2014's Top 10 Most Influential Brands
PC or MAC? Honda or BMW? Starbucks or Tim Hortons?
The choices are endless.
Odds are, you have strong affiliations with many brands, and wouldn't waver for a second as to where your loyalties lie; because truly great brands are like family. We can count on them. They help build our identity. They dig deep to create an emotional connection with us. And we trust them to make our lives better. In short, brands influence our lives now more than ever.
Looking back at 2014, we once again measured the various drivers that make a brand influential. With four years of research to draw upon, we are in a position to observe trends and changes in the degree of influence many brands have among Canadians. That includes a perspective on genders, generations, and brands that are blazing up the influence charts.
And while this year we offer a snapshot on the big brands that influenced Canadians in 2014, and why, we also consider brand influence from a few other perspectives, including advertising, stock performance, and even employee satisfaction.
In the end, there are important lessons to learn for all brands - no matter how big or small.
Defining Influence
But what is influence? And how do we define and measure it?
Being influential means having an effect on people's lives. The most influential brands are part of our daily lives, our routine, and ultimately, they help make life better, more interesting, and more meaningful. Achieving that is no easy task.
Influence requires relevance and having an impact on the way people live. It elicits strong emotional responses, inspires action, and creates something that people identify with. The most influential brands are important in our world because they know what is important to people and they make that connection.
Driving Influence
In our four years of studying influence, we've learned quite a few things.
The most obvious lesson is that influence is a difficult thing to achieve. People are busy and they turn to many, many brands in their lives - sometimes unaware of which ones they are using. But then there are those that stand out. What is the difference, and what drives that success?
There are a number of factors that drive influence. From our study, we identified five that have the greatest impact on influence - each with their own attributes.
Dimensions of Influence
Corporate Citizenship
People expect influential brands to deliver more than just a product or a service. They have to be a part of something bigger. That means playing their part in society, caring for people and the planet, and instilling, expressing, and inspiring a high set of standards and values. People want to see themselves in the brands they choose.
Engagement
A brand is a relationship and the more invested people are in that relationship, the more influence it will have in their lives. In today's world, that means connecting and interacting with the brand in more ways than just at the point-of-sale. Influential brands are liked and talked about and people want to know more about them.
Leading Edge
This is 2015, the age where innovation, technology, and people are all connected. The most influential brands make the most of that. They're ahead of the curve, they stand out, and they're an example for others to follow. And people love them for that. At least until the next big trend or innovation comes along.
Presence
To be influential, you have to be seen, heard, and known. That means getting in people's faces or recruiting an army of advocates to do the job for you. This is where your marketing efforts get to work - promotion, placement, and people. Because you have to be seen to be believed.
Trustworthy
And of course, the cornerstone of any relationship: trust. The most influential brands have this in spades. People use them, rely on them, and believe in them. And when they really, truly trust a brand, they'll listen to what you have to say and tell others about it.
The Top Ten Countdown
We put over 100 brands to the ultimate test - a comprehensive comparison and evaluation by the Canadian public.
Our study looked at which brands influenced Canadians most in 2014 and why. No doubt, you know all of these brands. You've likely had experiences and interactions with some, of them in the past week, if not today, or even, at this very moment.
Here is our countdown of the Top Ten. For more detailed results, please be sure to download our Point of View.
- President's Choice: Influence Index: 180
- Samsung: Influence Index: 195
- Tim Hortons: Influence Index: 208
- Visa: Influence Index: 227
- Walmart: Influence Index: 233
- YouTube: Influence Index: 240
- Apple: Influence Index: 274
- Facebook: Influence Index: 284
- Microsoft: Influence Index: 293
- Google: Influence Index: 389
And These Brands Are On Fire!
Brands are dynamic. So too is their influence. New brands will come in and completely change the landscape. And some long-established brands will reinvent themselves or get rediscovered by a new generation of consumers. While some brands will struggle, stumble or disappear, offering many lessons in brand management, the up-and-comers and the movers-and-shakers are more exciting to talk about.
Comparing results from previous years, we highlight three brands in particular that made big jumps in 2014, elevating their influence across the Canadian market. One is upping the ante with original content. Another is changing the way people communicate. And a third continues to build its reputation as an innovator. For various reasons, these brands were more influential to Canadians in 2014.
Netflix
Netflix was a `Brand on Fire' in our 2013 assessment, jumping from 72nd in 2012 to 36th in 2013. And it's red hot again this year! So how are they gaining influence? Netflix isn't afraid to change the game, and they're doing just that with new, original content. The brand released several of its own original series, including House of Cards, moving beyond just a content provider, to a content developer. They stand out for giving the consumer exactly what they want - engaging, interesting shows - and for tapping into our binge-viewing tendencies by releasing all episodes at once. They've also set their sights on an international expansion, launching in several new European markets last year.
It's no surprise that a platform that connects people and ideas across the globe is rising through the ranks. Whether it was the record-breaking `Oscar Selfie' tweet, the #WorldCup and #Brazil2014 popularity, or the rise in hashtag activism, this brand has people chatting. And in 140 characters or less! Ipsos Censydiam recently released eight consumer trends for 2015, and while Twitter aces a number of these, it masters one particularly well: the power in we (*see chart on next page). Twitter provides the perfect outlet for consumers to achieve more by working together.
LG
LG is a brand that loves to innovate. From the launch of the LG G3 phone this year to its ultra HD TVs, this South Korean tech company is scoring high points for its trendsetting and innovative products that meet the needs of consumers. Trustworthiness is also a critical element for LG's influence, with Canadians believing that it has a strong future and is a brand they can depend on. LG's ability to stay leading edge while instilling trust underpins its rapid climb in influence.
Lasting Influence
Since we started our annual quest for the Most Influential Brands in Canada, there has been much learned about the brands that have the most influence in our lives.
We know that there are many angles to an influential brand. Some change the way we shop. Others impact the way we interact with one another. And they are truly important forces in our world. Some have been around for half a century, whereas others came onto the scene in the last decade. While many are global brands, a few started here in Canada. In order to maintain and grow their influence, all brands must work hard to be trustworthy, engaging, and leading edge, while doing their part in the world and building a strong presence.
To download our detailed Point of View with more results from our 2014 study, click here.
To read our Press Release, click here.
