For the second year in a row Aldi and Lidl fill the two top spots on YouGov BrandIndex’s list of the UK’s top brands
Following a year of creative advertising, ambitious expansion and a progressive wage policy, both brands have consolidated their popularity among UK consumers, successfully cementing their transition from competitive outsiders to mainstream brands.
YouGov BrandIndex measures the public’s perception of brands on a daily basis across a range of measures. The annual rankings were compiled using Buzz scores from across the year. Buzz scores measure whether people have heard good or bad news about a brand during the previous two weeks.
Aldi takes the top spot with an average Buzz score of +19.7. Lidl follows closely behind on +17.5. The rest of the top five is filled by BBC iPlayer (+13.5), John Lewis (+12.1) and Dyson (+11.6).
The most notable new entry into the top ten this year is Yorkshire Tea, which is in seventh position with a score of +10.1. The brand has set itself the target of becoming the UK’s second largest tea brand and it made a significant marketing commitment during 2015. This included heavy investment in TV ads as well as eye-catching marketing promotions such as the release of a special edition tea to mark the birth of Princess Charlotte.
The other top ten brands are made up by YouTube, MoneySavingExpert.com, and Apple and Waitrose (in joint tenth).
Sarah Murphy, Director of YouGov BrandIndex UK, says: “Aldi and Lidl hold the top two spots in our rankings for the second year in a row but their marketing strategies have evolved over the past 12 months. While they have always marketed themselves being value for money the emphasis now is on the quality side of that bargain and not just the cost.
“Their ongoing store opening programme, including plans for far larger stores, cements the impression that both Aldi and Lidl have made the leap from ‘challengers’ to central players in the industry. The embrace of the recommended living wage by both was popular among consumers, helping them stand out as brands that do right by their staff, particularly as some rivals were seen to be undecided on the issue.’’
YouGov BrandIndex also ranks the “most improved” brands of 2015. Following a punishing 2014, the Co-operative Bank tops the list, having made great strides in its recovery. However, despite its improvement it remains in negative territory.
The most striking aspect of the top ten most improved brands is the number of spaces taken by financial institutions (RBS, Lloyds and Barclays) and a utilities company (British Gas) as both sectors recover from negative headlines in past years.
Sarah Murphy continues: “After a year to forget in 2014, the Co-operative Bank has made great strides in its recovery. The Co-operative group as a whole enjoyed a renaissance in 2015 with their supermarkets and insurance services also among our top ten improvers list. There are a high number of brands on the list from the much maligned utilities and banking sectors as many enjoyed a year out of the headlines for the first time in a long time. In these cases, no news was indeed good news.”
