What makes a brand more likely to be loved?

Have you ever wondered what makes certain brands stand out and earn a special place in people’s hearts? Let’s dive into what makes a brand truly loved and keeps us coming back for more…

Being a brand people buy
The brands shoppers buy are the Most Loved and vice versa. The correlation between Brand Love and bought in the last four weeks is a strong one (0.67) – and remember, this includes high affection / low buying frequency categories like Champagne, as well as the high affection / high buying frequency categories like Soft Drinks.

Be a market leader
The Most Loved brands are associated with popularity and particularly market leadership. People have no problem with being similar to others. In fact, buying the same drinks as others makes the majority of people feel good. Feeling ‘special’ can come from being the same as other people.

That said, you don’t have to be a “big” brand
While being a large brand helps, there are some brands that manage to bend the rules. Less than half of people have heard of brands like Opihr gin, Cornish Rattler cider and Veuve Cliquot, yet they have high Love scores. This is not simply a function of scale as a number of other brands with lower awareness also have low Love scores (for example, White Claw, Eisberg, Cornish Orchards). At the same time, much better-known brands like Bud Light, Martini and WKD have relatively low Love scores.

Don’t be “different”
There’s no correlation between Brand Love and being described as “Something Different”. Being “different” can make it hard for category buyers to think of you when buying. Being distinctive is more important. At point of purchase a brand must stand out so that buyers can easily identify it – with colours, logos, taglines, or even sounds.

Have a “quality” brand image
Some of the Most Loved brands are highly rated in terms of perceptions of “High Quality”. This can stem from years of category building and brands get a halo from this – for example, Champagne and Malt Whisky have established a premium price positioning by communicating their limited production, the process behind making their products as well as strong association with special celebratory occasions. Fever-Tree established a higher price point by starting off in selective on-trade distribution and building quality associations via the quality of its ingredients and persuasive messaging (“If ¾ of your drink is the mixer, mix with the best”). A quality image can also be part of the attraction of some small niche brands where small is associated with being artisan or crafted by a founder rather than being mass produced.

Talk about product quality
One element of a quality brand image is the perception that the product is made with attention, using the best ingredients by people who care. Loved brands invariably maintain a high score on Brand Advantage i.e., being “one of the best” brands, highlighting that product quality credentials (in terms of ingredients used, sourcing and manufacturing process, for example) can be part of a brand’s message to help build emotional connections. The correlation is a very strong one (0.83).

You don’t have to be cool
Being “Interesting” or “Cool” or “Modern” does not correlate with Brand Love. Indeed, the biggest riser in this year’s report – The Glenlivet – has one of the lowest proportion of responses saying it’s “cool”. And despite the Craft Beer category generally being considered cool and interesting, no brands make it into the Top 100.

Be the real thing
Brand Love in Alcohol-free categories is consistently lower than their alcohol equivalents. The category is growing on the back of improved taste and the saliency of moderation as a choice driver. However, it’s still small and for many it remains a functional option despite brand owners like Seedlip and Lucky Saint who are aiming for their brands to be chosen for their taste and fit for occasions rather than only as an alternative to alcoholic drinks.

Click here to check out the full The UK’s Most Loved Drinks Brands 2024 report.