Hershey's Kisses Ranks Highest In Brand Equity

(HARRIS)--Leading global market research firm Harris Interactive today released the 2010 results of EquiTrend®, its renowned annual brand equity study that measures over 1,000 brands across 42 categories. Harris Interactive has been tracking consumers' awareness and perception of brands for over 20 years.

"Even in a time of economic turmoil, consumers remind us that those brands that have consistently delivered on their promise are those that are rewarded with long term equity," said Jeni Lee Chapman, Executive Vice President, Global Brand and Communication Consulting at Harris Interactive. "It's been a tough year for marketers as they carefully manage their brand investments and strive to protect their long term equity. The EquiTrend® data indicates consistency and strength, despite the recession, for those brands that have not wavered from their promise."

Hershey's Kisses was the highest rated brand in the entire survey with several other brands from the comfort foods category (e.g., M&Ms, Hershey Bar, Oreo Cookies, and Snickers) ranking high. The remaining brands in the top 25 represent icons of quality within their respective categories. In fact, certain brands have managed to hold the top ranked spot within their categories uninterrupted for years, including Coca-Cola, Visa, Duracell, Sony, Tide, Kleenex, Hallmark and Subway.

Not surprisingly, the lowest rated brands in the study come from the cigarette companies, online dating sites, online universities and the financial sector. The fallout from the government bailouts tarnished many well established brands but the good news is that some are slowly rebounding (e.g., AIG and GM). These brands are working hard to understand how to win back the trust of the U.S. consumer.

"A common theme for those brands that are suffering from a loss in trust will be their ability to connect with their customers in a relevant way – and that will require showing they are really listening to them, and are addressing their concerns and needs at both the product level and in how they market their products," said Carol Gstalder, Senior Vice President, Business and Industrial at Harris Interactive.

One company to carefully monitor is Toyota, which is in the midst of dealing with unprecedented product safety and consumer trust related issues. Given that EquiTrend® was conducted just prior to Toyota's major recall, the study provides a valuable baseline upon which to monitor change in equity.

EquiTrend® covers a broad array of industry categories. The category leaders are a who's who of iconic brands, including, among others, UPS, State Farm, Harley Davidson, and Microsoft. Below is a list of the highest ranked brands in certain select categories according to the 2010 EquiTrend® study.