Dentsu Aegis launches Digital Society Index 2018

Dentsu Aegis today launches the Digital Society Index 2018, which ranks countries in terms of how well they are building a digital economy that works for all in society. Drawing on a survey of 20,000 people around the world and extensive secondary research, this major programme of research assesses countries’ performance across three dimensions of the digital economy: dynamism, inclusion and trust. Developed in collaboration with Oxford Economics, it provides a unique framework for understanding inclusive digital growth and the extent to which people are engaged in the digital economy. 

The United Kingdom, United States and China top the 2018 index. But, globally, people are generally not as optimistic about the future of the digital economy as we might have expected. Reflecting this, our new ‘digital engagement’ score—which measures people’s sentiment across the ability of digital to create jobs, solve societal problems and ensure overall that its positive impact will outweigh the negative—stands at just 45% globally.

Avoiding a potential backlash against technology and ensuring that the digital economy delivers economic growth and personal prosperity requires action by business leaders and policymakers alike. The report identifies three key areas to address: enhancing digital skills and education, reinventing the workplace to harness digital talent and increasing the transparency of personal data use.

There are also significant implications for brands, who should look to build trust through greater openness and use data to drive relevance and the positive emotional impact of content, products and services. In addition, the importance of putting purpose at the heart of the brand proposition is a key implication of the report—being clear about how you contribute to society can only help build trust as businesses become more digital.