Marks & Spencer has been voted the UK’s number one family brand in a survey to identify brands that are seen to promote and support family values.
The 2009 FamilyBrands report by isobel advertising in association with YouGov, was dominated by the country’s top grocers as supermarkets occupied five of the top ten places.
The results of the survey, which polled over 1500 UK adults in October, showed that M&S was top, followed by the Co-op in second place, Morrisons in fifth place, Waitrose in eighth place and Sainsbury’s in tenth place.
Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket chain, was outside of the top ten in 13th place.
The rest of the top ten was occupied by Boots, Kellogg’s, Warburtons, Andrex and Cadbury’s.
Steve Hastings, isobel planning partner, said that consumers tended to choose brands with their emotions and retailers, in particular the supermarkets, were enjoying a period of strong consumer trust.
He added: “It is the recession that has focused people on the home and family, giving family-facing brands an advantage in creating the emotional links that keep people choosing them.”
Hastings said: “We humans have strong underlying needs for security, continuity and even authority such that we often vest brands with almost parental, avuncular qualities and responsibilities.
“As a result brands have the potential to create strong connections with people by cultivating a caring, family image that promises care, security and trustworthiness.
However the poll also showed that the majority of people believe that brands do not listen to the consumers.
Just eight brands polled 10% or more in response to the question ‘which brands do you consider to be good listeners?’ with only Marks & Spencer making it into the twenties (21%).
Dr Aric Sigman said: “Ironically in attributing caring family-friendly characteristics to brands, consumers in turn begin to expect brands to be unnaturally responsive to their needs in the way a parent would be”.
Source: foodbizdaily.com
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