The inaugural Consumer Index from FutureBrand found that many of the biggest CPG brands are missing the mark on relevance and may be missing out on key growth opportunities. FutureBrand assessed 100 well-known name brands by their performance in 18 critical areas — including mission, innovation, seamlessness, and consistency — to identify gaps between what consumers want and what brands do well.
While most brands succeed in terms of consistency, this is one of the lowest drivers of brand affinity. The top driver of affinity, seamlessness, which relates to consumers feeling that the brand understands them, is where they fall short. The report suggests three approaches to help brands break free of this tendency toward “blandification” and unlock their full potential — 1) solve personal, real-life challenges; 2) use experiences to boost engagement; and 3) help establish genuine connections among consumers.
FutureBrand also identified the top 10 brands that are in position to grow in the short and long-term. Food brands among the top-ranking brands include:
- Gatorade (#3)
- Hershey (#8)
- M&M’S (#9)
- Coca-Cola (#10)
See the full report for more insights.