Supermarket price wars prove a potent aid to popularity
German discount supermarkets Aldi and Lidl hold on to their positions as the highest performing brands in YouGov BrandIndex’s mid-year Buzz Score Rankings, while we have positive news for the Co-Op group in the most improved brand list.
The rankings are based on YouGov’s BrandIndex Buzz scores, which measures whether consumers have heard anything positive or negative about the brand in the last two weeks.
Aldi holds on to the top spot with a score of 21.3, although Lidl is close behind on 17.6 There are also solid appearances in the top ten for BBC iPlayer (14.2), Dyson (13.2) and high street stalwart John Lewis (12.2).
There is an indication of Netflix’s expansion and growing popularity with its presence at number four with a score of 13.8, while fellow online giant YouTube is in eighth on 10.3.
Aldi has occupied the top position on our overall Buzz rankings for the last year, reaffirming the positive message it has communicated to customers. Along with Lidl, it has solidified its central messages, which centre on price but also quality.
Creative ad campaigns such as “Lidl Surprises” have been central to this success.
The big four supermarkets have had assorted problems in trying to deal with the emergence of this new threat.
However, as consumers start to feel the economic recovery in their wallets, will it be that things move back towards the centre ground and people might start being prepared to pay a little more for slightly better quality goods?
I anticipate brands like Netflix becoming a mainstay in YouGov’s rankings.
A successful past year on both sides of the Atlantic has redefined the way we consider the television industry, with huge potential for growth still there.
In terms of brands that have shown the biggest improvement, three subsidiaries of the Co-Operative group make up the top ten.
Several companies in the energy sector have improved well, as the debate over the cost of living crisis moves on; British Gas and E.On are two such companies that have shown a solid improvement, although not a positive score just yet.
