Havas launches global study on brand desire

Havas has unveiled The Science of Desire at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, introducing a global research programme and strategic framework aimed at helping brands understand the factors that drive consumer preference, loyalty and long-term growth.

The study builds on more than a decade of the group's Meaningful Brands research and shifts the focus from measuring brand relevance to identifying the drivers behind consumer choice. Havas argues that in an increasingly automated and data-rich environment, brands need stronger emotional and behavioural connections to remain competitive.

Research identifies drivers of consumer choice

The study is based on insights from more than 87,500 respondents, over 2,400 brands across 10 markets and 1,000 AI-powered interviews.

According to Havas, desire is driven by three connected factors: attraction, affinity and attachment. Together, these elements create a reinforcing cycle that influences brand preference and commercial performance over time.

The research found that brands with higher levels of desire achieve 2.2 times greater fame, 87 per cent more pricing power and 2.4 times more sustained growth compared with less desirable brands.

Desire influences AI-driven discovery

Havas also found that highly desirable brands are more likely to be surfaced in AI-driven environments, with up to four times higher likelihood of being cited by AI systems.

Despite these advantages, the research suggests that many companies struggle to create meaningful differentiation. According to the study, 84 per cent of brands occupy what Havas describes as a middle ground of consumer indifference, achieving only 61 per cent of their potential.

Yannick Bolloré, Chairman and CEO of Havas: "At Havas, we believe growth starts with what truly moves people. In today’s AI-driven landscape, the most successful brands will be those that combine technological power with deep human understanding and creativity, to build lasting connections. With The Science of Desire and the continued evolution of our Converged.AI ecosystem, we are equipping our clients to unlock stronger, more sustainable growth."

Converged.AI investment expands

Alongside the study, Havas announced further developments to its Converged.AI ecosystem, including an increased investment in Vurvey Labs. The agency group will act as lead investor in the company's Series B funding round as part of its previously announced commitment to invest €400 million in data, technology and AI by 2027.

Vurvey Labs develops synthetic audience technology based on AI-powered consumer interviews. The platform is designed to help brands test products, messaging and campaigns before launch by modelling likely consumer responses.

Chad Reynolds, Founder & CEO, Vurvey Labs: "From the beginning, we believed there was a missing layer in AI: a true understanding of people in motion. At Vurvey, we are building the world's leading human AI company, helping organizations better anticipate how people think, feel and make decisions, well beyond static snapshots. Havas recognized that vision early, and this expanded investment reflects a shared ambition to build the next generation of human-centered AI."

Strategic partnerships strengthen AI capabilities

Havas also outlined several additional developments within Converged.AI. These include an expanded partnership with Akkio to strengthen AI-powered media planning and decision-making capabilities.

The group highlighted the continued development of Vermeer.ai, its generative AI content production platform, which has evolved into a technology-agnostic creative ecosystem focused on large-scale content creation.

Focus on productivity and governance

The company is also scaling AVA, its internal AI platform, across its workforce of 23,000 employees. Built on technology developed by Ekino, the system provides access to multiple large language models while supporting workflow automation and employee training.

Mark Sinnock, Global Chief Strategy, Data and Innovation Officer, Havas Creative Network: "Being seen is not enough. You must be desired. In a world where optimization is increasingly automated, creativity is what creates connection, builds desire and drives growth. Technology may amplify brands, but desire gives them gravity."

Joanna Lawrence, Global Chief Strategy Officer, Havas Media Network: "When brands are actively chosen by more people, spending more, not just once but repeatedly over time - that’s when growth happens."

Dan Hagen, Global Chief Data & Technology Officer, Havas: "The opportunity with AI is not simply to optimize performance, but to elevate how we connect data, insight and decision-making. By combining human judgment with intelligent systems, we enable our clients to scale relevance, enhance creativity and build more relevant, desirable brand experiences."

The announcements form part of Havas' broader Growth, Powered by Desire positioning, which combines consumer insight with AI-driven technology to support marketing effectiveness and business growth.

The full study can be accessed here

www.havas.com

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