Doing Good is Good Business

You may remember Ogilvy's advertising campaign for Nationwide at the Super Bowl, which focused on reducing preventable accidents at home. It was one of the most memorable commercials in recent years, and while it divided opinion, it succeeded in raising awareness for an important issue directly related to the company's business imperative.

It should be obvious by now, but I can't emphasize enough how critical good social practices are to a business's success. As Sir Martin Sorrell said in WPP's annual report this year, "Today's business leaders understand that social responsibility goes hand-in-hand with sustained growth and profitability. Doing good is good business." Customers are willing to spend more to reward a company that give back to society, so failing to improve one's practices will damage one's bottom line.

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