Corporate reputation, workplace and CEO awards and rankings are seen as important now; however, opportunities
related to innovation, diversity and sustainability are expected to increase in importance in the coming years.
15
Rank Currently Important % Gaining Importance %
1 Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 47 Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business 33
2 Forbes’ America’s Best Employers
Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies
44 Glassdoor’s Highest Rated CEOs 29
3 Forbes’ World’s Most Innovative Companies 42 DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity
Newsweek’s Top Green Companies in the World
26
4 Barron’s World’s Best CEOs
Barron’s World’s Most Respected Companies
Chief Executive Magazine’s CEO of the Year
Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women
40 Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative Companies
Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women
Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work
National Association for Female Executive’s Top Companies for
Executive Women
25
5 Dow Jones Sustainability Indices
Fortune’s Businessperson of the Year
39 Corporate Knights’ Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations in the
World
CR Magazine’s 100 Best Corporate Citizens
24
Top Awards & Rankings: Importance vs. Application
How would you categorize each of the following corporate reputation awards/rankings? (Showing among Overall)
Which of the following corporate reputation awards/rankings has your organization applied for and which are you considering applying for in the next year? (Showing among Overall)
Currently Important
% Have Neither Applied in the
Past or Are Not Considering
Applying Next Year
Gaining Importance
% Have Neither Applied in the
Past or Are Not Considering
Applying Next Year
Barron’s World’s Best CEOs 44 DiversityInc’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity 48
Barron’s World’s Most Respected Companies 39Fast Company’s Most Creative People in
Business58
Chief Executive Magazine’s CEO of the Year 42Fast Company’s World’s Most Innovative
Companies46
Forbes’ Best Employers 37 Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women 44
Forbes’ World’s 100 Most Powerful Women 44 Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work 46
Forbes’ World’s Most Innovative Companies 46 Glassdoor’s Highest Rated CEOs 55
Fortune’s 100 Best Companies to Work For 35National Association for Female Executive’s
Top Companies for Executive Women51
Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies 37Newsweek’s Top Green Companies in the
World52
Similar to conferences and events, the same trend of indicating certain awards and rankings are important but not
applying for them is apparent among respondents. A snapshot of how this is playing out among the stated top
platforms:
16
Current & Preferred Future Activity on Digital Platforms
64
69
72
73
81
0 20 40 60 80 100
YouTube
Company website
Current Activity(Active at least a few times a week %)
Overall
35
45
47
53
55
-10 10 30 50 70 90
Company website
YouTube
Preferred Future Activity(%)
Overall
Company website
Company website
How active are your C-suite executives and/or CEO on the following digital/social platforms? That is, how often do they post content on the following platforms?
Which of the following digital platforms would you like your C-suite executives/CEO to be more active on? Please select all that apply.
A majority of executives are active on various digital platforms, and want to remain active in the future.
17
Large: 52%
Mid-Size: 41%
Large: 40%
Mid-Size: 31%
Large: 83%
Mid-Size: 79%
Large: 76%
Mid-Size: 70%
