Brands have an important role to play during COVID-19. Not only are they under scrutiny by their audiences, but they can help to guide outcomes as we emerge from crisis. A new study called “Brand Beauties” by Living Brands Strategy and Insight dives into brand positivity during the time of the novel coronavirus. Cint powered the survey, providing programmatic access to a nationally representative sample of U.K adults.
The study sought to uncover which U.K. brands were performing well – and why – when it came to consumer perceptions. Data from a questionnaire was fleshed out via video interviews with respondents, and the company plans to conduct additional waves in the coming weeks as the global and national situations continue to quickly change.
In a nutshell, Living Brands Strategy and Insight identified which brands responded well during the crisis, according to consumers. Overwhelmingly, consumers felt most positive about the food sector (80%), while news media took a hit with only 38% believing they were doing a good job. “Food retailers have functioned well, performing a civic duty, coping with high demand, supply chain problems and new challenging safety guidelines for staff and customers.”
For example, nearly 75% of Tesco customers felt positive about the brand, showing that the company had adapted well online and in stores to navigate the new paradigm. Specific activities that were viewed positively included good treatment of employees, cleanliness and open customer communication. These findings can help advise future activities that will encourage continued positive perception.
The report dives into a variety of metrics in industries such as banking, entertainment and travel, breaking down the results by various respondent demographics and sentiment. Key takeaways show that the response of brands to COVID-19 can directly impact how positively they are viewed and how a business treats its staff is the number one priority for people, no matter the industry.
While consumer response to specific brands during the crisis may not be an indicator of overall, long-term brand health, Living Brands believes that these insights can give brands some solid guidance as we begin to emerge into normalcy. Cint looks forward to providing engaged, “real” respondents for future waves of this study and help uncover how brands are navigating the changing marketplace. View the full report here.
