The most ‘intimate’ brand during COVID-19 is…

Amazon and Walmart received high rankings for making emotional connections with customers during the pandemic, but another brand took the top spot.  

Apple has been the most intimate brand during COVID-19, according to MBLM’s “Brand Intimacy COVID Study,” which ranked brands based on emotional connections during the pandemic. Amazon and Google placed second and third in the study overall, respectively.

The remaining brands in the top 10 are Walmart, YouTube, Toyota, Disney, Netflix, Chevrolet and PlayStation. Interestingly, Apple is the top brand for women and millennials, while men rank Amazon as their number one brand.

Other findings of the study are below.

• During the pandemic, consumers have shown a 23% increase in the number of brands they are connecting with emotionally.
• Media & entertainment, automotive, and retail are the top three industries for brand intimacy.
• During the pandemic, men are forming deeper attachments to brands compared to women.
• Zoom is the top brand that people were using more during the pandemic, followed by Purell and Netflix.
• Purell is the number one brand for consumers willing to pay 20% more for its services or products.
• Brands that are part of the smartphone ecosystem increased in strength during COVID-19, particularly access brands like Verizon and AT&T.

“We are facing a once-in-a-generation disruption to every facet of our lives. Our COVID-19 study reveals the impact on the world’s leading brands,” said Mario Natarelli, managing partner, MBLM. “We have uncovered that consumers have increased the number of brands they are bonding with. As we all look towards recovery, this comprehensive data can help businesses and their brands navigate what’s next.”

During late summer 2020, MBLM conducted a quantitative survey of 3,000 consumers in the U.S. to detail their experiences across 10 industries and 100 brands. “The Brand Intimacy COVID Study” focuses on highlights, insights and rankings from this survey.