What makes a 'good brand'?
Published May 04th, 2021
In recent years, the role of companies in society has slowly been evolving. Beyond delivering valuable products and/or services for consumers, brands are now trying to be 'good'.
To see what consumers believe a good brand to be, we asked our dedicated research community what attributes they think make a 'good brand'? And what they expected to see from a 'good brand' or what they considered to be a gimmick?
Top words telling
Below are the words respondents used the most to describe a good brand. This shows how much importance is placed on the depth of a brand and its ethics.Quality, quality, quality
Quality is the biggest factor discussed by respondents. Brands also need to be reliable and consistent with their level of quality to retain their status as a ‘good’ brand."A good brand delivers with consistency, has a high standard for the quality of the products or services they are delivering and importantly has great customer service."
"People will pay for quality but the brand must be consistent in this. No one wants something which they can't rely on from one week until the next."
A holistic view
In 2021, many believe a good brand is one that has a quality product but also has the infrastructure to back it up. Is that product backed up by excellent customer service, a sustainable strategy, good value, and honesty? A good product cannot stand on its own."For people, a 'good brand' is the one that generates a positive feeling or a positive experience at every touchpoint, whether that be the point of purchase, service, usage, or marketing communications. As customers are gaining a more holistic view of brands, they appreciate the quality of the products or services, but also the brand personality and the people behind it. It takes not one, but multiple positive traits to equate to a good brand."
An ethical approach
Respondents want brands to be ethical in how they go about doing business, including how they treat employees, how the product is made, and the service itself. And they want it to be authentic, not just to perceive to be ethical or to greenwash but to actually be it through and through.
"You can really tell the difference between greenwashing or slapping an ethical slogan on their website and when they truly consider their choices at every step of the way."
"A good brand is environmentally conscious, and is transparent about their goals and company ethics."
Gimmicks cringeworthy
Respondents see a gimmick as a brand that has false advertising or needs to use discounting often to gain interest in their product, instead of it standing on its own merit."Gimmicks are a newsletter sign-up discount. A discount if you spend above a specific amount, like $150 or free shipping over a certain spend."
"Gimmicks for me are the unrealistic advertisements and the use of worst products. Gimmicks also cheat not only with the customers but with the whole community."
So what does this mean?
For people, a 'good brand' is the one that generates a positive feeling or a positive experience at every touchpoint, whether that be the point of purchase, service, usage, or marketing communications.As customers are gaining a more holistic view of brands, they appreciate the quality of the products or services, but also the brand personality and the people behind it. It takes not one, but multiple positive traits to equate to a good brand.
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