2010s to be “Decade of the Brand”
US loyalty consultancy Brand Keys has released a report that proclaims 2010 to be the ‘Decade of the Brand’ in its Customer Loyalty Engagement Index.
Covering 518 brands in 71 categories, the report indicates that attributes relating to the ‘brand’ and the degree to which brands affect customer decision-making, category-expectations, and engagement have increased significantly.
The survey questioned 33,500 consumers from 18 to 65 years of age, drawn from the nine US Census Regions. Winners in the latest survey include JetBlue (Airline), Wells Fargo (Bank) Apple (Laptop Computer), Amazon (Online Books and Music), AT&T (Wireless Phone Service), Automotive (Hyundai) and American Express/Discover (tied in Credit Card category).
Robert Passikoff, Brand Keys’ founder and president, said: “At a time when brands are struggling to differentiate from their competition and to find ways to profitably engage their customers, the changes this year serves as a ‘bellwether’ for marketers. It will be the products and services that answer with a truly consumer-centric view of their category – being a real brand – based on predictive loyalty metrics, that stand to gain the most, and establish themselves as this decade’s brand leaders.”
Passikoff added that the levels of commoditisation that consumers have witnessed in the past decade have led them to look for brands to make a difference, shifting the value equation from ‘price value’ to ‘value-for-dollar’.
“Our 2009 findings predicted that value, not price, was the watchword in consumer behaviour… you can’t have the value conversation without the brand conversation, as true brands provide meaningful differentiation on a world over-run by commodities.”
2010 Brands Listed by CategoryThis year’s category winners are listed in RED. | |||
Airline | Allergy Medicine (OTC) | Athletic Footwear | Automotive |
Bank | Beer (Light) | Beer (Regular) | Bottled Water |
Bottled Water (Enhanced) | Breakfast Cereal: Adults | Breakfast Cereal: Kids | Car Insurance |
Car Rental | Casual Dining | Clothing Catalogues | Coffee |
Computer (Laptop) | Computer (Netbook) | Cosmetics (Luxury) | Cosmetics (Mass Merchandiser) |
Credit Card | Digital SLR Cameras | Digital Point & Shoot Cameras | DVD |
Energy | Evening News Show | Gasoline | Hair Color |
HDTV (LCD) | HDTV (Plasma) | Hotel (Luxury) | Hotel (Upscale) |
Hotel (Midscale) | Hotel (Economy) | Insurance Company | IT Solutions Provider |
Laundry Detergent | Long Distance | Major Sports League | |
MFP Office Copier | Moisturizing Skincare (Luxury) | Moisturizing Skincare (Mass Merchandiser) | Morning News Show |
Mutual Fund | Online Books & Music | Online Brokerage | Online Travel |
Pain Reliever (OTC) | Paper Towels | Parcel Delivery | Pasta Sauce |
Pet Food – Canned (Cats) | Pet Food – Canned (Dogs) | Pizza | Printers |
Quick-Serve Restaurant | Retail Store (Apparel) | Retail Store (Department) | Retail Store (Discount) |
Retail Store (Electronics) | Retail Store (Home Improvement) | Retail Store (Office Supply) | Retail Store (Price Clubs) |
Search Engine | Smart Phone | Soft Drink (Diet) | Soft Drink (Regular) |
Toothpaste | Vodka | ||