Trader Joe's and AAA lead the US in authenticity
From the products consumers buy to the places they work, brand authenticity is becoming a key ingredient to a company's success, according to the 'Brand Authenticity Index' from human behavior and analytics firm Escalent.
The study aimed to provide a data-driven index of what it takes to win over consumers and engender strong brand loyalty through genuine messaging and action in alignment with intrinsic brand values.
"Consumers are incredibly savvy when it comes to their loyalty, and they hold brands accountable to act on stated values, including corporate citizenship, diversity and inclusion, social justice, and sustainability. What a company stands for matters now more than ever, which is why we wanted to determine how to measure authenticity," said Jill Miller, vice president of Escalent's Consumer & Retail practice.
Escalent evaluated 32 top brands from the consumer and retail, financial services, technology and telecom industries, measuring each brand on five dimensions that accurately predict and diagnose a brand's authenticity: thoughtful, transparent, reliable, committed and socially aware.
Based on these dimensions, five brands stood out from the rest in consumers' eyes:
Despite the wide range of products and services offered by these top five brands, two core commonalities emerged: They know who they are, and their values are intrinsic to what they do and how they do it.
"The companies that performed well in our initial surveys go beyond the talk - they live and breathe their values," added Miller. "An authentic brand image is more important today than ever, particularly as our nation grapples with the COVID-19 and social justice crises. These five companies have won consumers over with their words and actions."
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