German food discounters Aldi and Lidl enjoy premium branding buzz – Brand Index

But there is still good news for some more of Britain’s most loved retailers, such as John Lewis and Marks & Spencer.

 

The rankings are based on YouGov’s BrandIndex Buzz scores which measure whether consumers have heard anything positive or negative about a brand in the last two weeks.

 

Aldi is first in the overall rankings with a score of  26.3, with Lidl closely behind on 20.3. Lidl also picks up the most improved award as it finds itself at the top of our Buzz Improvers list with a rise in its score compared to 2013 of 11.6. Aldi has had similar success and shows a rise of 10 points. 

 

 

 

While negative stories have often hit larger rivals over the year, the German retailers have been asserting through high-profile campaigns that they are the viable alternative offering both quality and low prices. Aldi was at fourth in the annual list for 2013, while Lidl was not even in the top 10, underlying the rate at which the retailers have been pervading public consciousness. 

 

Elsewhere, fresh from another powerful Christmas campaign, John Lewis underlines its steadfast appeal in third place (on 18.3), surely a sign the Christmas penguins can stay on for another year.

 

BBC iPlayer – at first place this time last year – drops to fourth (18) but can be content that its popularity is constant, as is the same with bbc.co.uk in seventh (11.6).

 

Innovative electronics manufacturer Dyson claimed fifth place in 2014. The desire for exclusive content has aided Netflix’s entrance into the top ten in eighth (11.3). The presence of other traditional favourites such as John Lewis shows the importance of creating a notion of trust and a reputation for quality. 

 

Waitrose (13.1 – 6th) and Marks & Spencer (11.3 – joint 8th) can be pleased with their performance, over the year, showing that they are at least making positive steps in their marketing and service efforts.

 

Of the other brands that have seen the greatest improvement over the year, budget airline Ryanair has achieved an increase of 10.6, though its overall score remains negative. 

 

There is good news for traditional high street retailer HMV (up by 7.5) and the embittered energy firms SSE (up six points) and British Gas (up 5.8) – although the latter two brands’ scores remain negative, meaning 2015 will likely be busy for those keen to make positive inroads into positive public opinion. Marketing bosses will see this as a justification of their efforts to begin to change public perception of their brands. 

 

However, there is still a long way to go for those companies to achieve a positive overall score and a place in the nation’s hearts.