The Most Influential Brands in Canada

Chevrolet is as American as apple pie. For Tim Horton's, only the maple leaf can trump a Timbit for national symbolism. Old Spice is the way a man should smell. And Dove is what real beauty is. Ah, the aspirations of a brand!

Brands have meaning. Brands have personality. Brands have attitude. And because people so often identify with, relate to, and define themselves by them, brands have influence.

For a brand to succeed, it has to reach out to its audience, connect with them, and get them to buy into the brand's promise. But for a brand to actually have real influence, it needs to win on a few more dimensions.

Ipsos wanted to know what made for an influential brand. In November of 2011, we asked over 1,000 adult Canadians to assess 100 brands on a number of different attributes (full methodology below). From there, the data was analyzed and the Ipsos Reid Influence Index was developed.

The Dimensions of Influence

A brand just doesn't arrive on the scene and instantly start to brandish influence. There are specific dimensions in the mix that contribute to influence – six of which Ipsos Reid has identified in this study.

The six dimensions in order of overall importance are outlined and defined below.

Leading Edge

If you really want to be a brand that has influence, you have to be seen as leading edge. And to be seen as leading edge, that means your brand sometimes needs to break the mould. Leading edge brands are seen as trend-setters, not just followers. They have a reputation for being ahead of the curve and ahead of the competition. They bring products and services to market that are seen as innovative and original.

Trustworthy

Building and maintaining trust is the cornerstone of any relationship. For a brand to have influence with its consumers, it has to secure their trust. That means understanding and anticipating consumer needs and having their best interests at heart. It also means being dependable and being a brand that stands by its word, by its products and by its people and doing what is necessary to make things right when something does go wrong. Trust is measured against time, so brands that are established and have a solid future have a higher degree of trustworthiness. If not, they wouldn't be around for as long as they have.

Relevant

It is important to be relevant. And while that can be fickle or hard to grasp, if a brand does not have relevance in the consumer's life, it certainly won't have much influence. The most relevant brands are those that a consumer would have bought or used recently – possibly even today. They identify with it. They need it. And they can't imagine their lives without it. At least until something more relevant comes along.

Presence

To make an impact and to have influence, a brand needs presence. This is where it pays to advertise. Brands that have a high presence generally advertise a lot, are seen and used everywhere, and are a part of daily life. Brands that become part of our daily lexicon and reach iconic levels have greater influence than those that are lesser known.

Corporate Citizenship

Reputations matter, but they aren't just built off products or service. Influential brands need to be good corporate citizens. They need to be responsible and do their part for our environment, for our communities, and for society as a whole. In essence, they have to care. Otherwise, consumers won't.

Engagement

Brand management is a two-way affair. For a brand to succeed, the consumer needs to feel that they can connect and engage with it. If they don't feel like the brand is one they can engage with, then it isn't going to have much infl uence over them. Infl uential brands elicit a strong emotional response. Consumers feel they interact with the brand and they care about it. It is a relationship that they are committed to.

The Canadian Tops

Ipsos Reid's Influence Index examined 100 brands and put them to the test in order to develop the six dimensions of influence. Each survey respondent randomly assessed 10 of the 100 brands, and then answered "yes" or "no" to a series of statements that have now defined each of the six dimensions.

Results of the Influence Index reveal the ten most influential brands in Canada as follows:

1. Microsoft
2. Google
3. President's Choice
4. Apple
5. Walmart
6. CBC
7. Facebook
8. Visa
9. YouTube
10. Air Miles

Want to take a closer look at the top five influential brands in Canada? Care to see how they got to where they are and why they hold so much influence on Canadians? You can download the full article and see how each of the 100 brands tested ranked by clicking here.

Methodology

These are some of the findings of an Ipsos Reid poll conducted between November 23rd to November 30th, 2011. This online survey of 1,013 adult residents of Canada was conducted via the Ipsos Opinions Online Panel, one of Ipsos Reid's national online panels. The results are based on a sample where weighting was employed to balance demographics and ensure that the sample's composition reflects that of the actual Canadian population according to Census data. A survey with an unweighted probability sample of this size and a 100% response rate would have an estimated margin of error of +/-3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20, of what the results would have been had the entire population of adults in Canada been polled. All sample surveys and polls may be subject to other sources of error, including, but not limited to coverage error, and measurement error.